25 Breakout Actresses You Need to Know

Image via Complex Original

Notable Role: Alexandra King in The Descendants (2011)

The 21-year-old California girl undoubtedly had her breakout year in 2011, when she won the Indie Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Oscar-nominated The Descendants, but she's not quite Jennifer Lawrence-famous. Well, yet. Like her contemporaries KStew and JLaw, Woodley is about to become a young adult franchise darling. Not only is she starring in the film adaptation of the teen trilogy Divergent, she's also bringing to life the character of Aimee Finicky in Tim Tharp's' YA novel The Spectacular Now and adopting the role of Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. 

Disclaimer to teens everywhere: clear some space on your bedroom wall because you'll need it for your future Shailene Woodley poster. 

Notable Role: Ginger in Ginger & Rosa (2012)

At 14, kids are usually starting their first year of high school and trudging through puberty. Not Elle Fanning. Like her elder sister Dakota, the actress, who's turning 15 in April, seemed to have skipped the typical teen awkward phase and shot straight to the front cover of prestigious magazines (just check out her beautifully styled New York feature) and the posters of the most buzzed about indie dramas, namely Sophia Coppola's Somewhere and Andrea Arnold's Ginger & Rosa. Up next on her impressive slate? A starring role as Princess Aurora in the Angelina Jolie-led Maleficent.

Notable Role: Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect (2012)

When we first saw Wilson in Bridesmaids we only had one thought: "Where have you been all our lives?" Since her U.S. debut, she's taken over the comedy scene. Late night interviews—nails it. Cameos on hit television comedies—unforgettable. And her appearances in movies? She's the one we quote until our friends say, "Please, stop." Not only is she nominated for a couple MTV Movie Awards, she's going to host the show. The scene-stealer, who's got a supporting role in the upcoming Pain and Gain, even has her own TV show in the works, Super Fun Night. 

Notable Role: Rachel Isum in 42 (2013)

After graduating from the Juilliard School in 2007, Beharie started her acting career one year later with American Violet. After that, she's had notable appearances in a few films, namely Shame with Michael Fassbender. Now, however, her career is about to go take off with her role in the Jackie Robinson biopic, 42, as Rachel Isum, the wife of the legendary baseball player.

Notable Role: Sue Snell in Carrie (2013)

We won't blame you if you don't know who Gabriella Wilde is yet. Unless you're a.) into fashion and know her from her modeling work, b.) a Dr. Who buff, or c.) one of the few to see The Three Musketeers, Wilde is a fresh face for you.

The 23-year-old English actress is about to capture a lot of attention stateside, though, as she's adopting the role of Sue Snell in the remake of Carrie. 

Notable Role: Rebecca Ahn in The Bling Ring (2013)

We totally get why all the press on Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring has been focused on Emma Watson. It's Emma freaking Watson. However, critics will be surprised to see the real star of the film: Katie Chang. 

As the spoiled Valley girl Rebecca, who's based on the convicted real-life leader of the notorious Bling Ring, Rachel Lee, Mochi Magazine's kicks off the infamous string of burglaries that left Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox, among others, without thousands of dollars worth of their property. 

Step aside because there's a new HBIC in young Hollywood.

For more on the talented young actress, check out her profile in Mochi Magazine.

Notable Role: Lauren Levins in Breathe In (2013)

Last year, Davis only had a small part in the Sundance film Smashed, but before it even was released, she signed onto another film: Drake Doremus' Breathe In. While both Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones turned heads with their starring roles as forbidden lovers (Pearce plays host to Jones' exchange student), it was Davis as Pearce's suspicious daughter whom film critics were blogging about.

But don't worry, she's not just going to remain an indie darling. This year, she's appearing alongside Daniel Radcliffe in The F Word and Zac Efron in Are We Officially Dating? 

Notable Role: Carol Solomon in In a World... (2013)

Yes, we all know Lake Bell. She was in Boston Legal, How to Make It In America, and she played the girl who didn't get the guy in No Strings Attached. Basically, she's been on TV and in movies for, like, a decade. But now, she's stepping her game up. She recently wrote, directed and starred in the Sundance favorite, In a World..., as an aspiring voice actress, Carol, who has to get out of the shadow of her famous father. This year, it looks like Bell herself is stepping out of the shadow of supporting roles and into her own spotlight. 

