tMF | The Movie-Fanatic

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# 10 - Isild Le Besco: France’s multi-award winning and multi-talented actress Isild le Besco is hot on the heels of Romola Garai in our Top 50 hottest young actresses at #10. Says film critic Marcy Dermansky:

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In an interview with the critic, Le Besco remarked:

I always wanted to do my own thing," Le Besco said. "Even when I was young, I used to draw a lot, it was very important to me.

This need to create explains Le Besco's confident move from acting to directing. Le Besco wrote Charly for her younger brother, Kolia Litscher, who stars as Nicholas, an unhappy, semi-illiterate fourteen-year-old who leaves his small, impoverished life in search of the sea and, of course, himself. On his journey, he meets Charly (Julie-Marie Parmentier), an intense young prostitute who lives in a trailer. [ read more ]

Why a #10 ranking: Her performance in Backstage alone is more than enough to reduce a number of other actresses in the top 50 to 'mediocre'. That film and her successful transition into actually directing movies makes her one of the most talented young women in film today. Oh, also look out for her latest film, You Will Be Mine (Je Te mangerais), it will blow you away!

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# 9 - Romola Garai: You might be surprised to learn that Romola Garai played the lead in the relatively unknown film called Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights with Mexican actor Diego Luna. The film was not huge but it allowed Garai to depart from the roles moviegoers had identified as her forte - classical/period films. Definitely huge in the UK, Garai may be seen in the US as merely ‘supporting material’, a description that is so unfair to the actress.

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Says the Observer:

As for the tireless Garai, she once again demonstrated an instinctive understanding of the vital difference between over performing and overacting. Garai was last seen on television in the BBC's Andrew Davies adaptation of Daniel Deronda, which was screened simultaneously with Davies's ITV adaptation of Dr. Zhivago, featuring Keira Knightley. Garai's Gwendolen was so superior to Knightley's Lara that it may have been the first time an actor was blown off not just the screen but off a whole different channel".

... and says The Independent:

In 2004, she excelled in a film that required no ribcage constriction whatsoever. Inside I'm Dancing is one of the few features that can be truthfully described as a paraplegic comedy, Garai playing a no-nonsense nurse having to deal with a wheelchair-bound and wilfully mischievous James McAvoy. This project, at least, is one the actress appears entirely happy with: "Absolutely the best creative experience I've had to date." But 2004 was also the year of her least creative experience to date, Dirty Dancing - Havana Nights. "A terrible film, just awful. I did it because my profile wasn't high enough in America and I wanted to give it a quick boost. I was under the assumption that Havana Nights would be successful, but it wasn't. It was awful, and I was awful in it. A huge mistake, and I regret it deeply."

Coming up for the actress is an exciting role playing Jackie Kennedy in Flying Into Love, a provocative new look at the JFK assassination as seen through the eyes of Jacqueline Kennedy and four individuals whose lives are altered by this tragic event and its haunting legacy on the American psyche.

Why a #9 ranking: Romola Garai remains one of cinema's most sought-after leading actresses, and she still as fresh and talented as ever.

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# 8 - Evan Rachel Wood: She played daughter to a lunatic dreamer who thinks of himself as the King of California, she also played her part in an ensemble cast where scissors run and family members compete for being the 'coolest' looney. But two roles- a misunderstood teen who rebels in Thirteen and as the romantic lead named Lucy in the Julie Taymor musical inspired by the Beatles - which remains the most unforgettable.

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But wait, playing Stephanie alongside the totally written-off actor named Mickey in The Wrestler, is another performance I have to mention! Will she sing again and be merry or chose to play a doomed character to get to the next level?

Why a #6 ranking: Notwithstanding the media's undeniable obssession with the young actress, she is no mere 'celebrity' - she has both substance and form. Her beauty is matched by her ability to play roles effectively and fully.

# 7 - Anne Hathaway: She played the role of the beloved Jane Austen and wore an accent - flawed yet it made her more endearing. Looking back, she was once a Princess who acted alongside a legend known for the sound of her music. She was also quite memorable portraying an aspiring magazine editor pitting talents alongside another legend known for her accents and 2 Oscars. But it was probably playing Kym in her Oscar nominated role in Rachel Getting Maried that she finally made critics swoon over her.

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Says the LA Times:

With her chopped hair, constant smoking and wraith-from-hell demeanor, Kym calls on aspects of Hathaway, best known for considerably lighter fare like "The Princess Diaries," "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Becoming Jane," that simply have not been seen before, and the actress rises to the challenge beautifully, making Kym simultaneously empathetic and outrageous. [ read more ]

Why a #7 ranking: With more than eight new features coming up, including a notable role in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Love and Other Drugs (with Jake Gyllenhaal) and as Judy Garland, Hathaway is poised to become yet another princess!

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This is what film critic Roger Ebert has to say about Miss Page:

Has there been a better performance this year than Ellen Page's creation of Juno? I don't think so. If most actors agree that comedy is harder than drama, then harder still is comedy depending on a quick mind, utter self-confidence, and an ability to stop just short of going too far. Page's presence and timing are extraordinary. I have seen her in only two films, she is only 20, and I think she will be one of the great actors of her time.

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# 5 - Carey Mulligan: Poised to become this year's most celebrated young actress, Carey Mulligan, will be seen in four high-profile films - Michael Mann's crime-drama Public Enemies (with Johnny Depp), Jim Sheridan's much-anticipated film Brothers (featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman), Shana Feste's The Greatest and Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go, where Mulligan will act alongside Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins, and Charlotte Rampling.

