Justice Smith has built an impressive blockbuster resume across some of the biggest franchise films of recent years, from Jurassic World and Pokémon Detective Pikachu to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, while also carving out space for more personal work in independent projects like All the Bright Places. His earlier role in The Get Down showed a raw energy that his bigger studio films have continued to build on. He's one of the younger actors on this list with the clearest path toward leading man status. | © Universal Studios
Joe Locke landed one of the most competitive roles in recent memory, beating out thousands of applicants in an open casting call to play Charlie Spring in Netflix's Heartstopper, a performance that made him an instant fan favorite. He's since made the leap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in Agatha All Along, a significant step for an actor still in the early stages of his career. His professional stage debut in The Trials in London rounded out what has been a remarkable first few years in the industry. | © Marvel
Rick Cosnett built a loyal fanbase through back-to-back roles in two of genre television's biggest properties, Eddie Thawne in The Flash and Wes Maxfield in The Vampire Diaries, bringing a quiet intensity to both that made him stand out in large ensemble casts. His path to Hollywood is an interesting one, having grown up in Zimbabwe before moving to Australia and eventually making his way into the American television industry. He continues to work steadily across independent film and television. | © ABC
Jake Borelli has been a fixture on Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Levi Schmitt, whose coming out storyline became one of the more meaningful character arcs the long-running series has delivered in recent years. He brought that same warmth to the romantic comedy The Thing About Harry, showing a natural ease in leading man territory. With earlier credits in Parenthood and The Thundermans, he's been building quietly toward a profile that Grey's Anatomy finally gave him the platform to grow. | © Walt Disney Pictures
Michael Urie made his name as the scene-stealing Marc St. James on Ugly Betty, a role that showcased a comic timing he's put to good use ever since. His theater career runs just as deep with a lead role in the Broadway revival of Torch Song, and several directing credits demonstrate that his talents go well beyond performing. He's also found a new audience through Netflix's holiday film Single All the Way and his hosting work on Cocktails & Classics. | © Apple TV+
Cheyenne Jackson is one of Ryan Murphy's most trusted collaborators, returning across multiple seasons of American Horror Story with the kind of reliable intensity the anthology format demands. His Broadway credentials are equally strong, leading roles in Xanadu and All Shook Up established him as a genuine musical theater star long before television came calling. Add a recording career and solo concert work to the mix, and he's one of the more genuinely multi-talented people on this list. | © FX Network
Charlie Barnett trained at Juilliard before building a steady television career across some of the most talked-about series of recent years: Chicago Fire, Russian Doll, Tales of the City, and a memorable appearance in the second season of You. His theater background gives him a grounded presence on screen that tends to elevate whatever he's in, even in supporting roles. He's the kind of actor who gets noticed every time, even when he's not the lead. | © Netflix
Murray Bartlett announced himself to a global audience with his Emmy-winning performance as Armond in the first season of The White Lotus, a role that swung between dark comedy and genuine tragedy in a way that was impossible to look away from. He followed it up with a memorable turn in The Last of Us and has strong earlier work in Looking and Welcome to Chippendales. He built his career steadily in Australia before breaking through in the US, and the White Lotus moment felt like a long time coming. | © HBO
Dan Levy co-created and starred in Schitt's Creek, the comedy series that went from cult favorite to awards phenomenon, and made history by winning four Emmy Awards in a single night across acting, writing, directing, and producing. He's since stepped behind the camera with Good Grief, which he also directed and starred in, and appeared in the holiday film Happiest Season. Few people in television have had a creative run quite like his over the past few years. | © Netflix
Colman Domingo has quietly become one of the most respected actors working today, earning an Academy Award nomination for his lead role in Rustin and an Emmy for his guest work in Euphoria. He spent years building his reputation as Victor Strand in Fear the Walking Dead before his recent surge into awards-level prestige, with The Color Purple adding another major credit to an already impressive filmography. He's the kind of actor whose moment feels both sudden and completely earned. | © AMC
Jim Parsons spent twelve seasons making Sheldon Cooper one of the most recognizable characters on American television, winning four Primetime Emmy Awards along the way. Beyond The Big Bang Theory, he's shown genuine range, a prominent role in Ryan Murphy's Hollywood, a supporting turn in Hidden Figures, and a deeply personal performance in The Boys in the Band, both on Broadway and in the film. He's built a career that goes well beyond the role that made him famous. | © Warner Bros. Television
Ben Whishaw has one of the most quietly impressive careers in British acting: the voice of Paddington Bear, the dry wit behind Q in the Daniel Craig Bond films, and a Golden Globe-winning performance in A Very English Scandal that reminded everyone he's capable of carrying a prestige drama entirely on his own. His stage credentials are equally serious, with extensive work at the Royal Shakespeare Company and a standout role in The Hollow Crown. He has a gift for making every role feel effortless, which is its own kind of talent. | © Janus Films
Zachary Quinto announced himself to mainstream audiences as the chilling Sylar in Heroes before stepping into one of science fiction's most iconic roles, Spock in the rebooted Star Trek film series. His range extends well beyond genre work, with a recurring presence across multiple seasons of American Horror Story and a Broadway turn in The Boys in the Band that he later reprised in the film adaptation. He's one of the more quietly versatile actors working in Hollywood right now. | © Paramount Pictures
Wentworth Miller became a global household name playing the quietly brilliant Michael Scofield in Prison Break, a role that required him to carry nearly every scene with barely a raised voice. He later brought a cool, sardonic charm to the Arrowverse as Captain Cold in The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, showing a very different side of his screen presence. Off-screen, he's been equally compelling, openly discussing his personal journey and becoming a genuine advocate for mental health awareness. | © 20th Television
Luke Evans built his Hollywood credentials across some of the biggest franchises around – The Hobbit, Fast & Furious, and a scene-stealing turn as Gaston in the live-action Beauty and the Beast that let him show off a genuinely impressive singing voice. The Welsh actor has also proven his range in darker, more grounded projects like The Alienist and Dracula Untold. He started on the West End stage, and that theatrical foundation shows in everything he does on screen. | © Paramount Pictures
Talent and good looks have always gone hand in hand in Hollywood, and these 15 actors prove that being openly gay hasn't slowed anyone's career down. From Broadway stages to Marvel blockbusters, they're some of the most compelling performers working today.
