The List on AP: Actors To Watch This Year

With a new year of films comes a new crop of actors and actresses, each one hoping to be the next Robert De Niro or Meryl Streep. Here are the ones we’re betting on when it comes to big breaks this year:

SEBASTIAN STAN
Where You’ve Seen Him: On the silver screen, he had a small roll in the 2008 Anne Hathaway vehicle, Rachel Getting Married, plus parts in indies Spread and The Education Of Charlie Banks. But you may know him better for his parts on the boob tube: He starred in the short-lived TV series Kings, then picked up another royal role of sorts, as the troubled Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl.
Where You’ll See Him Next: He has three films slated for 2010, first up being Hot Tub Time Machine. Directed by Steve Pink (who wrote the screenplays for High Fidelity and Grosse Point Blank) and starring funny-dudes John Cusack, Chevy Chase, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke, this film will definitely get Stan’s name in the mainstream spotlight.
The Appeal: Loads of teenage girls who are fans of the CW already recognize his pretty face. Hot Tub Time Machine will give him a chance to exercise his comedic chops and possibly score with older audiences, as well.

AUBREY PLAZA
Where You’ve Seen Her: Plaza portrays the super-dry office assistant in NBC’s Parks And Recreation alongside Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari. She also had small roles in the 2009 films Funny People and Mystery Team.
Where You’ll See Her Next: Outside of a new season of Parks And Rec, Plaza will again see theater time in the new Michael Cera comedy, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.
The Appeal: Parks And Rec has vastly improved this season, and anyone who doesn’t think so probably hasn’t seen it. Scott Pilgrim, which also stars Twilight’s Anna Kendrick, Jason Schwartzman and Kieran Culkin will give Plaza the chance to work her deadpan delivery with a crew more her own age. Either way, we think her stock is on the rise.

KRYSTEN RITTER
Where You’ve Seen Her: Mostly on TV. Ritter’s had recurring roles on Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, ‘Til Death, Breaking Bad and Woke Up Dead. You might’ve also caught this brunette for her roles in Confessions Of A Shopaholic and 27 Dresses.
Where You’ll See Her Next: Ritter has half a dozen projects somewhere between “completed” and “pre-production.” Watch for her this March opposite Jay Baruchel (Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Tropic Thunder) in She’s Out Of My League.
The Appeal: She’s got lots of experience on the small screen, so we think 2010 might be her year to really shine in theaters. If not, then she’s rumored to be starring in Amy Heckerling’s (Clueless) 2011 project, Vamps. You know the bloodsuckers will still be in fashion (thank you, Twlight).

KELLAN LUTZ
Where You’ve Seen Him: Speaking of Twilight, you may better know Lutz as Edward Cullen’s hunky adoptive brother, Emmett, who’s appeared in each Twilight installment so far. Before getting bitten by the vampire bug, he also appeared on episodes of CSI, Heroes, Generation Kill and The Comeback.
Where You’ll See Him Next: His biggest role this year will probably be Twilight: Eclipse, because, really, what can compete with that juggernaut? However, he’s also starring in music video director Samuel Bayer’s (Green Day, Blink-182, David Bowie) re-imagining of A Nightmare On Elm Street.
The Appeal: He already has a built-in fanbase thanks to the Twilight diehards. Nightmare might not necessarily test the depth of his acting abilities, but it should open doors for him to roles that don’t necessarily involve blood and celibacy.

MIA WASIKOWSKA
Where You’ve Seen Her: This young Aussie has about a dozen films to her name, most notably 2009’s Amelia. She also appeared on nine episodes of In Treatment.
Where You’ll See Her Next: In March, as the title character in Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland. That’ll probably make a little bank at the box office. She’s also in The Kids Are All Right with Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, slated to come out later this year. Next year, she’s also rumored to be starring in a film about Jane Eyre (as the novelist herself), and also a Gus Van Sant flick.
The Appeal: If Wasikowska can hold her own against Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in Alice, she can handle any role. We dare her to prove us wrong. alt