25 Breakout Actors You Need to Know

Now that movie awards season is behind us, we're looking to the future of Hollywood. Not just in terms of what we're excited to see this year, but who we're excited to see.

Peppered into summer blockbusters, can't-lose franchises, and promising indie fare, these are 25 breakout actors to you need to know. If you're unfamiliar with their names now, soon you won't be able to forget them.

RELATED: 25 Breakout Actresses You Need to Know
RELATED: The 25 Best Actresses Who Never Won An Oscar
RELATED: The 25 Best Hollywood Actors Under 25

Notable Role: Clark Kent in Man of Steel (2013)

British actor Cavill has the jaw, the physique, and the gravitas to be a huge action star. He displayed that in 2011's sword-and-sandals eye candy Immortals, and this June, he's putting it all to work in Zack Snyder's reboot of the Superman franchise, Man of Steel.

The comic book character is one of the best known and most beloved in the world, and if all goes well, Cavill will be inextricably linked to him the way that Christopher Reeve once was and the way that Christian Bale now is to Batman. —JM

Notable Role: Sutter Keeley in The Spectacular Now (2013)

Consider Miles Teller the John Cusack of the new generation: He's charming and funny, without making a big deal about it. After gaining recognition for his heart-wrenching role in Rabbit Hole, Teller proved his comedic chops in this year's college-aged answer to The Hangover, 21 and Over.

However, his comparison to the '80s Lothario can truly be seen in the buzz-building coming-of-age flick, The Spectacular Now, out in August, in which Teller plays an endearingly confident, yet alcoholic teen who turns his life around after befriending a beautiful girl (Shailene Woodley). A testament to Teller's talent, the film won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Acting at this year's Sundance Film Festival. —TA

Notable Role: John Harrison in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

He wouldn't count as a breakout actor across the pond, but stateside, Cumberbatch is like a shiny new toy. The actor, who became a fanboy favorite as the star of the BBC hit Sherlock, is about to gather even more of the nerd herd among his flock of fans as John Harrison, the villain of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness.

And that's in addition to the fact that he's voicing the evil Smaug in both The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Basically, he's about to be crowned the king of geeks everywhere. Bow down. —TA

Notable Role: Joe Stafford in Argo (2012)

Scoot McNairy sounds like a name that kids would love to make fun of, but his old classmates can't be laughing at him now. The 32-year-old actor has just stumbled upon an amazing career. After appearing opposite Brad Pitt in Killing Them Softly, McNairy has become of the hottest commodities in Hollywood. In addition to that role, he's taken part in other high-profile work, including Ben Affleck's Argo and the Matt Damon-starrer Promised Land.

And his momentum wasn't capped by the end of 2012. On top of appearing in the buzzed-about Steve McQueen film, Twelve Years a Slave, at the end of the year, he was recently cast as the lead in AMC's newest pilot, Halt and Catch Fire, set during the computer boom of the '80s. —TA

Notable Role: Oscar Grant in Fruitvale (2013)

After appearing in The Wire and the soap opera All My Children as just another problematic teen, a lot of people wrote Jordan off as a child star and bit player. Now, he's currently the most talked about young actor in the industry, fresh off his poignant Sundance hit, Fruitvale, based on the true story of Oscar Grant, who was shot and killed by BART police officers in 2009

After Jordan's magnetic performance helped inspire a bidding war for the rights to the movie, it was ultimately won by the Weinstein Company, which could mean that the actor is on his way to a Best Actor nomination from the Academy. —TA

Notable Role: R in Warm Bodies (2013)

The first quarter of 2013 belongs to Nicholas Hoult. To this point, the 23-year-old English actor and model is best known for his adolescent turn as Hugh Grant's young sidekick Marcus Brewer in 2002's About a Boy, playing Tony Stonem in the British version of the teen drama Skins, and going blue and fuzzy as Hank McCoy/Beast in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class.

Thanks to February's Warm Bodies, Hoult proved his capability as a leading man, playing not a vampire or a werewolf, but a zombie who falls in love with a beautiful young woman (Teresa Palmer). He quickly followed that up as the the titular character in Jack the Giant Slayer, a CGI spectacle based on the "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tale. Although the flick didn't exactly slay the box office, we wouldn't rule out the British actor yet. After all, he's still got X-Men: Days of Future Past and Mad Max: Fury Road ahead of him. —JM

Notable Role: Dan in Zero Dark Thirty (2013)

It takes a real talent to be brutal enough to make a waterboarding scene convincing one moment, and then be likable the next. That's how Zero Dark Thirty opens—we watch Clarke masterfully become a monster. Up next, he's starring as the sadsack George Wilson in The Great Gatsby, before picking up his mean streak as a terrorist leader in White House Down. Seriously, you'll never know how to feel about Jason Clarke, which makes him all the more intriguing. —TA

Notable Role: Nathan Young in Misfits

With his fearlessness and natural comedic timing, it's a damn shame if you missed Sheehan on Misfits, the British sci-fi dramedy. The Irish actor is already a celebrity in Britain, having won a BAFTA when he was 23. The now 25-year-old is making his way stateside in the adaptation of the urban fantasy, The Mortal Instruments, hyped to be the next great young adult franchise, out this August. —TA

Notable Role: Eric Molson in 21 Jump Street (2012)

It's easy to look past Dave Franco's brotherly connection to James Franco, especially while watching the 27-year-old, multi-talented actor's hilarious, scene-stealing work in 21 Jump Street, the 2012 comedy hit that's currently playing nonstop on cable. The funny business is by now second nature for Franco, whose brief appearances in Superbad and Ben Stiller's indie flick Greenberg prefaced his memorably clever, self-made Funny or Die viral videos, including "You're So Hot."

