Rueben's Ramblings

The following list highlights the actors and actresses on TV and on the big screen who really caught viewers’ attention throughout this year.

They appear in no particular order:

Milo Callaghan – He got his start in the Starz period piece The Spanish Princess and appeared in episodes of shows like FBI: International, Doctor Who, Rivals and Dune: Prophecy as well as appeared in both horror flicks The Strangers Part 1 and The Strangers Part 2, but it was his turn in the lead rule of Rudy Baylor in the USA Network small screen adaptation of John Grisham’s The Rainmaker, holding his own alongside John Slattery and Lana Parrilla, that got him attention.

Mason Thames – This 18-year-old Texan has achieved a box office record last held by Jim Carrey back in 1994. He has appeared in three number 1 box office hits within a single year, including the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, the horror flick sequel Black Phone 2 and the rom-com Regretting You based on the novel by Colleen Hoover. His credits also included several episodes of Walker and For All Mankind.

Sofia Carson – Just a decade ago, this talented singer-actress had never stepped onto a feature film set, but then she landed at Disney starring in several TV shows but primarily appearing in The Descendants movie franchise. She also provided the voice in the animated film Elena of Avalor, but it’s been in roles in the Netflix movies Purple Hearts, Carry On, The Life List and most recently My Oxford Year that has made her Netflix’s first bona fide movie star.

Owen Cooper – The talented British newcomer full-on turned heads with his performance in the four-part Netflix mini-series Adolescence, garnering himself a Best Supporting Actor Emmy Award, making him the youngest male ever to win a Primetime Emmy Award at the ole ripe age of 15, and that with no acting experience. He will next be seen in the next year’s Emerald Fennell-director and written Wuthering Heights where he will play Young Heathcliff.

Anna Lambe – This Canadian beauty has appeared in TV shows like Diggstown, the short-lived Three Pines and the Hilary Swank short-lived series Alaska Daily before she landed a recurring role on True Detective: Night Country. This year, she appeared in the comedy film Dusk & Dawn and had the lead role of Siaja in the adorable Netflix comedy North of North, which will be back for a second season, hopefully, sometime next year.

Milly Alcock – This Australian actress caught viewers’ attention back in 2022 with her role in the spin-off series House of the Dragon, playing the young Rhaenyra Targaryen, the distant ancestor of Daenerys Targaryen aka Khaleesi (Game of Thrones lead actress Emilia Clarke), but it was her turn as Simone DeWitt in the Netflix mini-series Sirens, where she starred opposite Julianne Moore and Meghann Fahy, that turned heads. Then this summer she appeared in the final moments of the hit film Superman, playing Kara Zor-El. She will play that character in next summer’s much anticipated follow-up flick Supergirl.

Jack Schumacher – The Illinois native was one of the hotshots in the Tom Cruise-led film Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, but it was his role in the Netflix contemporary western (think Yellowstone without as many guns and death) Ransom Canyon, playing bad boy-turned good ole boy Yancy Grey that caught viewers eyes.

Tom Blyth – Back in 2022 this British actor starred as the famous gunfighter William H. Bonney in the drama series Billy the Kid on MGM+ (formerly EPIX). That series came to a close on that cable network in November. Then in 2023 he played Coriolanus Snow in the prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He appeared in four other flicks over the next two years and will next be seen in the upcoming Netflix movie People We Meet on Vacation that will debut on the streaming service in January.

Who are some of the faces from this year who caught your attention either on television, in music or in film? Please share.

TOMORROW: New Faces of 2026