The 25 Best Actors in Their 20s

Image via Complex Original

Age: 29
Notable Role: Troy Barnes in Community

Glover has done more in his 11 year career than most performers get to do in their whole lives, but that's what happens when you start building buzz during your college years. He got his start making Internet videos with his NYU comedy team, Derrick Comedy, wrote for 30 Rock, where chilled with Tina Fey in her living room until she told the promising young man that his "talent, youth and handsomeness were not to be wasted sitting on my living room floor," and he moved on to break into performing. From there he broke into stand-up, dropped a rap album as Childish Gambino, and became a geek's personal hero as Troy in Community.

Age: 27
Notable Role: Eric Packer in Cosmopolis (2012)

The actor who became famous for portraying a sparkly vampire is so much more than just the pretty face on your little sister's Teen Bop magazine. As his icy work in Cronenberg's adaption of Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis demonstrated, Pattinson is a talented actor, and more than capable of carrying a film. While the world was distracted by his romantic life, Pattinson was busy sharpening his skills in more respectable films such Little Ashes and Bel Ami. He is currently working on smaller independent projects. 

Age: 26
Notable Role: Tate Langdon in American Horror Story

Peters is making quite the name for himself, which is impressive considering he says he broke into the biz just to meet the Olsen Twins. Regardless, he's well on his way to become even more recognizable, and not just to people who like to scare themselves silly with the terrifying American Horror Story anthology series, where he played Tate Langdon, the teenage murderer, in the original incarcnation and Kit Walker in the Asylum series. Marked by his uncanny knack for playing crazy, Peters is set to headline the third season of the show, American Horror Story: Coven.

Age: 28
Notable Role: Eric Molson in 21 Jump Street (2012)

Franco is a movie producer's dream. He's handsome, charming, and has impeccable comedic timing. The multi-talented actor showed off his comedic timing in 21 Jump Street, where he appeared as the environmentalist leader of the popular crowd, and the school drug dealer, Eric. He showed off a more serious side in Warm Bodies, where he played a young idealist who loses his father to zombies. You can currently catch Franco in theatres with the magician heist film, Now You See Me.

Age: 26
Notable Role: Jason in Rabbit Hole (2010)

We wouldn't be surprised if Miles Teller single-handedly brings the '80s back by making great teen romcoms. After gaining recognition for his heavy role in Rabbit Hole, he's been drawing comparisons to the charismatic Vince Vaughn after showing off his comedic skills in 21 and Over. But now the buzz is all centered around his coming-of-age film, The Spectacular Now, coming out in August, which won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Acting at this year's Sundance Film Festival. John Hughes back.

Age: 24
Notable Role: Simon in Simon Killer (2012)

Corbet is creepy. With performances like his breakout role in Funny Games, as a young home invader with a serious talent for torture, and in Martha Mary May Marlene, where he's a delusional and truly dedicated cult member, Corbet's earned our respect as a serious contender for the next Michael Shannon. He most recently gave an outstanding performance in Simon Killer, where he immersed himself in a seedy world of sex and crime. The film earned the Grand Jury prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Age: 25
Notable Role: Landry Clarke in Friday Night Lights

Plemons has been in the business for years now, appearing in TV shows like Walker, Texas Ranger, and in his first prominent role in the classic family film Like Mike (LOLZ), alongside Lil' Bow Wow. Now, he's highly regarded for his incredible character work on Friday Night Lights as the comic relief (whose blip in sanity led to him murdering a rapist), Landry Clarke. A sign that Hollywood is finally taking him seriously, Plemons played Val Dodd, son Philip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd in Paul Thomas Anderons's The Master.

Age: 23
Notable Role: Kurt Hummel in Glee

You've got to give it to Colfer. The kid is so talented that he inspired the show's creator, Ryan Murphy, to scrap a character they had already written just to create the character Kurt for Colfer. That is what we call star power, especially since his Golden Globe-winning performances steal the show week after week.

The 23-year-old's talent seems limitless. He's involved in every aspect of filmmaking, most notably writing. He wrote, starred in, and produced his own teen comedy, Struck by Lightning; he's currently writing his next yet-to-be-titled movie set to film next summer; and has an upcoming young adult book series entitled The Land of Stories. That's a full schedule.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Jim Harper in The Newsroom

John Gallagher Jr. gives a stellar performance as the loyal producer, Jim Harper, in HBO's behind-the-scenes news drama, The Newsroom, but the 29-year-old has been building acclaim for years. Which is to say, if you're a fan of Broadway, you already know he's a superstar. He's a Tony Award winner for originating the role of Moritz in Spring Awakening. We're pretty confident in his ability to earn some more attention, and awards. His movie, Short Term 12, where he stars as a foster care supervisor opposite Brie Larson, was the Grand Jury winner at SXSW.