This year, Franco is getting his character-actor on with a pair of supporting roles in two high-profile movies: the Twilight-meets-Zombieland comedy Warm Bodies and the magician heist thriller Now You See Me (also starring Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, and Woody Harrelson). As 2013 progresses, don't be surprised to see Franco's name announced as the leading man in future projects. A good-looking dude who's both funny and able to produce his own material? You'd be a fool to bet against someone like that. —JM

Notable Role: Raleigh Becket in Pacific Rim (2013)

Hunnam has been all over and you probably haven't even realized it. He was the highly sexual British roommate in Undeclared, a member of The Fishes in Children of Men and, of course, he's best known for playing Jax in Sons of Anarchy. But come this summer, he'll have a blockbuster to his name, too: Guillermo Del Toro's already raved-about sci-fi flick, Pacific Rim. In the inevitable hit, out this July, Hunnam plays a pilot who mans a giant fighting robot to defeat ginormous monsters that've emerged from the Pacific Ocean. Anime fans rejoice, you're about to get live action, and there's no better badass to bring it to you. —TA

Notable Role: Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013)

A talent like Boseman can only go unnoticed for so long. He's been in the business for ten years, playing everything from a soldier with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Lincoln Heights to a calm and collected former Marine in Persons Unknown. Come April, however, he'll be making headlines in a major way—playing one of the most legendary baseball players in history, Jackie Robinson, in the upcoming 42. —TA

Notable Role: Ethan Wate in Beautiful Creatures (2013)

How many actors can say they were discovered by Speilberg? Ehrenreich can, and it happened at a bat mitzvah, where the famous director was impressed with his appearance in a comedy short. In fact, he's already a favorite of another great director too: Francis Ford Coppola, after he appeared in his film, Tetro.

Two great directors and you still don't know why Ehrenreich is going to be the next big thing? OK, we'll indulge you. The 23-year-old appeared in the film adaptation of the young adult novel Beautiful Creatures, which didn't draw a huge audience but did create a fanbase for the new leading man. —TA

Notable Role: Finnick O'Dair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Still unknown, even after appearing in huge movies like the fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean, Claflin's the guy who's bringing your favorite books to life. Enjoy the Grimm fairy tale, "Snow White"? Well, Claflin is the prince in Snow White and the Huntsman. Dig The Hunger Games? If so, feel free to get stoked on the fact that he's about to appear as Katniss' newest ally in the second installment of the trilogy, Catching Fire. As if we didn't already have a hard enough time picking Team Peeta or Team Gale. —TA

Notable Role: Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon

Gad may be the hardest working man in show business, with none of the credit. He's starred in the failed Fox sitcom Back to You, was a Daily Show news correspondent, appeared in the underwhelming comedy The Rocker, and filmed a pilot of the American version of the British comedy No Heroics with Freddie Prinze Jr., which was never picked up. Then, he originated the role Elder Cunningham in the Broadway sensation, The Book of Mormon, for which he earned a Tony nomination.

The comedian was finally getting his slice of the pie, having co-created and produced his own show, 1600 Penn, but his big break might just be over one last hurdle: the delayed release of jOBS, where he stars as Steve Wozniak opposite Ashton Kutcher's Steve Jobs. —TA

Notable Role: Simon in Simon Killer (2012)

Fans of understated indie dramas are very familiar with Corbet. While he hasn't appeared in a lot of films, he's not easily forgotten. His movies tend to focus on psychological horror, like his breakout role in Funny Games, as a young home invader with a knack for torture, or in Martha Mary May Marlene where he was a delusional cult member. His latest is Simon Killer, where he immerses himself in a seedy world of sex and criminal activity. —TA

Notable Role: David in Evil Dead (2013)

Depending who you ask, Fernandez either missed an opportunity or dodged a bullet. He was one of the top picks to play Edward Cullen, the brooding teen vampire in Twilight, but lost the role to Robert Pattinson. Three years later, the movie's director, Catherine Hardwicke, was still so impressed by him that she cast him in Red Riding Hood, opposite Amanda Seyfried in 2011. He was quickly considered a breakout star, but only did one more film the following year.

This year, however, his career is in overdrive. He's starring in four films, including one of our favorites out of SXSW, the remake of Evil Dead, and Syrup, a satirical comedy based on the Maxx Barry novel of the same name. —TA

Notable Role: Jeremiah in Admission (2013)

He may have had a longer career than the rest of the guys on our list, but he did get his start when he was 9. Now 18, Wolff has grown up from his Nickelodeon hit, The Naked Brothers Band, and he's more than ready to take center stage in bigger projects. He's already gained attention as the maybe-son of Tina Fey in Admission, a rom-com out now that's also starring Paul Rudd, but that's just one of the five films Wolff is appearing in this year.