Notable Role: Aubrey Posen in Pitch Perfect (2012)

Former Broadway star Anna Camp has been flying under the radar, but it's time that someone pointed out her comedic brilliance and onscreen magnetism. On the small screen as of late, she's been the queen of recurring roles—in The Mindy Project, House of Lies, True Blood, Las Vegas and Mad Men, to name a few—but she's finally gaining the recognition she deserves thanks to her hilariously neurotic role in last year's feel-good comedy Pitch Perfect. Thanks to the flick, she's even nominated for an MTV Movie Award for "Best WTF Moment" (she projectile vomits like a scene out of The Exorcist, except without the demon part). Here's to hoping for more of the versatile actress within the year. 

Notable Role: Brit in Spring Breakers (2012)

She's already made a name for herself with the teen fans of her ABC Family show, Pretty Little Liars, but now she's moving on to a more mature audience—one that won't throw a fit when they see her dancing with a rifle and encouraging Disney stars to smoke out of a bong. Dressed in pink unicorn-patched ski masks and neon bikinis basically the whole film, the 23-year-old California native certainly leaves her family-friendly image behind in the heart-pounding party movie of the year, Spring Breakers.

Notable Role: Michonne in The Walking Dead

The actress/playwright has been a rising star, whether you've been paying attention or not, for a few years now. Already Obi Award winner for her work in In The Continuum, she also worked on Broadway in the play Joe Turner's Come and Gone, before becoming the iconic zombie-killing Michonne. 

This year, she appeared in the Sundance film, Mother of George, which earned her and her co-star Isaach De Bankole critical acclaim for their portrayal of a young Nigerian couple trying to have a baby in New York. 

Notable Role: Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby (2013)

Despite having only one feature film to her name, A Few Best Men, the Australian actress' career is about to launch into overdrive. This May, she's tackling the role of Jordan in Baz Luhrmann's highly anticipated visual feast, The Great Gatsby, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. Not bad for someone who graduated from acting school just last year. 

Notable Role: Mia in Evil Dead (2013)

The 23-year-old actress is repeatedly named a "breakout star" and included on lists like Forbes' 30 under 30 who are "reinventing the world"—and with good reason. She honed her comedic acting chops as Tessa Altman in the underrated comedy Suburgatory and appeared in films like Fun Size and Nobody Walks, but, this April, she's leading her first feature film, Evil Dead. Levy stars as Mia in the remake, which has already premiered at SXSW, where it earned a lot of praise, including ours.

Notable Role: Kris in Upstream Color (2013)

Seimetz is an actress, writer, producer, director, editor, and one of the biggest players in the independent film crowd. The "MVP of Sundance," according to The Los Angeles Times, the actress continued her reign with her latest festival hit Upstream Color. Add that to her role as a series regular on The Killing (as Danette Lutz), Seimetz is well on her way to gaining mainstream fame. 

Notable Role: Hit Girl/Mindy Macready in Kick-Ass (2010)

The 16-year-old actress has already proven herself more than capable of capturing attention. She slipped into the role of Hit Girl in Kick Ass just as easily as she did playing the diabolical teen, Kaylie Hooper, on 30 Rock. Suffice it to say, we're always excited to learn that the young talent is starring in a new film.

And Moretz is about to own 2013. She's playing the titular character in director Kimberly Peirce's remake of Carrie, which is said to be darker and more psychologically thrilling than the classic original, and reprising her badass role in Kick0Ass 2. 

Notable Role: Sofia in Gimme the Loot (2012)

Looking at her filmography, Washington's talents have been swept under the rug for unnamed roles like "girl," or "hot girl." That's about to change pretty quickly. With the wide release of her first starring film Gimme the Loot—a story about two graffiti writers planning to bomb the New York Mets' Home Run Apple—this charming actress is going to have her pick of roles pretty soon. 

Notable Role: Katie in Fruitvale (2013)

The American actress is best known for her supporting role in The Help as Elizabeth Leefolt—you know, the crazy lady who hits her kid—but that will soon be overshadowed by one simple fact: she's a part of the hottest property out of Sundance this year, Fruitvale. 

