8 BREAKOUT TV PERFORMANCES
Anya Taylor-Joy, Paul Mescal, Jurnee Smollett +
2020 was a stellar year for TV. We were introduced to many breakout stars with hopes to see them back on our small-screens in 2021. From steamy favorites to certified hits, here are the shows that introduced our favorites:
VICTORIA PEDRETTI (YOU, HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR)
Victoria Pedretti started and finished 2020 strong. Right before the start of the new year, she starred as Joe Goldberg’s love interest on You, putting her in front of millions of people. Then, in October, she was the lead in Haunting of Bly Manor. The roles were total opposites, which shows the breadth of Pedretti’s talents,
PAUL MESCAL (NORMAL PEOPLE)
We knew this Sally Rooney adaptation would be steamy, but we didn’t think we would find our new boy crush. Paul Mescal played one of the leads of the Irish production that hit Hulu this year. His dynamic character allowed Mesal to show off his abilities.
CHRISTIAN SERRATOS (SELENA: THE SERIES)
Christian Serratos may have been on The Walking Dead, but Selena: The Series put her on the map. Her interpretation of the young life of the late Tejano singer on Netflix is stunning and captivating. It’s almost as if you’re watching Selena herself.
AIDAN GALLAGHER (THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY)
The Umbrella Academy is two seasons deep with a third on the way to Netflix, but Aidan Gallagher stood out in season 2 of the anti-superhero drama. Gallagher’s music career also took off this year, so we hope to see him everywhere in 2021.
JURNEE SMOLLETT (LOVECRAFT COUNTRY)
Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett made one hell of a duo on HBO’s Lovecraft Country. Smollett blew us away with her wit, energy, and fierce persona — not to mention her killer looks.
JACK DYLAN GRAZER (WE ARE WHO WE ARE)
Luca Guadagnino’s We Are Who We Are for HBO struck a chord in us all. At the center of the series are a beautiful friendship and a story about acceptance. Jack Dylan Grazer came out of the show with one hell of a resume booster with his poignant performance.
MATILDA DE ANGELIS (THE UNDOING)
The Undoing was the whodunnit that took the internet by storm. Matilda de Angelis may be a certified star in Italy, but her American debut was nothing short of amazing. They should give her an award for that locker room scene alone.
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY (THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT)
Though Anya Taylor-Joy had her breakout film role in The Witch in 2012, The Queen’s Gambit put her on the direct path of mainstream success. Netflix’s limited series about chess is one of its most-watched of all time and caused a spike in chess set sales. Taylor Joy’s performance is top-tier, and she even said she’d like to do more TV. We can only hope.
