2. Quvenzhané Wallis
The little sparkplug that is Quvenzhané Wallis was cast at the age of five in her first every film (which was shot predominately while she was just six) and ultimately landed an Oscar nomination for that same film just as she turned nine years old. Talk about a breakout star. This years most beloved indie film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, places the precocious child into a magical and poetic odyssey across the Louisiana bayou. As the main character and true heart and soul of the film, Wallis delivers a mesmerizing performance fill of grit, resilience, and tenderness. Though Wallis deserves the all accolades bestowed upon her this awards season, special mention must be made to the films first-time director Benh Zeitlen for coaxing the magnetic performance out of the young, inexperienced actor. (It was a pretty big breakout year for him as well, scoring Oscar noms for Directing and Adapted Screenplay).
Whats Next: Twelve Years a Slave w/ Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, & Benedict Cumberbatch