The Best Break-Out Actors Of 2021

After a year of uncertainty from both fans and the industry, 2021 was the year a lot of people went back to the movies. We got to see a lot of familiar faces on the big screen again. Movies, shows, and limited series options on streaming services were full of star power. Some of 2021's biggest actors even made the pivot from musician to movie star in a single year. 

Viewers also got to meet many break-out actors and actresses who came into the spotlight in a major way this year. From the love for Phoebe Dynevor slowly trickling in as viewers caught up on "Bridgerton" after the holidays to millions discovering Simu Liu in Marvel's "Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings" over the summer, a diverse young group of new voices burst into Hollywood. These are the best break-out actors we saw in 2021.

Hawaiian model Evan Mock made his acting debut this year in HBO's "Gossip Girl" reboot. The teen drama is set in a preppy New York private school prone to gossip and disaster. Mock plays Akeno "Aki" Menzies, a queer student coming to terms with his sexuality. LGBTQ+ representation and a diverse cast have done a lot to modernize the original show's concept and make a more relatable set of characters. 

Mock first rose to fame in 2019, when musician Frank Ocean posted a video of Mock skating on his Instagram. The 21-year-old became instantly recognizable for his pink buzz cut and sense of style, starting a modeling career shortly after gaining a huge new following. "Gossip Girl" has only elevated his profile further. Mock is one to watch in both the entertainment and fashion industries going forward into the rest of the decade. 

Alana Haim wasn't the only break-out star to come from one of this year's best movies. As fans of his earlier movies know, "Licorice Pizza" writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson was a frequent collaborator with late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played the award-winning role of charismatic cult leader Lancaster Dodd in Anderson's "The Master." The acclaimed actor also appeared in PTA's early work, including "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia." 

When you watched the "Licorice Pizza" trailer, you may have noticed a resemblance in this film's star. The lead of Anderson's latest movie is the late actor's son, Cooper Hoffman. The younger Hoffman takes on the role of Gary Valentine, a 15-year-old too mature for his age (Cooper is 18 in real life). Like Haim, Hoffman came to the major project having done no prior acting work and still blew audiences away. It's quite possible his career could be as storied and successful as his father's. 

"Bridgerton" dropped on Netflix at the tail end of last year, but most viewers caught the period drama's first season in 2021. British actress Phoebe Dynevor became a break-out star over this past year thanks to her performance as Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of eight. Each season will follow a Bridgerton daughter on their own classic Victorian love story. The pseudo-anthology has been renewed for a second season, for which Dynevor will return, albeit as a supporting cast member.

Dynevor had been a working TV actress before "Bridgerton" exploded her career. Her largest recurring role was as Clare O'Brien on the Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff comedy "Younger." Her character was featured frequently in the final season that aired in 2021. Dynevor is set to star alongside some heavy hitters in the upcoming UK remake of the French comedy series "Call My Agent." The series stars Helena Bonham Carter, Kelly Macdonald, Dominic West, and David Oyelowo.

You probably know Jodie Comer from her TV work, particularly her award-nominated turn as the serial killer Villanelle in "Killing Eve." Villanelle is evil and charming in equal measure, and the role allowed Comer to display her aptitude for accents. Adapted from the series of novels named after Comer's femme fatale, the series is named after the woman who hunts her down (played by Sandra Oh). Both Oh and Comer are fantastic and have received great acclaim for their work on "Killing Eve."

"Killing Eve" has a healthy viewership, but it wasn't until 2021 that Comer got wider recognition. Comer got her start doing TV work, mostly in British shows. Before 2021, her only film role was a tiny appearance as Rey's mother in a "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" flashback. This year, Comer appeared opposite Ryan Reynolds in the simulated game world movie "Free Guy." Lately, she has been getting Oscar buzz for her performance in Ridley Scott's "The Last Duel." The period drama lets Comer shine alongside Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver.

It is easy to focus on actors whose careers break open in their youth, but there is always something refreshing and rewarding when an experienced actor finally gets their big role. For 38-year-old English actress Sophia Di Martino, that role finally came this year in "Loki." She charmed Marvel fans as Sylvie, the other-dimension Variant Loki, in the very well-regarded short series. The ending of "Loki" had major game-changing implications for the MCU, so it is safe to say we will probably see Sylvie return at some point in the near future. The question is "when," not "if." 

Before "Loki", Di Martino was in BBC shows and other British TV of the mid-2000s through the late 2010s. In 2011, she appeared in her first feature film, a British indie named "Black Pond." The first big-budget role she showed up in was in Danny Boyle's "Yesterday," the musical rom-com from 2019, but the buzz around "Loki" really helped her take off. 

Angourie Rice exploded onto the scene as a teen actor to watch when she entered the MCU at age 16. The Australian actress actually had a leading role in Shane Black's dark 1970s-era comedy "The Nice Guys" a year before she could be seen as Betty Brant in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Rice has starred in more movies and TV shows, as well as "Far From Home," but 2021 is proving to be her big break-out year.

The main reason for Angourie Rice's imminent stardom is her breakthrough performance in the Kate Winslet-led HBO limited series "Mare of Easttown." Rice plays Mare's daughter, Siobhan. The two grieve the suicide of Siobhan's brother Kevin. Their methods of grief conflict, but neither is perfect and both make rash choices and end up with messy relationships across the board. Rice's performance was a very nuanced look at a teenager dealing with loss. Rice will also be in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," when it hits theaters on December 17.

While he appeared in the first season, Sam Obisanya, Toheeb Jimoh's character on "Ted Lasso," didn't really shine until its second season this past year. The feel-good soccer comedy focused more on the private lives of individual members of the team in this season. Sam benefited the most from this focus. Jimoh's characterization of Sam and the stressful decisions he had to make throughout the season has made him one of the show's most compelling heroes. Going into season 3 of "Ted Lasso," he is expanding his ambitions, becoming one of the few characters in the show with a bright future.

In 2021, Jimoh also made his way to the big screen in Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch." The anthology film is filled with small roles from well-known actors and blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos. While his role is small, it's worth noting Jimoh's short appearance rivals the screen time of household names like Elizabeth Moss or long-time Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman.