The 15 Black Breakout Stars of 2015Compiled by Wilson Morales, Travis Hopson, Tim Gordon, Kam Williams and Mike Sargent
December 30, 2015
As the 2015 year is set to close in a few days, it’s time to look back and acknowledge some of the performances that stood out this year from newcomers and familiar faces who elevated their game to another level.
There were plenty of fresh faces that brought attention to the films they did and while some of theses films may not have the luxury of having played in numerous theaters, becoming box office hits or receiving accolades, the journey that each took or displayed was worthy of attention that captured audiences throughout the year. This was also a year when ensemble films featuring a bevy of new talent showed that so long as the film and story is marketed well, people will come out and support.
In no particular order, here are the 15 Black Breakouts of 2015.
Abraham Attah (Beasts of No Nation) – “Abraham Attah’s acting debut alongside Idris Elba in “Beasts of No Nation” is one of the strongest and most phenomenal we have ever seen for a Black actor under 17 since Quvenzhane Wallis captured the hearts of many in 2012’s Beasts of the Southern Wild. . His powerful, nuanced performance as Agu a young boy drawn into a rising rebel faction after his family is killed during a horrific civil war is both haunting and unforgettable. We believe he has a very bright future ahead of him.” – Mike Sargent, co-president of Black Film Critics Circle.
Mya Taylor (Tangerine) – One of the films that made an impact in the business was the independent film “Tangerine,” directed by Sean Baker and shot using three iPhone 5s smartphones. The story centered on a transgender sex worker who discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her. Since its premiere at Sundance to its theatrical release, the film has received nothing but praise, especially for its two actresses Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor, both who had no previous acting experience. A transgender actress and singer, Taylor won the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor for her performance in that film, making her the first openly transgender actress to win a Gotham award.
RJ Cyler (Me, Earl and the Dying Girl) – Released this summer after winning the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award for U.S. Drama from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl” had a breakthrough role for Cyler, who played Earl. Co-starring Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke, the movie centers around Greg’s and Earl’s friendship with dying girl Rachel who has leukemia. Cyler’s comedic and dramatic performance was one of the reasons this film received so many accolades. Most recently, the Jacksonville, Florida, native has been cast as the Blue Ranger in the upcoming “Power Rangers” movie.
Teyonah Parris – Paris isn’t new to the game, having been seen on TV’s Mad Men and currently on Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse; but after making a splash in Justin Simien’s Dear White People, she elevated her status as a leading actress in Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq. Acting opposite Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett, Parris was flat out amazing as Lysistrata, a woman who persuades women in Chicago to swear off sex with their men until the gang fighting and killing stops. Besides Chi-Raq, the South Carolina native played the lead in the indie film “Where Children Play” opposite Macy Gray and Brian White.
Julian Walker (Blackbird) – Adapted from the novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, Blackbird is a coming-of-age drama directed and co-written by Patrik-Ian Polk. Starring Julian Walker in a lead role as a gay teen struggling to keep his sexuality a secret, the 22 year-old, who had no prior acting experience, gave in a bravado performance opposite supporting actors Mo’Nique and Isaiah Washington. The University of Southern Mississippi grad also sang many songs in the film and on its soundtrack.
Gail Bean (Unexpected) – Although she had roles in The Special Project and Duffle, “Unexpected” represents Bean’s breakout role. This 22-year-old talented actress from Georgia was already chosen as The Hollywood Reporter’s top 10 “Festival Breakout” stars from Sundance this year when the premiered there. Starring opposite Cobie Smulders, the two play pregnant women who forge an unlikely friendship that will challenge their perspectives and leave a lasting impact on one another. Next up for Bean is a role in the upcoming horror thriller, “The Belco Experiment,” written by “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn.
Donald Glover (Magic Mike XXL, The Martian, Creed) – Although most people are aware of Glover through his work on TV (as a writer for 30 Rock and actor on Community), the California native hadn’t made an impact on the big screen until this year. In Magic Mike XXL, his performance opposite Channing Tatum and Jada Pinkett Smith was one of the highlights of the film, and with Ridley Scott’s The Martian, he held his own opposite an ensemble that included Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. Besides acting, Glover is also a musician who goes by the name of Childish Gambino, and along with Jhene Aiko and Vince Staples, the trio wrote one of the tracks (“Waiting for My Moment”) to the “Creed” soundtrack.