Age: 25
Notable Role: Nathan Young in Misfits

The Irish actor is a huge success in the UK, having earned a BAFTA at the age of 23 for the sci-fi dramedy, Misfits. Two years later, he's making a name for himself stateside in the highly anticipated adaptation of the urban fantasy novel, The Mortal Instruments, out this August.

Sheehan is well known for his ability to turn a phrase, nail his timing in his comedic performances, but also perform with an air of understated maturity when the scene demands it. 

Age: 20
Notable Role: Kevin in We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Ezra Miller is a scene stealer. Of course, he graciously shares the scene with his fellow actors, but there's something about Miller that makes him impossible to look away from. The 20-year-old is a natural performer, and we suspect he could play any role with the kind of dedication to make us buy it 100 percent. Seriously, we'd watch Miller portray Joan Crawford in a Mommie Dearest remake. Actually, we'd produce that movie if we could, that sounds awesome. He's got the cheekbones.

If you need proof of Ezra Miller's greatness, please go out and purchase The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He brought the character of Patrick to life, far beyond what was written in the young adult novel. But, if you'd like a crash course on Miller's talent, prepare for his powerhouse performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, where he appeared opposite Tilda Swinton as Kevin, a teenager who commits a terrible crime.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Paul and Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood (2007)

Dano's been described as Daniel Day-Lewis, plus Billy Crudup, times Johnny Depp. Which, if you're good at math, means he's an captivating actor. Dano's quiet confidence is especially on display in his breakout role as the mute-by-choice, Dwayne, in Little Miss Sunshine. Plus, not many actors can say they went toe to toe with DDL without looking foolish, whiich is exactly what Dano did as the Sunday twins in There Will Be Blood.

Age: 28
Notable Role: Dean Moriarty in On the Road (2012)

Hedlund carries himself in such a way that you can't help but draw comparisons to classic American actors like Robert Redford. The 28-year-old brings a certain grit to his performances, and with his good looks, we assume college girls of 2073 will have posters of him on their wall, as you see with James Dean now.

He's able to play whatever is thrown at him, from his supporting bit in the crime drama Four Brothers to the leading role in the sci-fi remake Tron: Legacy. But it's his role in On the Road as Dean, the charismatic late 1940s party boy that truly cinched the deal. Hedlund's the next quintessential American actor.

Age: 23
Notable Role: Alan Strang in Equus

A superstar by the age 11, Daniel Radcliffe has left an indelible mark on pop culture history, thanks to his work as the lead in the Harry Potter series. And he deserves it. We can't picture anyone else in the role; he's the embodiment of the Boy Who Lived. That said, Radcliffe is a lot more than just a teenage wizard, he's a serious performer with a serious talent.

He's not only proven himself with movie hits outside the young-adult novel adaptation, like The Woman in Black, but he's also shown his skills on the theater stages of London's West End and New York's Broadway with a daring, full commando performance in Equus and a charming display of vocal talent in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Radcliffe is the type of actor you want to see succeed, not only because of his endearing roles, but because he's a modest guy who's willing to work. His latest film, Kill Your Darlings, comes out in October and has already earned the praise of critics.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Jack Burridge/Eric Wilson in Boy A (2007)

Andrew Garfield may be the most likable guy in Hollywood right now. It's impossible to hate his sincere smile and his ability to charm all his interviewers. In fact, the only reason we could possibly hate him is because he's currently dating the hilarious Emma Stone. Everyone likes the guy so damn much, it makes sense that he plays Spider-Man; you still want to be his friend even when he's supposed to play cocky.

But Garfield isn't the buff meathead type of hero. He's a heartfelt actor. From his breakout role as a convict in the British film Boy A to his portrayal of scorned BFF Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network to his heartwrenching role as the doomed-to-die Tommy in the sci-fi dystopian film, Never Let Me Go, Garfield always becomes the soul of his films.

Age: 27
Notable Role: Jack Bondurant in Lawless (2012)

Shia LaBeouf has been in the eye of a shitstorm of bad press lately—he got fired from the Broadway play Orphans and caught heat for wanting to film unsimulated sex scenes for his upcoming movie Nyphomaniac—but that doesn't make him any less of a talent. In fact, LaBeouf's done what only a handful of child actors have achieved: transitioned from a goofball on the Disney Channel to star in serious films opposite the likes of A-listers like Michael Douglas to Robert Redford.

