Young Stars Make Their Mark: The Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025

Owen Cooper emphatically announced himself to the world in 2025. The “Adolescence” star became the youngest male acting winner at the Emmy Awards at just 15 years old. What makes his achievement even more remarkable is that it came from his first professional acting job.

The young English actor’s rocket-fueled arrival stands out among several notable career breakthroughs that captured the entertainment world’s attention this year. These rising stars have been named The Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year for 2025.

“Severance” star Tramell Tillman made Emmy history as the first Black man to win for supporting actor in a drama series. Chase Sui Wonders helped make Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” a delicious satire, while Danny Ramirez captivated audiences in Season 2 of “The Last of Us.” And Arden Cho voiced Rumi, the star of Netflix’s chart-topping animated film, “KPop Demon Hunters.”

Few performers have had a year like Cho, a Korean American actress who propelled “KPop Demon Hunters” to become Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time. The film’s soundtrack notched four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 1 hit “Golden.”

“It feels like it is my golden moment,” says Cho, reflecting on her phenomenal year.

Wonders, a Harvard graduate, juggled two prominent roles in 2025. She played Quinn Hackett, a comically manipulative creative executive on “The Studio,” and took on the role of scream-queen Ava Brucks in the horror revival “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

“I do feel absurdly lucky that I get to be on set with all my friends and telling a bunch of jokes and being a weirdo on screen,” Wonders says about her experience on “The Studio,” which has earned critical acclaim for its sharp satire of the entertainment industry.

Ramirez, already known for playing Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the first Latino Avenger—and Lt. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia opposite Tom Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick,” made a memorable turn in “The Last of Us.” He portrayed a vengeful character hunting down the show’s protagonists in the post-apocalyptic landscape, adding depth to the hit show’s second season.

“Across the board, it’s been creatively, incredibly fruitful,” says Ramirez. “I’ve been a part of some amazing productions. I’ve been able to see the world. It’s been the dream.”

Tillman’s breakthrough year included not only his historic Emmy win for “Severance” but also a co-starring role in one of 2025’s biggest blockbusters, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” alongside Tom Cruise. His performance in Season 2 of “Severance” captivated viewers, especially in the finale where he led a marching band with full choreography.

“It’s been quite a banner year,” Tillman reflects. “I want to continue to expand and to tell more stories, stories that we haven’t heard and stories that tell the same story but in a different perspective.”

Cooper, now 16, is looking forward to exploring diverse roles after his breakout performance in “Adolescence” catapulted him to stardom and earned him that historic Emmy win.

“I just want to do everything,” the young actor says, expressing the boundless ambition that characterizes this year’s class of breakthrough entertainers.

These five performers represent a diverse new wave of talent transforming the entertainment landscape. From animated features to prestige television and horror revivals, their work has resonated with both critics and audiences, promising bright futures as they continue to develop their already impressive careers.

For more on AP’s 2025 class of Breakthrough Entertainers, visit https://apnews.com/hub/ap-breakthrough-entertainers