Reportthe Talents on Variety's Annual List Have
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ASHER ANGEL SINGER-ACTOR On the list last year with two of his “Andi Mack” castmates, Angel became a teen superhero with “Shazam!” What’s more, his debut single, “One Thought YOUNG Away,” featuring Wiz Khalifa, garnered 1.7 million views in 24 hours. “Everything was so much bigger on the set of ‘Shazam!,’ ” he says of the transition from “Andi Mack.” “So there were definitely nerves, but I didn’t let them get to me.” Looking ahead: “I want to do as much as possible,” the 16-year-old says. “Acting, singing. I’d love to direct. Broadway has always HOLLYWOOD been another dream of mine.” YALITZA APARICIO ACTOR The first indigenous Latina thesp to garner an Oscar nom- ination, Aparicio, 25, is min- ing her worldwide fame from IMPACT Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” to lead social-awareness cam- paigns and is fielding film offers while learning as much as she can about the medium. Given her superstar status, espe- cially in Mexico, what keeps her grounded? “My family and the REPORT values they instilled in me.” THE TALENTS ON VARIETY’S ANNUAL LIST HAVE ALL MADE AN IMPACT ON SHOWBIZ THE PAST IAIN ARMITAGE YEAR. THEY MAY BE SINGERS, ACTORS OR ACTOR Armitage is back on the list YOUTUBE STARS, BUT THEY SHARE ONE THING IN after pulling double duty on-screen this past year: The COMMON: SHOW-STOPPING CREATIVITY. VARIETY star of CBS’ “Young Sheldon” returned to HBO’s “Big Lit- ALSO HONORS THE ADULTS THAT HELP THEM tle Lies” for an emotional sto- ryline. With “Young Shel- don” picked up for seasons SHINE, BE THEY AGENTS OR CONTENT EXECS. three and four, and a role voic- ing Young Shaggy in “Scoob,” OUR UP NEXT SECTION PUTS THE SPOTLIGHT ON Armitage looks to be busy for the foreseeable future. “Maybe TALENT POISED FOR A BREAKTHROUGH. if you do something you enjoy and that makes other people happy, then it’s easy to have an impact,” says the 11-year-old. Those with diamonds were on the list in 2018 But don’t look for him on social media — he’s still “too young” and had another standout year. to use it himself. “I like to look at the world more than looking at a phone.” COPPELMAN LAURA ARMITAGE: RAMONA ROSALES; APARICIO: ANGEL: MEDIAPUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK; 08.06.19 VARIETY 66 BAD BUNNY MUSICIAN At just 25, Bad Bunny is not only one of the most popular stars of the recent Latin music renaissance, but also argu- ably its most innovative. Born Benito Antonio Martinez Oca- sio in Puerto Rico, he’s best- known for his guest appear- ance on Cardi B’s summertime smash “I Like It.” But his solo work is mind-bogglingly diverse and polycultural: His “X 100pre” album ranges from reggaeton and trap to ballads and even alt-rock. In June he surprise-dropped “Oasis,” a collaborative album with friend and fellow renaissance man J Balvin. “If tomorrow I want to release a rock album or a bach- K-POP STARS Blackpink’s performance at Coachella was livestreamed in New York’s Times Square. ata album,” Bunny asked the New York Times rhetorically, “why can’t I?” advantageous reign? Ballerini joining the streamer in 2017, movies. Brat produces, cre- has brought the same spunk, when it launched “Alexa & ates and shoots its content sensitivity and sense of rap- Katie,” honored by the Tele- at its two L.A. studios, and idly maturing songwriting to vision Academy this year for has employed more than 150 her first two albums that Swift inspiring social change. More actors under the age of 25. brought to her first early coun- recently her team debuted “No Hits such as “Chicken Girls,” try/pop crossover material. The Good Nick,” starring Melissa which stars YouTube superstar 25-year-old spent her mid-sum- BLACKPINK Joan Hart and Sean Astin, plus Annie LeBlanc; “Zoe Valentine,” HALLE BAILEY mer listening to mixes for her MUSIC GROUP “Family Reunion,” a multi-gen- starring Anna Cathcart (“To All SINGER-ACTOR third album (due in 2020) and erational African-American the Boys I’ve Loved Before”); making a video for its first sin- 2019 is shaping up to be Black- sitcom set in the South. The and “Total Eclipse” with Mack- Accustomed to sharing the gle (due any time now), which, pink’s breakthrough year. The biggest surprise for the Nickel- enzie Ziegler (“Dance Moms”) spotlight with sister Chloe as given her personal track all-girl Korean quartet kicked odeon vet: How quickly “Alexa keep the 3.3 million sub- part of their Grammy-nom- record, will likely reflect her off the U.S. leg of a world tour & Katie,” about a teen with can- scribers happy. Brat recently