Hollywood 2025 brims with the three Cs: talent, charm, and cultural resonance–and the fellows leading the way are creating the face of a new star. If it is by tearing down walls for queer icons or by being a force of nature, these artists are not merely gaining the popularity but they are the ones who are reshaping representation, music, and story for the coming generation. These are eight names of the brightest and most accomplished people who are making an impact in Hollywood at present time.
8. Leo Sheng – The Changemaker
Leo Sheng has turned authenticity into a career. Maybe best known for his work on Adam and The L Word: Generation Q, Sheng has been a prominent voice in advocating for queer and trans representation on television. Off camera, he’s equally powerful–lobbying for social justice, workers’ rights, and queer youth voices. Charismatic, unapologetic, and on a mission, Sheng is as lovely as he is talented.
7. Tramell Tillman – The Breakout Force
You watched Severance, so you know Tramell Tillman as the unforgettable Milchick, both charming and unsettling. He’s gone on to break into big-budget films with Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning starring Tom Cruise. As a gay Black man breaking ceilings in Hollywood, Tillman brings talent with trailblazing visibility–and his effortless charm makes him irrefutable.
6. Jonathan Groff – The Broadway Powerhouse
Jonathan Groff is a Broadway royalty transplanted into a natural film, television, and voice actor. From Spring Awakening to originating Kristoff in Frozen to unnerving turns in Mindhunter, his versatility speaks volumes. Following his recent Tony Award win for Merrily We Roll Along, Groff continues to pave the way for openly gay actors. Warm, magnetic, and unapologetic in his manner, he’s always guaranteed to please the crowd.
5. Omar Apollo – The Sound of Now
Omar Apollo is now one of the defining voices of music in the 2020s, with hits such as Evergreen and albums that transcend genres. But he’s not resting on his laurels–his film debut in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, starring alongside Daniel Craig, was a demonstration of his acting abilities. Apollo’s candor, creativity, and fearless queerness make him a cultural force who won’t be contained in one box.
4. Lukas Gage – The Gambler
Lukas Gage has made a career out of saying yes to dangerous roles. He began with a splash on The White Lotus and went on to star in films like Smile 2 and Companion. Never afraid to get raw or gritty, Gage is opening doors for queer performers in Hollywood. His most recent role in Overcompensating cemented his status as one of the most exciting up-and-coming stars in the business.
3. Tonatiuh – The Cultural Star
Nominated for his Aztec heritage, Tonatiuh is lighting up the screen in Hollywood. From his initial breakout in Vida to his latest in the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman with Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez, he’s offering a solid queer Latine presence on the screen. Full of pride, balancing his heritage on his back with every new project, Tonatiuh is already a familiar face on his way to household name status.
2. Matt Rogers – The Comedy Visionary
Matt Rogers is pop culture’s master thief. Stealing moments on Fire Island, dropping holiday singles, or co-hosting the behemoth Las Culturistas podcast with Bowen Yang, Rogers is as quick on his tongue as he is adaptable. His mixture of humor, musicality, and cultural critique has made him one of the leading voices in queer comedy–and a go-to personality on all scales.
1. Jeremy Pope – The Game-Changer
Jeremy Pope is the package deal: actor, singer, and visual artist. Praise has come his way on Broadway and television (Hollywood, One Night in Miami), he’s released an experimental album (Last Name: Pope), and even courted controversy with his photography series, which confronted toxic masculinity head-on.
With his new lineup, The Beauty, ready to make waves, Pope is already cementing himself not just as a star but as a cultural icon. Wittier, more charming, and more unapologetically himself, he’s Hollywood’s future face.
These eight men are not just stars–they’re creating the next chapter of Hollywood. Talented, commanding, and unapologetically authentic, they’re reauthoring the playbook on what it means to be a leading man in 2025.