2019’S BREAKOUT STARS

BY: Georgia Davis

2019 brought us some of our new favorite TV obsessions. From limited series like When They See Us to new seasons of shows like Stranger Things and Pose and the premiere of series that have us hooked, such as The Politician and Euphoria, there is much to celebrate. In those shows, we were introduced to some of the industry’s rising stars, and you can meet them here:

HUNTER SCHAFER

When HBO announced Euphoria with Zendaya in the lead role, the internet flipped out. Even though Zendaya’s performance was gut-wrenching in all the right ways, it was co-star Hunter Schafer who broke out as one of the next big stars. She plays Jules, the new person in town who finds herself mixed up in some unbelievable drama. She played her character with grace and a little bit of edge, providing us with one of the most complex characters of the year. Season two of the instant hit is the only project Schafer has in the queue right now, but it’s only a matter of time before everyone is knocking on her door.

THEO GERMAINE

The Politician is a perfect show full of quirks and insane plot points. With a cast featuring Ben Platt, Gwenyth Paltrow and Jessica Lange, you think it would be difficult for a newcomer to stand out. Theo Germaine proved us all wrong. Germaine plays James, the tough but fair political adviser and best friend to Platt’s character, Payton. Germaine’s fast-talking, get-to-the-point portrayal makes them the most memorable actor among the supporting cast.

ANGELICA ROSS

Ryan Murphy’s Pose has been around for two years now, but 2019 was the year Angelica Ross became a household name. She played the strong willed Candy for two seasons on FX’s hit show and became an icon in the process. Since then, Ross starred in Murphy’s latest season of American Horror Story titled “1984.” Ross has used her newfound fame to become an activist for trans women of color, which is a quality we admire in the fabulous actress.

MAYA HAWKE

Maya Hawke may be the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t earned her place in Hollywood. The actress landed her breakout role as Robin on season three of Stranger Things. The new character scooped ice cream and defeated bad guys with Steve Harrington (Joe Keery). Most notably, her character is known for coming out to Steve on the floor of the mall’s bathroom. She became one of the most talked about people on the show following the monumental exchange. She has landed other roles since then, including a part in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood.

ASANTE BLACKK

Asante Blackk has had one of the biggest years — and the 18-year-old only has two credits to his name. He landed his debut role on Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-winning hit When They See Us. The series is about The Central Park Five, now known as The Exonerated Five. Blackk plays a you Kevin Richardson, and delivered an emotional performance that landed him an Emmy nomination. This fall, Blackk came onto another Emmy-winning show: NBC’s This Is Us. The network series has become a major success, and it’s amazing Blackk has joined the talented cast. Blackk is two-for-two and we can’t wait to see what’s next for him.