inated R&B duo as well as newlywed status. with a concert at Coachella cer and her pal, gained trac- launched a record label, and co-stars on Freeform’s “Grown- that was livestreamed in New tion with viewers. “The show is branching out into custom ish,” Bailey is going solo sooner York’s Times Square. “It was is proving the appetite for advertising, featuring the digi- than expected thanks to her an honor to be the very first authentic storytelling for pre- tal influencer stars of its series upcoming role as Ariel in Dis- K-Pop female artists to per- teen kids,” she says. Coming and movies. ney’s live-action reboot of form there,” said the group. In soon: A series based on the “The Little Mermaid.” “It is defi- April the girls topped Ariana “The Baby-Sitters Club,” among nitely a little bit nerve-rack- Grande’s record for the most- many more. ing because I am the little sis- viewed YouTube video pre- ter,” Bailey says. “I am so used BAZZI miere ever, with 979,000 peak to [us] always going through MUSICIAN concurrents for their “Kill This these challenging moments Love” clip. Ranging in age from in our career together, [but] I The 21-year-old Leba- 22 to 24, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé am beginning to understand nese-American singer-rapper and Lisa have harnessed the ASA BUTTERFIELD that this film is so much bigger enjoyed two of the biggest hits power of social media to com- ACTOR than me.” of last year with “Mine” and municate with fans. “It’s not “Beautiful” — both of which like we can be with them all the ROB FISHMAN The “Sex Education” star had the Coachella crowd sing- time. [Social media’s] global DARREN LACHTMAN beguiled as the awkward Otis, ing along during his high-pro- reach fits very well with our BRAT STUDIOS a teen who dispenses advice file slot at the festival — and needs, since we want to reach CO-FOUNDERS of the carnal kind to his peers not insignificantly, he was the out around the world.” in the U.K.-set Netflix series. only artist to have written a Brat’s co-founders know the He is now shooting season song by himself on last year’s tween crowd doesn’t have two. Butterfield is gratified by Variety Hitmakers chart. His time for TV. Since 2017, the the response to the series: “A KELSEA BALLERINI debut album is nearly plati- shingle has produced a dozen lot of people have messaged MUSICIAN num, he was a best new art- original, bite-sized series for me and my castmates saying ist nominee at both the MTV YouTube with high production how much it’s helped them,” Ballerini’s most recent single, VMAs and Billboard Music values that have drawn mil- Butterfield says. “We hoped it “Miss Me More,” hit No. 1 on Awards, and he’s toured with lions of eyeballs from around would, but we never expected the Mediabase country chart both Camila Cabello and Justin JENNA BOYD the world. “We’re where these such an overwhelmingly pos- in June — the first chart-top- Timberlake. “I’m not a nervous DIRECTOR, KIDS AND FAMILY kids are,” says Fishman. “So itive response.” He admits he per from a solo female since guy because I don’t think too LIVE-ACTION COMEDY SERIES, few media companies have a brought quite a bit of him- 2017, when another single by far ahead,” he says. “Fear is just NETFLIX strategy for where their audi- self to the role: “I’m a huge Ballerini accomplished that thinking about what’s going to ence is.” In the past 18 months, geek. Some of Otis’ geekiness, feat. Has the country genre happen next, right? So if you’re Boyd has been ramping up Brat has raised nearly $50 mil- like his fondness for gaming, found a successor for Taylor not thinking, you can’t be comedies for families and the lion, which in turn has fueled are things I suggested for the Swift’s short but commercially scared of anything.” younger set for Netflix since more original series and character.” GIRARD STEPHANIE BEN RITTER; BOYD: BALLERINI: LEE WALL; BUTTERFIELD: JAMES CHARCHIAN; AMANDA BAZZI: MICHAEL BUCKNER/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTOCK; BAILEY: ENTERTAINMENT; YG (CENTER): POLK/SHUTTERSTOCK, CHRISTOPHER (TOP): PEDROSA; BLACKPINK ALEJANDRO BUNNY: 08.06.19 VARIETY 68 an Asian-American charac- handful of Streamy and Shorty ter that isn’t treated as a ste- awards thanks to pranks, reotype, she differs from Lara stunts and everyday hijinks, Jean in one key way: “She has including marrying his best much better style than I do.” friend’s mom (for a month). “What makes everything work is that at the end of the day NOAH CENTINEO it’s my friends and I having fun KARENA EVANS ACTOR and trying to figure out what ACTOR-DIRECTOR to do,” he says.