Artists can be in the acting business for years and all they need is that one film, that one role, to catapult their careers into stardom. But for the artists on this list, their rise to fame occurred in the peak of the pandemic.
Kel King
Kel King has quickly risen through the ranks as an award-winning actor with his role in the award-winning film Black Matters from the MusicBed challenge. He can also be seen in One Night in Miami, The Christmas Dance, Uncovered, Causality and several other films released in 2020. Kick-starting his acting career amidst the pandemic, Kel King was successfully casted into eleven short films and three feature films, all filmed and released during the pandemic, with only two films, Yes Day and Day of Darkness, being released early in 2021. His performance in over 14 character roles throughout 2020 is evidence of his talent, his range and his versatility as an actor and if we take 2020 as his debut into the film industry, there’s no telling which projects the young award-winning actor will take on next. Kel is also a campaigner for several good causes for which he is constantly in the media.
Tiffany Boone
Tiffany Boone got her breakout role in The Chi, but after departing from The Chi due to alleged harassment from a co-star, she decided to take on 2020 with an entirely new outlook, despite the pandemic. Tiffany Boone was likened to a young Kerry Washington for her role in Little Fires Everywhere, but she also plays a Nazi hunter in Hunters and is expected to feature in George Clooney’s new Netflix feature The Midnight Sky as well as the Hulu miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers.
Jordan Fisher
Jordan Fisher is no stranger to the film industry, but now he decided to turn his attention to executive producing. After starring in a few Netflix films including Work It and the To All The Boys sequel, he is now occupied with his new film, Goodbye and Everything in Between, which he is also executive producing. Jordan Fisher has stepped up his game during the pandemic determined to broaden his skill set as an actor.
Emma Corrin
The Netflix hit series The Crown has skyrocketed many careers since it first aired. The royal dramatization catapulted the careers of Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby and for newcomer Emma Corrin who plays the role of Princess Diana, it’s no different. Emma Corrin’s transformative role as Princess Diana garnered much attention from fans across the world and will no doubt inspire a furry of new scripts to be sent her way. She can also be seen in the series Pennyworth and the feature film Misbehaviour.
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Daisy Edgar-Jones is not new to the film industry but it was her role in Hulu’s Normal People that catapulted her career into stardom once and for all. Capitalizing on the momentum created by her breakout role, she secured for herself a role in Where the Crawdads Sing as well as the social thriller Fresh during the peak of the pandemic.
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal has had one transformative year as an actor. He rose to fame for his debut performance in the popular series, Normal People. His performance quickly gained him an impressive fan base, earned him an Emmy nomination and made him very desirable in the film industry. He has also kick-started his film career starring in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter, expected for release in upcoming months.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, a young Canadian actress made her debut on the Netflix show Never Have I Ever after beating more than 15,000 others for the part. After seeing a tweet from the creator of the show calling for South Asian girls to audition, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan filmed her audition in a local library on her mother’s camera. She received much attention for landing the role to which she will soon return to for a second season.
Final scoop
The artists on this list have reached new heights in their careers, taking on new roles and projects despite the challenges brought forth during the pandemic in the film industry. They are proof that even in difficult times, people can achieve their goals through hard work and dedication to their goals.