Age: 23
Notable Role: John Lennon in Nowhere Boy (2009)

Crickets...crickets...he's the guy from Kick-Ass, guys! Cue the "ooohh!" While his filmography isn't stacked with trophy-winning roles yet, Taylor-Johnson has proven that his talent goes far and beyond most of his more exposed contemporaries currently hamming it up on the Disney Channel or ABC. He proved that playing a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy, and reaffirmed it as the tragic Count Alexei Vronsky in Joe Wright's Anna Karenina.

Age: 21
Notable Role: Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

When news broke that The Perks of Being a Wallflower was being turned into a movie, many devoted fans of the book were skeptical. Not only were they wary of how exactly an epistolary novel would translate to the screen, they were concerned that no actor could play Charlie with the depth achieved on the page.

Enter: Logan Lerman. Breaking out out with the action-adventure Percy Jackson franchise, Lerman established his dramatic chops as the mentally troubled high school freshman battling personal demons in Perks.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Peter Brand in Moneyball (2011)

Jonah Hill is a serious actor. Casting directors take note, he's not about that dick joke life. Which is working in his favor, actually. The famous funnyman in Superbad transitioned to the big time with an Academy Award-nominated role in Moneyball. Of course, our favorite movie of his is 21 Jump Street, but we're just mere peasants who don't understand craft. As is the rest of the world, we're looking forward to his work in The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese's upcoming slapstick white-collar comedy.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Thor in Thor (2011)

By the time you revisit this list, Hemsworth will probably already be 30, so let's appreciate his 20s while he's still got a month left. Chris Hemsworth is not just a beefcake. We repeat, Chris Hemsworth is not just a beefcake. He brings more to his manly axe or hammer-wielding roles than just grunts and ginormous muscles; he actually brings talent. If you aren't convinced, check out his upcoming leading movie Rush, in which he plays legendary racecar driver James Hunt.

Age: 29
Notable Role: Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network (2010)

People were ready to write Jesse Eisenberg off as Michael Cera 2.0, but it turns out, he's not a one-note actor. Eisenberg can easily move between playing the awkward teen (in Adventureland and The Squid and the Whale), to the awkward burgeoning adult asshole (in The Social Network), to a full-fledged asshole (in Now You See Me).

And Eisenberg's talent isn't just concentrated on film acting. He recently wrote and starred in the off-Broadway play, The Revisionist. 

Age: 21
Notable Role: Joffrey Lannister on Game of Thrones

You know how to tell if an actor is doing his job right? If he's so good at being an dick that you want to slap him. Such is the case for Gleeson's Game of Thrones character, the universally despised spoiled king Joffrey Baratheon. Gleeson delivers his lines so convincingly that boiling hatred for him resembles that of non-Heat fans' feeling towards Lebron James. We can't wait to see what else Gleeson is capable of, and whether or not we're capable of having more fun loathing him.

Age: 23
Notable Role: Kenny Potter in A Single Man (2009)

The Brits have latched onto Nicholas Hoult, the actor who went from playing the odd little lad in About a Boy to the tragically flawed teen in the first generation of Skins. And it's time the U.S. pays attention. Sure, he's taken the safe route with cutesy performances in Warm Bodies, Jack the Giant Slayer and X-Men: First Class, but his mesmerizing appearance in A Single Man internationally showcased exactly what he's capable of. 

Age: 27
Notable Role: Andrew in Chronicle (2012)

It's impossible to sum up DeHaan's on-screen magnetism. Maybe it's his icy blue eyes that work for him, or his steely facial expressions that make his every move that much more intense—either way, the actor has a depth that's unmatched among his contemporaries, making him the perfect pick for volatile characters. Just check out his underrated performance in Chronicle, as a troubled teen with superhuman powers, a precursor to his upcoming role as Harry Osborne in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Age: 26
Notable Role: Oscar in Fruitvale Station (2013)

No actor this year has generated more buzz than Michael B. Jordan, a performer previously best known for his roles in The Wire and Friday Night Lights. His heartbreaking portrayal of Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station, the California father shot and killed by BART police offers in 2009, stole the attention of Harvey Weinstein, who picked up the breakout film. It's now expected to be a major player during Oscar season. Don't be surprised if you see Jordan on multiple Best Actor lists come 2014.