Are you sick of the same set of young actors dominating the conversation? They’re not the most talented ones, certainly. They’re the ones associated with the largest franchises: Twilight, High School Musical or Harry Potter and yet few those actors — Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Daniel Radcliffe, Ruper Grint, Emma Watson, Zac Efron, etc. — has deftly demonstrated an ability to stand on their own outside of the franchises with which they are associated. And then there’s the the tabloid stars: Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, the cast of “the Hills,” Zac Efron and that lot, not to mention the bland but pretty, like Blake Lively, Minka Kelly or Gemma Arteron or Hayden Panettiere.

But what about the actors with actual talent? The ones that aren’t spoken of as often, but the ones likely to survive the longest. Today, I want to take a gander at the 10 Most Promising Actors 25 and Under — the folks who will actually be around when they’re 30 or 35. Note, too, that actors under the age of 25 who have already fulfilled their promise (for what that promise is worth) — Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, etc. — are not included among the top ten.

10. Max Minghella.

Signature Role: Art School Confidential
Upcoming: The Darkest Hour, The Social Network

9. Saoirse Ronan

Signature Role: The Lovely Bones
Upcoming: Hanna, The Way Back

8. Josh Hutcherson

Signature Role: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Upcoming: The Kids Are All Right, Red Dawn

7. Imogen Poots

Signature Role: Solitary Man
Upcoming: Centurion, Jane Eyre

6. Jamie Bell

Signature Role: Billy Elliot
Upcoming: The Adventures of Tintin, Jane Eyre

5. Chloe Moretz

Signature Role: Kick-Ass
Upcoming: Let Me In, The Fields

4. Anton Yelchin

Signature Role: Star Trek
Upcoming: The Beaver, Fright Night

3. Anna Kendrick

Signature Role: Up in the Air
Upcoming: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Untitled Seth Rogen Project

2. Emma Stone

Signature Role: Zombieland
Upcoming: The Help, Easy A

1. Carey Mulligan

Signature Role: An Education
Upcoming: Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, Never Let Me Go

Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.

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