Daniel Kaluuya (Sicario) – For Kaluuya, the Ugandan English actor, comedian and writer, who is best known for playing Posh Kenneth in the British teen-drama Skins, this was his first big role in a Hollywood film. Since being declared as a ‘UK Star of Tomorrow’ in 2009 by Screen International Magazine, Kaluuya has appeared on the London stage a number of times and also had a role on the Johnny English sequel, Johnny English Reborn. In Sicario, he plays Reggie, the partner to Emily Blunt’s character and held his own opposite Josh Brolin, Benecio del Toro, Victor Garber, and Jon Bernthal. Most recently, Kaluuya landed the male lead in the Blumhouse horror pic Get Out, the directorial debut of Key & Peele alum Jordan Peele.
Keiynan Lonsdale (The Divergent Series: Insurgent) – Lonsdale was introduced to American audiences as he made his US feature debut as Dauntless-born initiate Uriah in The Divergent Series: Insurgent. The Australian singer-dancer-actor, who previously hosted MTV News for two years, had a couple key scenes in the sequel and should have a bigger impact in next year’s The Divergent Series: Allegiant. He will be featured in 2016’s “The Finest Hours,” opposite Chris Pine.
James “Primo” Grant (Five Star) – A former member of the Brooklyn Bloods, James “Primo” Grant adds the necessary authenticity to Keith Miller’s independent film “Five Star,” a stirring drama about street legacy that separates itself from other urban dramas. Although part of the film is based on his life where he plays a father, husband, gangster, and friend, Primo showed that in his first film, he can display a certain range and emotion that can work in the business should he choose to stay in this field. In one interview, he states that, ” Primo is the man that a lot of men can relate to and understand.”
The cast of Dope – Written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa, this critical and award winner from Sundance, is smart, funny and entertaining. Featuring a cast is comprised of promising talent (Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz, Rakim Mayers aka A$AP Rocky, Chanel Iman, Quincy Brown, Anthony Quinonez, Keith Stanfield, Rick Fox, Kimberly Elise, Amin Joseph, Allen Maldonado, Ashton Moio, Roger Guenveur Smith, De’aundre Bonds, Michael Flores, Mimi Michaels, Tyga Graham), this coming-of-age teen drama is among the funniest films of its genre and hopefully we’ll see more of them in future films.
The cast of Straight Outta Compton – While it would be easy to single one person from the film, with the exception of Paul Giamatti, no one had seen any actor previously make an impact on the big screen as each did on this film. Directed by F. Gary Gray, this film, which featured a lot of newcomers to the game, not only did big business critically, but financially as well, staying atop the box office from three straight weeks. To date, it has grossed over $200M worldwide, making it the highest grossing music biopic ever. While the main cast comprised of the five that played N.W.A (O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge), the supporting cast did an amazing job as well – Marlon Yates Jr., R. Marcus Taylor, Carra Patterson, Alexandra Shipp, Lex Montgomery, Elena Goode, Keith Powers, Keith Stanfield, and Lisa Renee Pitts.
The cast of Brotherly Love – “Written and directed by Jamal Hill, Brotherly Love is a gritty, inner-city saga of Shakespearean proportions shot on location in West Philadelphia. Keke Palmer is terrific in the lead role as Jackie. She also belts out a couple of tunes on the soundtrack, including a mesmerizing, closing credits rendition of the Harold Melvin R&B classic, “Wake Up Everybody.” And the rest of the cast, especially Cory Hardrict, Eric D. Hill Jr., Julito McCullum, Romeo Miller, Logan Browning, Quincy Brown, Faizon Love, Macy Gray, Justin Martin, Marc John Jefferies, Little JJ, Teyana Taylor and Malik Yoba, does a great job creating the requisite edgy atmosphere that imbues the production with a very authentic feel for the duration.” – Kam Williams, Syndicated journalist
The cast of War Room – Out of all the films that took the nation by surprised at the box office this year, “War Room” was the most impressive. Of course, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is breaking records left and right, but no one had “War Room” on its radar. Produced by the Kendrick Brothers (Courageous & Fireproof) and starring a cast of unknowns (Priscilla Shirer, T.C. Stallings, Karen Abercrombie, Alena Pitts), this faith based film not only grossed $71.5M from a production cost of $3M, but it became the #1 film in its second week of release, knocking out Straight Outta Compton.
The cast of Girlhood – While there are plenty of foreign films that play in US theaters throughout the year, one of the few that stood out among Black audiences was the French film “Girlhood.” Directed by Céline Sciamma and starring Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh and Marietou Touré, “Girlhood is an eye-opening drama you just can’t take your eyes off of,” say syndicated journalist Kam Williams. A coming of age film that centers on the life of Marieme (Touré), a girl who lives in a rough neighborhood right outside of Paris, the film is currently streaming on Netflix and available on DVD and Blu-ray. It alsoreceived a 2016 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best International Film.
In case you’re asking, John Boyega had his breakthrough moment when this site recognized his performance in 2011’s “Attack The Block” and not “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