And it doesn't just end with the critical praise. The film, which recounts the true story of Oscar Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan), a young father who was shot to death by Oakland, CA police in 2008, was picked up by The Weinstein Company. In other words, O'Reilly is going to be impossible to ignore. 

Notable Role: Caroline Mathilde in A Royal Affair (2012)

The Swedish actress, despite being only 24, already has a very prolific career in her homeland. She's appeared in a TV drama, Andra Avenyn, won a Guldbagge Award for Best Actress for her film, Pure, and appeared in several musicals at the Gothenburg Opera.

As Kitty in director Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, she peaked the attention of American audiences. Now that she's set to appear in the first installment of the dark fantasy novel series, The Wardstone Chronicles, entitled The Seventh Son, Vikander is guaranteed to become just as famous in the U.S. as she is in Sweden. 

Notable Role: Stella in Kaboom (2010)

The singer/actress first appeared as a pop star in the Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore film, Music and Lyrics, which earned her a record deal and a three-picture contract with Warner Brothers Pictures, but Bennett has still remained out of the limelight. Despite her film Kaboom winning the first Queer Palm at Cannes, she hasn't worked on a lot of projects since. We guarantee her offers will start flooding in soon, however, once Bennett appears in the still untitled Terrence Malick project (formerly called Lawless), opposite Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara.

Notable Role: Karen Lane in World War Z (2013)

After starring on AMC's The Killing as Sarah Linden, Enos is making her leap to the big screen. As Karen Lane, the female lead of the zombie thriller World War Z, Enos is going to finally get some star power, with co-star Brad Pitt right beside her. Honestly, we're just grateful that she isn't playing those creepy Mormon twins on Big Love anymore.

Notable Role: Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Wallis was only five when she landed the role of Hushpuppy, which made her the youngest Academy Award Best Actress nominee of all time, at age nine. To put it in perspective, she was the first person born in the 21st century to earn a nomination. Now, don't you feel old and unaccomplished? 

But the starlet isn't just a one-hit wonder that some child stars turn out to be. The actress will appear as the title character in the new film adaptation of Annie, and she's already starring in Steve McQueen's upcoming movie 12 Years a Slave.  

Notable Role: Alice in The Brass Teapot (2012)

It's truly a wonder that Juno Temple isn't a widely recognized name yet. Just one glance at the 23-year-old's filmography and you'd think she'd been acting since birth. Since 2007, she's had over 30 films to her credit, most notably Atonement and The Dark Knight Rises.

What makes her so prolific? It's not just not her talent, it's also her fearlessness. The brilliant actress, who averages at least two films per Sundance Film Festival—this year alone, she had three: Magic, Magic, Lovelace and Afternoon Delight—is known for playing characters that toe the line of taboo. Just watch her as Matthew McConaughey's preteen lover in Killer Joe, and you'll see what we mean.

Notable Role: Emanuel in Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes (2013)

Across the pond, Kaya Scodelario is a recognizable name. Stateside, however, the only people familiar with her are the teens who watched the UK version of Skins marathon-style on Netflix and/or reblogged GIFs of her iconic character Effy Stonem.

Luckily for us, Scodelario finally made her American debut this year with director Francesca Gregorini's Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes. While the reviews on the film were mixed, critics could agree on the impressiveness of Scodelario's performance as a teenager who develops an obsession for her new neighbor (played by Jessica Biel).

Notable Role: Lena Duchannes in Beautiful Creatures (2013)

Beautiful Creatures may not have turned out to be the next Twilight people were expecting, but that didn't seem to phase Alice Englert, an Australian newcomer poised for stardom. Considering her mom is director Jane Campion, it's easy to see where the 18-year-old actress inherited her talent and penchant for poignant dramatic roles—just check her out in In Fear and Ginger & Rosa.

Notable Role: Maya Hansen in Iron Man 3 (2013)

Rebecca Hall isn't a new face in the industry. She's that girl whom you've seen in your favorite movies—The Town and Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona—yet can't quite put your finger on. However, with a supporting role in this year's Iron Man 3 and the highly anticipated Johnny Depp-starrer, Transcendence, the underrated British actress is about to become a household name.