Our culture has become so obsessed with gossip/tabloid information. Britney Spears’ every move is documented on every newsstation across the nation. With this obsession many young promisng actors/actresses have eclipsed their talent with their everyday life stories. When you see a movie with Lindsay Lohan, someone who was once hailed as talented, its hard not to think about her rehab/coke days. So many of these young stars grace the covers of every weekly magazine, that we have come to think of them as untalented. We tend to think of best actresses as Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, etc. So with that in mind, do we have an extremely talented young actor/actress that is free of the gossip media? Or is there someone that is in the gossip columns yet still delivers in their films?

How about Shia LaBeouf?  Disturbia, Transformers and now Indiana Jones 4.  If he doesn’t mess it up with any more late night drunken visits to Walmarts in the middle of nowhere he may have a bright future ahead of him.

Without a doubt, one of the finest young working actors out there is Michael Angarano. I have been following his career since Lords Of Dogtown, and he never turns in less than a fantastic performance. Whether it’s comedy like Sky High or heavy drama like The Bondage or Black Irish, or a sports drama like The Final Season, it’s usually Michael’s performance that shines through, even if the material is sometimes questionable.

I cannot wait until Forbidden Kingdom premieres next May - having a prime role in a high profile vehicle such as that should push him over the edge as a major young star.

emile hirsch

Ed Norton

(well he is younger than Redford anyway)