Who are the best actresses under thirty?
 

Basically I was looking for best young actresses, but I decided to put an age limit on it to define "young". Some obvious answers like Scarlett Johansson, Kiera Knightley, and Natalie Portman. But who others think really has a nice career ahead of her?

I've always liked Zooey Deschanel, especially in a lot of the smaller stuff that she's done. She's getting more leading roles (shitfest The Happening not withstanding) and I think she could have a really nice stretch in front of her if she gets the opportunity.

...and I think she's ridiculously hot.

Anne Hathaway will almost certainly get an Oscar nomination this year, but that's sometimes the kiss of death for a career.

She's over thirty, but Elizabeth Banks is becoming a favorite of mine... although I can never tell her and Rachel McAdams apart...

She hasn't had that many movies come out over the last few years, but I still feel that Julia Stiles is one of the best.

McAdams was the It Girl in 2005, Banks is the It Girl now.

Banks is nowhere near as big as McAdams was, though I agree with the similarity in career trajectory is there.

Rachel McAdams is a decent actress who needs better roles.
Sarah Polley is always good.
Samantha Morton is amazing - but she missed the criteria by 2 years.

Scarlett Johansson is a terrible actress. Take away her looks and she wouldn't be getting the roles that she's getting.

My two favorites are Sophia Bush and Kat Dennings

Evan Rachel Wood
Amanda Seyfried
Daveigh Chase
Anna Paquin
Eva Green

kristen bell

I'd place stock in Eva Green, Sarah Polley, and Anne Hathaway to degrees. :up:

Though each of them haven't had much time to shine yet, both Nora Zehetner (Brick) and Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) have impressed me with their talent -- as has Su-jeong Lim (Tale of Two Sisters, I'm a Cyborg).

Natalie Portman

by far.

just a tad over 30, but:
1. Maggie Gyllenhaal (See: Sherrybaby, Stranger Than Fiction, Secretary. not so much telling from TDK)
2. Franka Potente (love everything she does)

Believe it or not, there was a time at the turn of the century when she was praised for something other than her rack. From 2001 to 2003, she did quality work in The Man Who Wasn't There, Ghost World, Lost in Translation and Girl with the Pearl Earring.

Her role was very small in the Coen's film, so there's not much to go on there. Ghost World she was merely passable. LIT she was OK in, but very overrated. I thought her best performance was in Pearl Earring.

Evan Rachel Wood (and she finally dumped Manson).

I've always liked her as well. I wish she was in more movies.

Best doesn't = famous IMO. People just seem to be naming their "favorite" actress. I mean, I LOVE Kristen Bell but come on, "best actress"? She hasn't even done enough yet to show any range. Stunningly beautiful, but her acting is nothing more than average at best.

Scarlett Johansen? One of the worste actresses at any age.

Nobody has even named her yet but, in pure acting ability Christina Ricci gets my vote. Utterly brilliant in the Ice Storm, made even more amazing by her age then, & what a daring performance in Black Snake Moan.

Ricci
Anne Hathaway
Julia Stiles

Eva Green
Dakota Fanning
Ziyi Zhang
Natelie Portman
Kirsten Dunst

I have to agree on Kristen Bell. She isn't much of an actress. Scarlett Johansson is good, even though she hasn't put in a good performance since Match Point. Christina Ricci has never impressed me... ever.

The only problem with Banks is that she's barely getting any parts lately.

No question about it....... Jenna Haze!


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-phrog8v8r.jpg

I'll add Alison Lohman, Ellen Page, and Claire Danes.

Olivia Thirlby

Kristen Bell looks like a younger and cross-eyed version of Cheryl Hines...I don't understand the love for her....