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Rotten Tomatoes' Joe Utichi puts Ms. Mulligan's career in perspective:

A ferocious appetite for acting seems to inspire Mulligan to work so hard, and it's clearly paying off. This year her co-stars include Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan. And all indications are that she holds her own alongside such seasoned thesps, delivering performances that belie her short CV.

It's April 2008, and RT has come to the West London set of An Education to meet Mulligan. Her passion for her craft is immediately obvious - when we arrive she has her head buried in a script, emerging occasionally to seek advice from her director and co-stars and laugh and joke with the whole crew. She has the good sense to enjoy what she's doing, and that seems to give her the necessary confidence to deliver as a performer. Most would be intimidated by the starry names around them -- Mulligan seems to be thrilled by the opportunity to learn from them. [ read more ]

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# 4 - tie - Keira Knightley and Emily Blunt

Keira Knightley: Her striking resemblance to Natalie Portman is actually putting Keira Knightley at a disadvantage. But she has proven many times that she can match anyone in terms of both box office appeal and critical acclaim. With a reported salary of $5 million per film, Keira is one of today’s highest-paid actresses.

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Thanks to her breakthrough performances in Bend it Like Beckham, The Pirates series and The Jacket as well as her Oscar-nominated role in Pride and Prejudice and the more recent acclaim she received for playing the lead in both Atonement and The Duchess, the Knightley star is shining very brightly right now.

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Emily Blunt: A Golden Globe Award-winning English actress known for her work in the film My Summer of Love and her appearance in The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Blunt ranks high in our list. She won the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for the BBC TV film Gideon's Daughter and was nominated for the same award for The Devil Wears Prada.

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# 3 - Natalie Portman: Closer was not 'close' enough to win her an Oscar, add the fact that the Queen from a galaxy far far away has to endure moments of boredom 'working' alongside a jumper named Skywalker. Come to think of it, we watched her grow before our eyes - from a young would-be assassin to an unwed mother delivering her baby in a shopping mall to an adventurous and risk-it-all gambler who convinced a singer to take a road trip to Vegas.

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Shall we ever witnes her take the stage and thank the members of the Academy for the role of romancing someone formerly known as Jack Twist? Heck, how come she chooses Jack over spidey?

Why a #3 ranking: She was ranked #1 in our previous list and still I believe what was said before remains true:

Arguably one of the most talented young actresses in the industry, Natalie Portman blows the competition away with her ability to choose the right roles and to turn down projects that simply doesn’t fit. Her outspoken nature, which is often misconstrued by the media, allows Portman to prove she is not just a pretty actress but that she is independent-minded and not afraid to pursue other endeavors.

Oh and according to IMDb, Portman has eleven upcoming/soon-to-be-released projects including Love & Other Impossible Pursuits, based on a novel by Ayelet Waldman and co-starring Lisa Kudrow, Hesher (with Joe Levitt) and as Jane Foster in the film adaptation of comic book superhero Thor.

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# 2 - Abbie Cornish: In Candy, she plays an art student who became a heroin addict ready to sell her body for a quick fix. In Kimberly Peirce, Stop-Loss, she's a soldier's lover trying to stay loyal and stand behind her man. She was also an unwelcomed 'visitor', annoying a money trader who was once a Roman general and the ocean's master and commander in Ridley Scott's inept but a bit funny feature A Good Year. 2007 saw her play second fiddle to Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. A transition period as she is obviously up for bigger roles and bigger films.

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Why a #2 ranking: In Jane Campion's latest, she's the undisputed star. And so, Abbie Cornish has finally given audiences and critics the true depth and dimension of her talents - as Fanny Brawne she is both sublime and subdued, enchanting and mysterious, powerful and enduring. Right this minute, she's the hottest young actress ready to embrace both fame and fortune, without compromising her integrity.

The only question is: Will movie audiences, known for their unpredictability, bestowed the same lavish praise and adoration in the years to come?

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# 1 - Saoirse Ronan: Her unmistakable and commanding presence in Joe Wright's romantic and tragic period piece is a resounding announcement that a great talent is upon us. As Briony Tallis, a 13-year-old fledgling writer, she irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit. Ronan was brilliant and while some film critics insisted that the film belongs to Knightley and McAvoy, it was Ronan who was recognized by the Academy with a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

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Peter Travers @Rolling Stones is one of the critics who praised Ronan for her performance:

For starters, we learn that the film will be seen entirely through Briony's eyes. And what eyes! Saoirse (pronounced "seer-sha") Ronan is the film's glory. Note to Oscar: This is acting of the highest order. Ronan simply takes your breath away. [ read more ]

Reminiscent of Anna Paquin's entry via The Piano, this young, confident, and driven Irish thespian has already learned from Paquin's lesson and seems to have adjusted quite easily to the rigors of being on the spotlight - her smiles remain authentic and her responses to the media remains frank, honest and unrehearsed.

In Peter Jackson's upcoming feature, The Lovely Bones, she will once again dazzle movie audiences. As a young girl looking down from heaven to watch her family grieve, she'll bring to life Alice Sebold's Susie Salmon, considered by many book lovers as a most fascinating fictional character. Says Jackson:

I found the book to be curiously optimistic. I felt inspired by Susie's struggle to come to terms with her own death. In the face of overwhelming grief, she finds hope. She holds on to love, and by doing so, she transcends the horror of her murder.

Why a #1 ranking: Saoirse Ronan is, without a doubt, the most talented young actress today, and as the lead in the most anticipated movie from one of the industry's undisputed master, she is most probably poised for another Oscar nomination, and perhaps a win.

And she is only fifteen...

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What's on your mind? Do you agree with the latest rankings? If not, why? Do you think there is another young actress which ought to be listed here? Let us know what you think!

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