New stars attract public’s attention
O’Brien, Elgort, James among YA movie actors
You may have heard that the new Dylan O’Brien movie, The Maze Runner, was No. 1 at the box office last weekend, raking in $32 million. Which may have caused you to wonder: Who’s Dylan O’Brien?
Fair question. Short answer: The second-billed dude from MTV’s Teen Wolf. Longer answer: O’Brien is one in a slew of essentially indistinguishable young actors who have flooded the market in recent months as Hollywood studios try to cash in on the craze for YA novels-turned-movies.
Here’s our helpful guide to telling these guys apart:
Dylan O’Brien
Age: 23. YA movie role: Group leader in The Maze Runner, based on the sci-fi books about a group of teens trapped in a terrifying maze. You might know him as: the BFF of the wolf on MTV’s Teen Wolf. Not ringing a bell? Daily Dot called him “the most popular actor you’ve never heard of.” Shot at stardom: Solid. Teen Wolf fans are pretty obsessed, and Maze Runner was a huge hit. Next up: The Maze Runner sequel, naturally. Tabloid potential: His relationship with CW starlet Britt Robertson has been dutifully chronicled. Plus, People Magazine dubbed him a “superstar.”
Ansel Elgort
Age: 20. YA movie role: Gus, the charismatic, wildly intelligent teen with terminal cancer in The Fault in Our Stars, based on the bestselling novel that inspired a fiercely devoted fan base. You might know him as: The guy who was in not one but two Shailene Woodley movies: Fault and Divergent. Shot at stardom: Pretty good, based on the shrieks at the Teen Choice Awards. The second Divergent movie doesn’t even come out until next year, and he’ll be back in theatres during awards season in the grown-up Jason Reitman comedy, Men, Women & Children. Tabloid potential: Manages to get in a lot of photos with Woodley.
Brenton Thwaites
Age: 25. YA movie role: The hero Jonas in The Giver (adapted from Lois Lowry’s classic book) as he fights against a dystopian society. You might also know him as: a star on Australian soap opera Home and Away. Not ringing a bell? Well, he had a small part as Prince Phillip in Maleficent. Shot at stardom: The Giver performed poorly at the box office, but he has another at-bat with a role in a huge Gerard Butler action movie (Gods of Egypt) next year. Tabloid potential: Nothing at the moment.
Theo James
Age: 29. YA movie role: He started a mini-revolution with Shailene Woodley’s character in Divergent, the popular trilogy adapted into a movie with many Hunger Games comparisons, and became her love interest. You might know also him as: Mr. Pamuk from Downton Abbey. Shot at stardom: Middling so far. Despite a Teen Choice Award, he’s not well known. Tabloid potential: Much better, thanks to a persistent buzz around his maybe-not-platonic relationship with Woodley.
Josh Hutcherson
Age: 21. YA movie role: The lovable Peeta in The Hunger Games, which returns for a third instalment (Mockingjay) this November. You might also know him as: The teen who gave an impressive performance in the Annette Benning-Julianne Moore drama The Kids are All Right. Shot at stardom: We’ll go out on a limb and say he’s already there — with many film credits to his name and the final two Hunger Games movies through next year. Tabloid potential: Excellent. Dating his Journey 2 co-star Vanessa Hudgens was an excellent move.