Ah, youth. If you've got it, flaunt it. Right now might be the best time in a long time to be young and in the movies, with films such as 21, Juno, Superbad and Transformers all leading the charge at the box office.
But which of the many Young Hollywood actors out there are most deserving of the attention, and who'll still be around two decades from now?
Well, there are no guarantees -- 'tis a fine line indeed between being the next Brad Pitt or the next C. Thomas Howell -- but here are 10
celebs under 30 that we think are worth the watch:
Ellen Page
Age: 21
Why You Know Her: She was moviedom's most favorite impending teen mommy in Juno.
Where You'll See Her Next: There's no rest for the wicked or Ellen Page, who'll be coming out soon in Jack and
Diane, Whip It and Peacock. Sadly, her busy schedule forced her to drop out of Sam Raimi's horror-thriller Go
to Hell.
Something About Her: Her favorite food is sushi.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the Juno trailer
Watch a featurette with Ellen Page
Jim Sturgess
Age: 26
Why You Know Him: He was a singing phenom in last fall's Across the Universe, rubbed shoulders with movie
siblings Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johansson in The Other Boleyn Girl, and he's currently counting cards alongside Kevin Spacey and
Kate Bosworth in the just-released 21.
Where You'll See Him Next: One movie down, two more to go in '08, as Sturgess flexes his
indie chops this summer in the all-star Crash-like ensemble Crossing Over, and this fall in the IRA action pic
Fifty Dead Man Walking.
Something About Him: Although he doesn't look much like him, Sturgess' acting idol is another era's heartthrob, River
Phoenix.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the 21 trailer
See Jim Sturgess photos
Shia LaBeouf
Age: 21
Why You Know Him: He's Young Hollywood's current reigning king, with two 2007 blockbusters in the sleeper hit
Disturbia and the box office monster Transformers, and he's in 2008's likely top breadwinner, Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Where You'll See Him Next: LaBeouf will star in another thriller from Disturbia director D.J. Caruso, called Eagle Eye.
It opens Sept. 28, and finds our young hero attempting to thwart a terrorist plot to assassinate a politician. It should
be no problem for someone who's spent quality time with big Indy.
Something About Him: His name means "Thank God for the Beef."
More Things to Look at:
Watch the Indy 4 trailer
See Indy 4 photos
Camilla Belle
Age: 21
Why You Know Her: After years of playing roles in kid movies like A Little Princess and Back to the Secret
Garden, Belle graduated to the indie gem The Ballad of Jack and Rose, the Gen Y horror pic When a Stranger Calls,
and the commercial blockbuster 10,000 BC.
Where You'll See Her Next: She and fellow Young Hollywood kids Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning will harness their
telekinetic and clairvoyant powers to evade a corrupt government agency in the sci-fi-actioner Push.
Something About Her: She's named after a character in a Brazilian soap opera.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the 10,000 BC trailer
Watch our interview with Camilla Belle
Emile Hirsch
Age: 23
Why You Know Him: After starring roles in Lords of Dogtown, The Girl Next Door and Alpha Dog,
Hirsch finally broke through playing ill-fated traveler Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild.
Where You'll See Him Next: Emile looks to break the sound -- and color -- barrier in The Wachowski brothers' live-action
version of Speed Racer. Go, Emile Racer, Go!
Something About Him: He's an avid competitor in free-style rap contests.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the Speed Racer trailer
Watch our inteview with Emile Hirsch
Abigail Breslin
Age: 11
Why You Know Her: She's one of Young Hollywood's youngest leading ladies, and one of the busiest. She was nominated for
an Academy Award for Little Miss Sunshine, appeared recently in the romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe and co-stars soon
alongside Jodie Foster in Nim's Island.
Where You'll See Her Next: The Sunshine girl will strap on her boots, and star again this summer in Kit Kittrede: An
American Girl.
Something About Her: If she isn't an actress when she grows up, she hopes to be a veterninarian, or a fashion
designer.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the trailer for Nim's Island
Watch the trailer for Definitely, Maybe
Megan Fox
Age: 21
Why You Know Her: She was Shia LaBeouf's -- and millions of male viewers' -- object of affection in
Transformers.
Where You'll See Her Next: She's the star of Juno scribe Diablo Cody's next screenplay Jennifer's Body
(described as a new twist on Heathers), and then it's on to -- what else -- Transformers 2.
Something About Her: Her fiancee is Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Brian Austin Green. And she's not only appeared
in FHM magazine, she's also a subscriber.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the Transformers trailer
See more Megan Fox photos
America Ferrera
Age: 23
Why You Know Her: She's the Emmy award-winning star of Ugly Betty, starred in the popular The Sisterhood of
the Traveling Pants, and is currently onscreen in the indie Under the Same Moon.
Where You'll See Her Next: Besides her t.v. gig, America returns to the big screen this summer in The Sisterhood of
the Traveling Pants 2.
Something About Her: Her parents are Honduran, and her nickname is Georgina.
More Things to Look at:
Watch the trailer for Under the Same Moon
Watch the trailer for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Channing Tatum
Age: 27
Why You Know Him: He wooed the under-20 female demographic in the first Step Up, and received good reviews as
Shia LaBeouf's childhood pal in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. He's also currently starring in the newly-released
Stop-Loss as a Gulf war vet alongside Young Hollywood regular Joseph Gordon-Levitt and veteran YH'er Ryan Phillippe.
Where You'll See Him Next: He's set to command the troops again in 2009 as G.I. Joe stalwart Duke Hauser.
Something About Him: He once received $400 to be a dancer in the Ricky Martin video "She Bangs."
More Things to Look at:
Watch the trailer for Stop-Loss
Watch the trailer for A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Michael Cera
Age: 19
Why You Know Him: Shia LaBeouf wasn't the only sensation in 2007. Cera's one-two punches were the hit comedies Superbad
and Juno. He really is that funny...and he's technically still a teen.
Where You'll See Him Next: Cera stars next in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, as an indie rocker who may
find true romance with a fellow music lover he's hired to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Something About Him: He once auditioned for the role of Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense.
More Things to Look at:
Watch our interview with Michael Cera and Ellen Page
See more Michael Cera photos
Send feedback on this column to
editorial@fandango.com.