The Next Generation of actors, directors and writers selected for 2008

Yesterday, The Hollywood Reporter announced its picks for its 15th annual Next Generation special issue, which profiles the thirty-five brightest and fastest-rising executives age 35 and under in the entertainment industry. The special issue, which is now on newsstands, highlights those who have distinguished themselves in the areas of film, television, representation, legal and new media.

This year, The Hollywood Reporter is unveiling their first Next Gen Talent list, which takes a look at up-and-coming actors, actresses, directors and writers who will likely dominate the screen from behind and in front of the camera for years to come.

The Next Gen Talent List includes:

Actors

  • Michael Angarano – Projects Include: Seabiscuit (2003), The Dust Factory (2004), Dear Wendy (2005), Lords of Dogtown (2005), Sky High (2005), One Last Thing (2005), Bondage (2006), Snow Angels (2007), Man in the Chair (2007), Black Irish (2007), The Final Season (2007), The Forbidden Kingdom (2008); Upcoming Projects: Noah’s Ark: The New Beginning (2008), Gentlemen Broncos (2009)
  • Thomas Dekker – Projects Include: Star Trek: Generations (1994), Village of the Damned (1995), Simple Joys (2006), The War Prayer (2007), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008); Upcoming Projects: From Within (2008), Whore (2008), My Sister’s Keeper (2009), Laid to Rest (2009), All About Evil (2009)
  • Cam Gigandet – Projects Include: Mistaken (2004), The O.C. (2005-2006), Who’s Your Caddy? (2007), Never Back Down (2008); Upcoming Projects: Twilight (2008), Pinkville (2009), Making Change (2008), Pandorum (2009), The Unborn (2009), Silver Cord (2009), Kid Cannabis (2009), Kerosene Cowboys (2010)
  • Toby Kebbell – Projects Include: Dead Man’s Shoes (2004), Northern Soul (2004), Alexander (2004), Match Point (2005), Wilderness (2006), Control (2007), RocknRolla (2008); Upcoming Projects: Perfect Woman (2008), Cheri (2008), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
  • Anton Yelchin – Projects Include: A Time for Dancing (2000), A Man Is Mostly Water (2000), 15 Minutes (2001), Along Came a Spider (2001), Hearts in Atlantis (2001), House of D (2004), Fierce People (2005), Alpha Dog (2006), Charlie Bartlett (2007); Upcoming Projects: You and I (2009), Middle of Nowhere (2009), New York, I Love You (2008), Star Trek (2009), Terminator Salvation (2009)

Actresses

  • Kat Dennings – Projects Include: Raise Your Voice (2004), Down in the Valley (2005), The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005), London (2005), Big Momma’s House 2 (2006), Charlie Bartlett (2007), The House Bunny (2008), Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008); Upcoming Projects: The Dream of the Romans (2009), Defendor (2009), End Zone (2009)
  • Zoe Kazan – Projects Include: August (2008), In the Valley of Elah (2007), Fracture (2007), The Savages (2007), Swordswallowers and Thin Men (2003); Upcoming Projects: Justice League: Mortal (2011), Taking Woodstock (2009), I Hate Valentine’s Day (2009), The Exploding Girl (2009), The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), Revolutionary Road (2008), Me and Orson Welles (2008)
  • Zoe Saldana – Projects Include: Vantage Point (2008), Blackout (2007), After Sex (2007), Ways of the Flesh (2006), Premium (2006), La Maldición del padre Cardona (2005), Dirty Deeds (2005), Guess Who (2005), Constellation (2005), Temptation (2004), Haven (2004), The Terminal (2004), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Drumline (2002), Crossroads (2002), Snipes (2001), Get Over It (2001), Center Stage (2000); Upcoming Projects: Bone Deep (2010), Burning Palms (2009), Avatar (2009), Star Trek (2009), The Skeptic (2008)
  • Mia Wasikowska – Projects Include: I Love Sarah Jane (2008), Rogue (2007), September (2007), Cosette (2007), Skin (2007), Suburban Mayhem (2006), Lens Love Story (2006); Upcoming Projects: Alice in Wonderland (2010), Amelia (2009), I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down (2008), Defiance (2008)
  • Odette Yustman – Projects Include: Cloverfield (2008), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), Transformers (2007), The Holiday (2006), Dear God (1996), Kindergarten Cop (1990); Upcoming Projects: Rogue’s Gallery (2009), The Unborn (2009)

