Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch for 2023: Charles Melton, Teyana Taylor and Nicholas Galitzine Among Noteworthy Performers

variety.com:

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor Since 1998, Variety has honored rising stars on its 10 Actors to Watch report, heralding artists who are experiencing major breakthroughs.

The alumni group includes more than 35 Oscar winners and nominees, including Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver, Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o and Brie Larson.

Galitzine had the rare fortune of appearing in two buzzy projects within the same month: he stole hearts as a closeted prince in the Netflix’s “Red, White & Royal Blue” and then turned that role on its head to parody toxic masculinity in comedy “Bottoms.” Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Galitzine couldn’t promote the films, but the London-born-and-raised actor was aware of their impact. “Watching the reaction from the sidelines has been so heartwarming and encouraging,” he says. “I think they’re both really important movies, particularly to the queer community, and I’m so happy to be a part of both of them.” Galitzine, who will return to royalty as the first duke of Buckingham in the upcoming miniseries “Mary & George,” excelled at sports, and “the idea of getting up and performing for someone else was a million worlds away.” But several injuries put a stop to sports and Galitzine drifted toward new friends. “Actors are this motley crew of outsiders and weirdos and eccentrics and Bohemians, and I just kind of fell in love with that community,” he says. “I think I started to kind of evolve as an emotional, artistic young man.

I think it was always in there, I just never felt I had any validity to explore that. It felt like something I was encroaching on, not something I would be welcomed to examine.