From singers to actors, a whole new generation of celebrities made their mark in 2021. Between social media and the vast array of original movie and TV content on streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max, many lesser-known or even previously unknown musicians and actors got their big breaks this year. Hit shows such as Bridgerton and Squid Game and film adaptations of the Broadway shows West Side Story and In the Heights brought audiences some brand-new stars, while a number of young musicians also came into their own this year.
We're honestly so excited to watch what's to come for these talented stars of 2021. They all appear to have really promising futures ahead of them, and we can't wait to tune in and see what they'll do with their talent going forward.
So in case you missed some of this year's most prominent pop culture phenomena, we're sharing a list of the 17 biggest breakout TV, movie and music stars of 2021, along with the roles and songs that were the turning points for their careers. Keep reading to find out who you should be watching and listening to as the new year kicks off. Trust us: You want to check out these super talented stars.
Lee Jung-jae
Already a celebrity in his home country of Korea, actor and model Lee Jung-jae shot to stardom in the US thanks to Netflix's surprise hit Squid Game. He's the lead in the must-watch series, which is a disturbing drama about a game in which the downtrodden compete for a large sum of money, despite the great cost of losing.
Olivia Rodrigo
Pop singer Olivia Rodrigo, who stars in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere when her song "Driver's License" went viral in 2021. The break-up track quickly went into heavy rotation on the radio, and Olivia took advantage of the moment, releasing multiple singles back-to-back, all of which went on to become hits too. She also announced a major tour for 2022 that sold out instantly.
Rachel Zegler
Steven Spielberg made headlines when he decided to cast an unknown face, Rachel Zegler, in his highly anticipated film adaptation of West Side Story. The young actress' performance did not disappoint, and she ended up nabbing roles in Disney's upcoming live-action Snow White and Shazam! Fury of the Gods before the film even premiered.
Leslie Grace
Singer and actress Leslie Grace was already a big star in the world of Latin music when she starred in the film adaptation of In The Heights. But the movie role was actually her first acting credit, and she absolutely killed it, quickly capturing the hearts of many. She was so impressive that shortly after that film was released, she was cast in the lead role of the 2022 Batgirl movie.
Cooper Hoffman
There's no question that Cooper Hoffman, son of the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, inherited his father's talent. He starred in the film Licorice Pizza in 2021, and garnered tons of buzz for his performance, cementing his status in Hollywood. The film was Cooper's first acting credit, and while he doesn't have anything else in the pipeline just yet, we're sure the 18-year-old is going to do big things with his career.
Simu Liu
If you're a fan of the Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, you were already familiar with Simu Liu long before 2021. But it was really his entry into the Marvel universe as the star of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that took his acting career to the next level. He's a bona fide star now, and already has multiple movies in the works for next year.
Chloe Bailey
Previously one half of a music duo with her sister Halle, Chloe Bailey struck out on her own in 2021. She quickly became one of the most popular pop/R&B artists of the year with her hit "Have Mercy," which took over the radio airwaves and landed her performances on the MTV Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards.
Ben Barnes
Actor and singer Ben Barnes has been on the scene for a while, starring in several TV series and The Chronicles of Narnia movies, but his performance as General Kirigan in the popular Netflix series, Shadow and Bone, has served as a breakout role for him. One of the most popular shows of 2021, it's made him a household name.
Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Olsen's career trajectory proves that all it takes is one solid TV show or movie to completely make a career. In 2021, the 32-year-old actress — who is of course the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen — starred in the Disney+ original series WandaVision, which has widely been considered one of the best shows of the year.
Regé-Jean Page
Actor Regé-Jean Page sent temperatures soaring with his smoldering performance in the Netflix original series Bridgerton, which premiered on Christmas in 2020. Not long after, though, he announced that he would not be appearing in the series' second season (much to fans' utter disappointment). That's because he signed on to star in two films, The Gray Man, which is set to come out in 2022, and Dungeons & Dragons, due out in 2023.
Lily James
Lily James has been acting for a long time, including in hit shows like Downton Abbey and several movies, among them Baby Driver and Rebecca. In 2021, though, she starred in the Netflix original film The Dig (alongside Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan), propelling her to the upper echelon of Hollywood elite. She's following up that role by starring as Pamela Anderson in the upcoming miniseries Pam and Tommy, and has two new movies currently in post-production.
Coi Leray
In 2021, hip-hop star Coi Leray proved her rap cred with the hit single "No More Parties," cementing herself as a legitimate force on the rap music scene. She also had several TikTok videos go viral and multiple impressive performances at musical festivals, including Rolling Loud.
Bia
Rapper Bia took her music career to the next level when she tapped fellow rapper Nicki Minaj to appear on the remix of her hit single "Whole Lotta Money." That meant instant radio play and lots of new fans being introduced to her music in 2021. Now, her bold and empowering lyrics have landed her multiple product endorsement deals and magazine covers.
Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton became a legitimate country music star in 2021 with her song "Black Like Me," which was her raw response to the unjust killings of Black people, essentially embracing both her position as a Black woman in America and her country roots in one song. She earned herself two Country Music Awards nominations and put herself in contention for a Grammy.
Walker Hayes
Country music singer Walker Hayes nearly achieved pop music crossover fame with his song "Fancy Like" when a video of him dancing to it with his daughter went viral on TikTok. "Every week is the biggest week we've had, and I swear, this has gotta be the stopping point," he told People, summing up just how big 2021 has been for his career.
Kate Siegel
We will not forget actress Kate Siegel's face after her standout performance in Midnight Mass on Netflix. She was excellent in the show, and made us all remember how impressive she was in 2016's Hush. It was an even better role for her than the character of Theodora Crain in The Haunting of Hill House, and we cannot wait to check out her upcoming projects, which include a Netflix film called Hypnotic, a remake of The Time Traveler's Wife, and another series, The Fall of the House of Usher.
Dylan Arnold
Each season of the creepy Netflix series You seems to introduce us to impressive new talent, and season three was no exception. Actor Dylan Arnold was the breakout star with his performance as a young neighbor smitten with Joe Goldberg's wife, Love. Dylan also starred in Halloween Kills in 2021, and has several movies set to come out over the next couple of years.