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Jessica Alba
Devon Aoki
Samaire Armstrong
Morena Baccarin
Mischa Barton
Kristen Bell
Jessica Biel
Rachel Bilson
Alexis Bledel
Emily Blunt
Kate Bosworth
Hilarie Burton
Sophia Bush
Rose Byrne
Lizzy Caplan
Sarah Carter
Abbie Cornish
Claire Danes
Alexa Davalos
Rosario Dawson
Felicia Day
Kat Dennings
Zooey Deschanel
Kirsten Dunst
Eliza Dushku
Kayla Ewell
America Ferrera
Ayda Field
Megan Fox
Bethany Joy Galeotti
Summer Glau
Sprague Grayden
Eva Green
Elisabeth Harnois
Anne Hathaway
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Willa Holland
Vanessa Hudgens
Jennifer Hudson
Scarlett Johansson
Mindy Kaling
Jaime King
Keira Knightley
Kristin Kreuk
Mila Kunis
Dichen Lachman
Evangeline Lilly
Blake Lively
Lindsay Lohan
Kate Mara
Kandyse McClure
AnnaLynne McCord
Michaela McManus
Mercedes McNab
Leighton Meester
Natasha Melnick
Sienna Miller
Ellen Muth
Rachel Nichols
Ellen Page
Hayden Panettiere
Anna Paquin
Missy Peregrym
Bijou Phillips
Sarah Polley
Carly Pope
Natalie Portman
Maggie Q
Emilie de Ravin
Autumn Reeser
Christina Ricci
Katee Sackhoff
Alia Shawkat
Cobie Smulders
Jewel Staite
Kristen Stewart
Julia Stiles
Emma Stone
Yvonne Strahovski
Maurissa Tancharoen
Olivia Thurlby
Michelle Trachtenberg
Emma Watson
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Evan Rachel Wood

Well gee, take them all why don't ya? ;)

Catalina Sandino Moreno

Barry Woodward you're not even trying. You're just horny

lol @ Barry's list. Has there ever been a worse actress than Jessica Alba? Oh yes, Kirsten Dunst.

The only ones I can think of:

Natalie Portman
Christina Ricci
Rosario Dawson
Zooey Deschanel
Eva Green
Anne Hathaway
Ellen Page
Anna Paquin
Keira Knightley
Claire Danes
Katee Sackhoff (though time will tell how good she is once BSG ends)

Ones who have a lot of potential that is only just now being realized:

Kat Dennings
Jessica Biel (more Illusionist, less Chuck and Larry please)
Summer Glau
Kristen Bell
Mila Kunis

Actresses who might have some chops if they get more work and really test themselves:

Alexis Bledel
Emma Watson
Megan Fox
Lizzy Caplan
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Felicia Day
Alia Shawkat
Jewel Statie

Actresses I can never make my mind up about:

Scarlett Johansson
America Ferrera

Hell-spawn sent to destroy entertainment

Jessica Alba
Kirsten Dunst
Mischa Barton
Hayden Panettiere

Somehow, I'm disturbed by the extensiveness of that last. And in alphabetical order too?

And, really, everybody on that list is the "best?" What is the grading curve here? Just be under 30 and female?

The first one I thought of was Evan Rachel Wood.

I won't dis anybody's choices here, but I certainly see some names I don't think we will see much from in the future. I think Evan Rachel Wood has a long career ahead of her. Some of them listed were listed, IMHO, for their looks more than their acting chops, or they had one half way decent movie and really haven't shown any effort to put a lot into their acting since then.

I don't understand the love for Johansson. She's good when she's cast as petulant young woman like in Ghost World and Lost in Translation, but that is the absolute limit of her range. Put her in something like Black Dahlia where she needs elegance and maturity and it's like watching a little girl play dress-up.

But Black Dahlia was bad all around. I don't think Johansson is all that, but she only does bad in movies that are bad regardless of whether she's in it. Hell, even Portman looked bad in The Other Boleyn Girl. If anything, she needs to be more selective about the jobs she takes.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Such a quotable movie.

Keira Knightley
Natalie Portman
Anne Hathaway
Ellen Page
Summer Glau
Katee Sackhoff
Rosario Dawson
Eva Green

I don't think anybody mentioned Abigail Breslin. I know she's very young, but she's likely better than 90% of the people mentioned so far.

She's got the cute factor, sure, but I don't think she's necessarily a better actress. I think she's in the "wait and see" category.

I do wonder if Scarlett Johansson has lost it or if she is just terrible at picking roles. A lot of actors have won the admiration of the audience, and made a good career, out of basically playing themselves, but someone seems to be pushing Scarlett into all of these period pieces and other roles that just aren't for her.

She'd be great if she just played a pretty, modern slacker girl who smokes too much.