Up next, he's got Stuck in Love with Lily Collins and Behaving Badly with fellow former child star, Selena Gomez. Brace yourself for a resurgence of Nat Wolff pandemonium. —TA

Notable Role: Writer for Saturday Night Live

You already love John Mulaney. We know you don't know him, but you love him. In addition to being known for his clean and subtle stand-up act, Mulaney wrote for SNL and helped create the beloved character, Stefon, with Bill Hader.

Stepping out of the writer's room, he recently signed a deal with Lorne Michaels to develop his own sitcom, based loosely on his life, in which his character writes jokes for a game show host. He's already being considered this generation's Jerry Seinfeld. —TA

Notable Role: Marc in The Bling Ring (2013)

Save for a few small roles in unseen movies, Broussard is virtually unknown. Which makes that fact that he's about to burst onto the scene in Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring all the more exciting. As the insatiable party monster Marc, one of the masterminds behind the infamous Bling Ring, a group of spoiled L.A. kids who burglarized the homes of today's trendiest stars, the Mississippi native will simultaneously enrage and intrigue audiences everywhere. —TA

Notable Role: Jim Harper in The Newsroom

Sometimes new actors aren't new actors at all, you've just been looking in the wrong place. Exhibit A: John Gallagher Jr. He's already well seasoned—a Tony award winner for originating the role of Moritz in the Broadway hit, Spring Awakening, and a Drama Desk and Drama League favorite for his work in American Idiot.

Despite the lack of film and television work on his resume, we're already jealous of the soon-to-be A-Lister—Complex's favorite funny girl, Aubrey Plaza, was his first girlfriend when he was 15. Currently, he's shining in HBO's new behind-the-scenes news drama, The Newsroom, as the lovable and loyal producer Jim Harper, but he's about to become a much bigger presence in Hollywood. His movie, Short Term 12, where he stars as a foster care supervisor opposite Brie Larson, was the Grand Jury winner at SXSW this year. —TA

Notable Role: Llewyn Davis in Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Oscar Isaac spent the first part of his career playing menacing men—just check him out in Sucker Punch and Drive. However, as of late, his full range of talents have finally been put to good use, and he's proving himself quite the swoon-worthy actor. After teasing his singing and songwriting abilities in 10 Years, Isaac will finally get the chance to display them on a bigger stage: in the upcoming Coen Brothers dramedy, Inside Llewyn Davis, a film that follows Isaac as the titular folk music artist navigating his way around the '60s NYC music scene. —TA

Notable Role: Jack McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

Despite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Silvester Stallone melting into saggy bags of muscle, don't worry about Hollywood having a shortage of action heroes. Enter: Jai Courtney. The former Spartacus star has recently taken his mean muggin' onto the big screen, most recently playing Bruce Willis' son, Jack Jr., in A Good Day to Die Hard.

Expect to see a lot more of the 27-year-old, thanks to his role in this year's I, Frankenstein and the highly anticipated film adaptation of the Hunger Games-esque young adult thriller, Divergent, due out in 2014. —TA

Notable Role: Kitai in After Earth (2013)

Considering he's the son of the most affable guy in Hollywood, Will Smith, a thriving career in the entertainment industry is inevitable. He won over audiences alongside his father in The Pursuit of Happiness and the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid as a child, but, at 14, he's making his blockbuster debut in M. Night Shymalan's mysterious sci-fi thriller, After Earth. We can already hear the faint screams of teen fangirls everywhere. —TA

Notable Role: Jason in The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)

If you want to catch a tragically underseen performance, please check out Dehaan's work in Chronicle. The 27-year-old gives a powerhouse rendition of an abused teen who develops superhuman powers, and must face the choice of using them for good or evil. But that does not do justice to Dehaan's portrayal—he is haunting and quietly intense.

Naturally, Dehaan has a knack for volatile characters. He's currently working within the superhero genre again in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, as the vindictive Harry Osborne (the role previously played by James Franco). But before the blockbuster exposes Dehaan to a much larger fanbase, you can see him in The Place Beyond the Pines, as troubled teen Jason. And we really do encourage you to see a lot of Dehaan's work, we suspect he'll be an Oscar winner within the decade. —TA

Notable Role: Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

In 2013, Aussie actor Liam Hemsworth appears poised to reach the level of fame and success already achieved by his older brother, Chris, 29, who the world knows from Thor, The Avengers, and Snow White and the Huntsman. Liam's role as Gale Hawthorne, one of Katniss Everdeen's (Jennifer Lawrence) two suitors in The Hunger Games, expands significantly for Catching Fire, the wildly successful franchise's second installment, which is slated for a November release.

Leading up to that, in October, he co-stars with Harrison Ford, Amber Heard, and Gary Oldman in the corporate espionage thriller Paranoia. In the more indie Dito Montiel crime drama Empire State, he'll share screen time with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. If his work weren't enough to make him a household name, he's also marrying Miley Cyrus. You may have heard of her. —JM