THE OTHER NAMES TO WATCH THIS YEAR

Jessie Buckley

Her next film, Wild Rose, received a standing ovation at Toronto Film Festival last year. And with good reason. Jessie, nominated for the EE BAFTA Rising Star award, plays a single mum/ex-inmate who dreams of becoming a country singer. Watch it and declare ‘a star is born’.

Letitia Wright

Another EE Rising Star nominee, Letitia was the breakout star of last year’s Black Panther. This year, she appears in Avengers: Endgame alongside Brie Larson, as well as Guava Island (Rihanna and Donald Glover’s under-wraps and much-hyped project).

Thomasin Mckenzie

The 18-year-old star of Leave No Trace was lauded by critics for playing a teenage girl whose father has PTSD. This year, New Zealander Thomasin will be seen in The King with Timothée Chalamet.

Naomi Scott

Londoner Naomi is about to hit the big time after being cast as Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin. In October she’ll join Kristen Stewart as one of the new Charlie’s Angels.

Cynthia Erivo

Anyone who saw Steve Mcqueen’s Widows will know that Cynthia is a scene-stealer. Another BAFTA Rising Star nominee, this year she’ll play Harriet Tubman – the woman who helped free hundreds of slaves in the 1840s.