Black Hollywood: 20 Future Oscar Contenders
Yes, navigating Tinseltown will always be a struggle for people of color. But Black Hollywood has gotten bigger and better. And with news of 9-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis taking on the lead role in Annie (after becoming the youngest actress nominated for Best Actress, at the 2013 Oscars), the bigwigs are getting some things right. Wallis isn't alone. Take a look at 20 other fresh and familiar faces that could be gracing the Oscars stage in years to come.
Chadwick Boseman
Featured in VIBE’s latest edition of NEXT, Boseman has copped roles as Nate on ABC Family’s Lincoln Heights and Fringe and proved worthy of playing baseball legend Jackie Robinson in the upcoming film 42.
Nicole Beharie
Starring with Boseman in 42, Beharie plays the role of Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson. Her performance, plus the chemistry between the two on-screen newbies, is bound to send sparks flying in the direction of Hollywood's moneymakers.
Michael Kenneth Williams
Williams is no stranger to Hollywood. His infamous character Omar Little, on The Wire, proved that the 46-year-old was someone to look out for. Since then, he's landed a substantial role in Boardwalk Empire and notably the remake of Robocop. You may also see Williams on the Oscar stage next year for his role in the highly buzzed film Twelve Years a Slave.
Sydney Tamiia Poitier
Did you know the daughter of the legendary actor Sidney Poitier has been in the industry for over a decade? Some of her most noted roles include films like Tarantino's Grindhouse and TV roles in Private Practice, and Hawaii 5-0. Poitier currently stars in the original YouTube series Kendra.
Gugu Mbatha Raw
Gugulethu, aka Gugu -- which means "our pride" in Zulu -- is a legend in the England theater circuit. Starring in Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Exchange Theater, Mbatha-Raw was nominated for her role at the Manchester Theater Evening Awards and went on the play Cleopatra in 2005 at the same theater. You can now see her in Fox's hit show Touch with Keifer Sutherland.
Yara Shahidi
Yari has already showed acting range way beyond her years. The 12-year-old has shared the big screen with A-listers like Angelina Jolie (Salt), Tyler Perry (Alex Cross) and Eddie Murphy (Imagine That). Getting her start on the small screen in shows like Lie to Me and Entourage, Shahdi gained Hollywood's attention for her role as Destiny -- the eager butter-sculpting prodigy in the indie film, Butter .
Michael B. Jordan
Starting off in critically acclaimed shows like The Wire and Friday Night Lights, Jordan hasn't stopped working since his teens. The 25-year-old has jumped from the small to the big screen with ease, with films like Chronicle, Red Tails and three more on the way in 2013.
Megalyn Echikunwoke
Megalyn's name may ring a few bells. She's currently starring as the seductive April on Showtime's House of Lies and is also known for her role as Isabelle Tyler on the CBS sci-fi hit The 4400.
Nate Parker
When your co stars are Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker, you’re bound to soak up some greatness. Nate Parker’s resumé is more that impressive, with dramas including The Great Debaters, The Secret Life of Bees and recently the Sundance favorite Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.
David Oyelowo
Praised for his roles in Red Tails and Lincoln, Oyelowo started his career in theater world in England. He was also the first black actor to play the role of Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company. After rave reviews for his theater work, he went on to films in the U.S., including The Last England of Scotland and is currently working on The Butler with Oprah Winfrey, and the controversial NIna Simone biopic, Nina, with Zoe Saldana.
Amandla Stenberg
Amandla began her budding career with Disney and catapulted on the big screen in her first movie role as a young Cataleya in Columbiana. With few words, she dominated her role, which led to her big break as Rue in The Hunger Games.
Columbus Short
Columbus Short is far from his stepping days. The former choreographer starred in the hit film Stomp the Yard, and a pair of action films -- The Losers and Armored. You can catch him now as Harrison Wright, one of Olivia’s hopelessly devoted right-hand men in the cult series, Scandal, but the right meaty role could send Short straight to the Oscar stage.
Jurnee Smollett Bell
A veteran actress with acclaimed roles in The Great Debaters and Eve's Bayou, Smollett-Bell will take the lead in Tyler Perry's latest film, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor. She's already had material with substance, but an able director could help take Jurnee to the Academy's Promised Land.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
An award-winning actor -- see: Othello, Love Actually, and Talk to Me -- Chiwetel will be starring alongside Micheal K. Williams and Brad Pitt in Twelve Years a Slave. Fans are also pushing for him to win the coveted gig as the Black Panther in Marvel Comics' latest franchise.
Jessica Parker Kennedy
The Canadian actress has been on the small screen for some time, with roles in V, 90210, and The Secret Circle. The 29-year-old whose filmography includes 50/50 and In Time has shown her ability to play to all audiences. This summer, you can look out for Kennedy in the new series Black Sails, a prequel to Treasure Island produced by Michael Bay.
Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera, the mean former (or new Cheerios coach?) cheerleader Santana Lopez returned to the hit show Glee this month. With sponsorship deals with Proactive and M&M’s, the biracial beauty has become Hollywood’s it-girl for tweens. She's currently working on the horror film Home coming in October.
Nicole Yvette Brown
Bringing the laughs as the sweet, slightly aggressive Shirley on NBC’s Community, Nicole Yvette Brown is returning to the big screen in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters this summer. A challenging, Viola Davis-style performance is what Brown needs to shoot to the forefront.
Anthony Mackie
Starring in a film every year for the past decade, Anthony Mackie has proven worthy of A-List status. With films like The Avengers 2, Pain and Gain, and playing Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Solider coming up this year, Mackie isn't showing any signs of slowing down. There's all gold everything in his future.
Aldis Hoge
Gaining a fan base from the TNT show Leverage, Aldis Hoge can be seen alongside Bruce Willis in A Good Day to Die Hard. The actor has also expressed an interest in playing The Black Panther.
Kali Hawk
After competing in Last Comic Standing, Hawk has gone on to star in funny films like Get Him to the Greek, Couples Retreat and Winston's nutty girlfriend Shelby in New Girl. It's early in the game for her, but keep one eye open like CBS.