Writers

  • Travis Beacham – Projects Include: Dog Days of Summer (2007), Seconds (2006), Booth (2005); Upcoming Projects: Clash of the Titans (2010)
  • Brad Inglesby – Projects Include: The Honeyfields (2006); Upcoming Projects: The Low Dweller (thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio), Sleeper (based on graphic novel)
  • Lorene Scafaria – Projects Include: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008); Upcoming Projects: Sweet Relief (2009)
  • Alex Tse – Projects Include: Sucker Free City (2004); Upcoming Projects: Frankie Machine (2010), The Illustrated Man (2010), Watchmen (2009)
  • Brian K. Vaughan – Projects Include: Lost (TV series); Upcoming Projects: Y: The Last Man (based on the graphic novel)

Directors

  • Seth Gordon – Projects Include: The King of Kong (2007), The Problem with Percival (2006), Fears of a Clown (2004), Squirt (2002); Upcoming Projects: The Only Living Boy in New York (2010), Four Christmases (2008)
  • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck – Projects Include: The Lives of Others (2006), The Crusader (2002)
  • Joe Kosinski – Upcoming Projects: Logan’s Run (2010), TR2N a.k.a. Tron 2 (2011) 
  • Jonathan Levine – Projects Include: Shards (2004), All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006), The Wackness (2008); Upcoming Projects: Positive (a love story), Echelon Vendetta (a spy thriller based on a David Stone novel)
  • Marc Webb – Projects Include: Jesse McCartney: Up Close (2005), Seascape (2003); Upcoming Projects: 500 Days of Summer (2008)

“Although narrowing down the selection to 35 is quite difficult, we are very pleased to recognize the Next Generation Class of 2008, all of whom truly represent the best and brightest among their peers in the industry today,” said Elizabeth Guider, Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.

The thirty-five honorees, listed in alphabetical order, are:

  • Ali Bell, Montecito Pictures Co.
  • Sara Bernstein, HBO Documentary Films
  • Jeff B. Cohen, Cohen and Gardner, LLP
  • Michael Cooper, WMA
  • Malik Ducard, Paramount
  • Jeremy Elice, AMC
  • Nick Frenkel, 3 Arts Entertainment
  • Greg Goldman, RDF USA
  • Gil Goldschein, Bunim/Murray Productions
  • Adam Goldworm, Industry Entertainment
  • Josh Greenstein, Paramount Pictures
  • Adam Griffin, Kristzer/Levine/Wilkins Entertainment
  • Amy Hartwick, ABC Entertainment
  • Josh Katz, UTA
  • Alana Kleiman, Twentieth Century Fox Television
  • Patrick Maguire, ABC Studios
  • Suzanna Makkos, Fox Broadcasting Company
  • Lane Merrifield, Disney
  • Christopher Miller, MGM
  • Hannah Minghella, Sony Pictures Animation
  • John Pollak, ShineReveille International/Reveille
  • Renate Radford, Universal Media Studios
  • Leigh Redman, CBS Paramount Network
  • Matt Reilly, Warner Bros.
  • Andrew Rogers, Paradigm
  • Nathan Ross, ICM
  • Erika Schimik, Lionsgate
  • Alex Sepiol, USA
  • Sarah Shyn, Gersh Agency
  • Dustin Smith, Roadside
  • Jeremy Steckler, Fox Searchlight
  • George Strompolos, YouTube
  • Roeg Sutherland, CAA
  • Tom Wellington, Endeavor
  • Jake Zim, Safran, Digital Group

Selected annually by a committee of Hollywood Reporter editors and reporters, the Next Generation list is not intended as a power list, but rather as a way to introduce the media and entertainment communities at large to the industry leaders of tomorrow.