Variety has unveiled its 2026 class of 10 Actors to Watch, extending a franchise that has spotlighted breakout performers since 1998. The 10 honorees will be profiled in Variety's Oct. 7 issue and celebrated at an in-person brunch on Oct. 18 during the Newport Beach Film Festival Honors.
This year's selections were co-programmed by Clayton Davis, Variety's chief awards editor, and Emily Longeretta, the outlet's director of features.
The franchise's track record includes more than 35 past honorees who went on to earn Oscar nominations or wins, among them Mahershala Ali, Timothée Chalamet and Brie Larson. Last year's 2025 class has already delivered on that promise. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination for the Norwegian familial drama "Sentimental Value." Chase Infiniti, who appeared in "One Battle After Another," went on to receive an Emmy nomination for lead drama actress for Hulu's "The Testaments." Miles Caton broke out as both a performer and songwriter in Ryan Coogler's horror hit "Sinners."
Gregg Schwenk, CEO and co-founder of the Newport Beach Film Festival, said in a statement, "Partnering with Variety to spotlight the 10 Actors to Watch is one of the highlights of our year. This group is proof of what's next — actors with the range, the instincts and the presence to define the next era of film and television. We couldn't be more honored to be hosting this incredible group of emerging talent at the 27th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival Honors Brunch this year."
Photo: Karin Werts, CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
