Young Black Hollywood is unquestionably making their marks in the entertainment industry. We know many of them as actors; however, many of these individuals have diversified their talents to show the world that they are true forces of a new generation of superstars. Check out our list of ten young black Hollywood stars to watch in 2022.
Lexi Underwood
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Underwood rose to fame in 2020, as Pearl Warren in Little Fires Everywhere, starring opposite A-list names such a Reece Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. The dramatic role earned the eighteen-year-old actress an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Youth. This year, the Underwood will have the opportunity to portray Malia Obama in Showtime’s new series The First Lady. Additionally, Underwood is expected to hit the small screen once again in Disney’s Sneakerella. However, Underwood isn’t just another actress. She also a budding entrepreneur, making sure that she has a voice at the table with her own production company, Ultimate Dreamer Productions.
Jaden Michael
Eighteen-year-old Afro-Latino actor Jaden Michael portrayed a young Colin Kaepernick in the critically acclaimed Netflix limited series, Colin in Black & White. However, that wasn’t the first Netflix project for the young talented rising star. Michael was well-known to Netflix fans as he appeared in the 2016 series, The Get Down and the platform’s original film, Vampires vs. The Bronx. Congratulations are in order for Michael as he was cast cast in the starring role of Mickey Bolitar in an upcoming Prime Video series based on the Harlan Coben YA novel, “Shelter”.
Storm Reid
Actress, producer, future filmmaker, activist, USC college student, are only a few of the adjectives that we can use to describe Euphoria star, Storm Reid. We have watched Reid grow into the amazing young woman that she is today on screen in television shows and movies such as A Cross To Bear, 12 Years a Slave, Sleight, Lea to the Rescue, A Wrinkle in Time, and When They See Us. We cannot wait to see what is next for this truly talented young woman, we know that it is going to be amazing.
Marsai Martin
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Black-ish was just the beginning for Marsai Martin. She has made history on so many levels and there are no signs of her slowing down anytime soon. At only 17-years-old, Martin has established herself as a leader in not only young Hollywood but all Hollywood. Martin has not only been at the helm of her own production company for years, but she has also recently launched a luxury nail brand company featuring a range of press-on nails. What does the future hold for Martin after the curtains close on Black-ish? Other than having a guest voice role on Disney+’s Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, and her upcoming series, Saturday’s, which she is executive producing, we don’t know, but we can’t wait to see!
Caleb McLaughlin
Caleb McLaughlin is a true multi-dimensional rising star. He is not only an amazing actor, but he is a gifted dancer and singer as well. If you didn’t know it, before The New Edition biopic, Stranger Things or Concrete Cowboy, McLaughlin appeared on Broadway as Young Simba in the Broadway version of “The Lion King”. The true thespian has a new music video out entitled, “Neighborhood”. It is definitely worth a watch!
Saniyya Sidney
Saniyya Sidney is quickly becoming the “it” girl of young Black Hollywood. The talented actress has shared the silver screen with A-list actors and actresses such as Denzel Washington in Fences and Taraji P. Hensen in Hidden Figures. At only 15-years-old, the young starlet has already won several awards two Critics’ Choice Awards, an NAACP Image Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Most recently, you have seen Sidney on screen in the 2021 biopic about the Williams sisters, King Richard. What’s next? Well, Sidney will star alongside Lexi Underwood in the Showtime original series, The First Lady, as she portrays Sasha Obama.
Kaci Walfall
With professional credits that include: Army Wives, The Equalizer and Power, Kaci Walfall has unquestionably started out in the industry with a bang. Now, this talented teen is back in the public eye, this time as the lead character in Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship’s Naomi, demonstrating that superheroes can indeed be real people just like all of us. Walfall is definitely going to skyrocket up the ladder of success and we cannot wait to see what is next for her.
Priah Ferguson
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Known for her role as Erica Sinclair – Lucas’ little sister – in Stranger Things, Priah is quickly rising up the Tinseltown ladder of success. The young rising star has also starred in Netflix Halloween film Boo!, alongside executive producer Marlon Wayans. The project is set to release later this year.
Demi Singleton
Fourteen-year-old Demi Singleton burst on to the scene portraying tennis legend Serena Williams in King Richard. In addition to acting, Singleton is also a dancer and singer, making herself a true Renaissance young woman in the industry. If her face looks familiar, it should as Singleton also in Godfather of Harlem.
Myles Truitt
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Myles Truitt is known for his breakout role as Eli Solinski in Kin. He also played Ant in Queen Sugar and Issa Williams on the CW’s Black Lightening. Now, audiences know him as B-Mickie from Starz’s BMF, and we cannot get enough of this talented actor who made his acting debut as a young Ronnie DeVoe in The New Edition Story. What’s up next for this talented young man? Well, he is slated to appearing in the upcoming season of Netflix’s Stranger Things.
