In recent times, there has been an upsurge of black talents in Hollywood with many young black actresses taking center stage. This is partly because of the move by Hollywood to bank more on African-American actors and themes to make for a wider racial representation onscreen. Some of the young black actresses under 30 years of age are so talented that they have caused quite a stir around the world with their genius and dazzling brilliant acts on TV. They have starred in several top projects and are becoming more prominent with their push for the greater limelight.
It is noteworthy that black actresses and actors have always been present in Hollywood and also been among the top performers in the movie industry, establishing themselves as some of the most gifted thespians of their time. As far back as the 1920s and 1930s, African-Americans have been making waves in Hollywood. In fact, in 1939, Hattie McDaniel, a black actress, made so much wave that she became the first African-American to win an Oscar. Other black actresses and actors like Sidney Poitier, Isaac Hayes, Louis Gossett, Jr., Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Freeman, and many others, have followed suit, establishing their relevance in the industry.
Meet Some Highly Accomplished Black Actresses Under 30 Years
Hollywood has come quite a long way in terms of equal representation of previously marginalized groups like women and African-Americans. This has paved the way for the breakout of many hugely talented young women who are doing everyone proud. Many young black actresses under 30 have demonstrated incredible talent and skills onscreen in recent times. They have won awards for their works, joining the highly sought-after figures in Hollywood.
1. Priah Ferguson
- Age: 17 years old
- Years Active: 2015 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Netflix series Stranger Things
Priah Ferguson is a young American actress who has been hailed as one of the brightest kids in the movie business. Born on the 1st of October 2006, Ferguson is just 17 years old at the moment, however, despite her young age, she has managed to put her name on people’s lips as one of the very exciting child stars to watch.
The young actress was inspired to go into acting after she watched the movies, Daddy’s Little Girls, and Crooklyn. Eventually, she started auditioning and finally landed her first role in 2015 when she was about 9 years old after she was cast to star in Suga Water, a short film, and Perfectville, a TV movie. The young actress went on to make her television debut in 2016 when she was cast to play Asia in the FX Networks show, Atlanta which was created by Donald Glover.
Priah Ferguson got her big break in 2017 when she was about 11 years old after she was cast to play the role of Erica Sinclair on the Netflix science fiction-horror web television series Stranger Things. The series was so popular that it launched her to wide acclaim. She has since gone on to star in other TV series, including Daytime Divas in 2017, The Oath in 2018, Bluff City Law in 2019, Cast Black Talent Virtual Reading Series.
Priah Ferguson continues to star in Stranger Things today and is expected to keep on making more groundbreaking achievements as she grows older.
2. Marsai Martin
- Age: 19 years old
- Years Active: 2013 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Black-ish, Little
Marsai Martin is widely regarded as one of the most successful black actresses under 30 years of age in the world at the moment. Apart from the fact she is incredibly talented as an actress, she is also a successful businesswoman who became the youngest person to ever produce a movie in 2019. Born on the 14th of August 2004, Marsai Martin is just 19 years old. It is therefore a huge feat that she has managed to accomplish so much as an actress.
Martin’s journey into the entertainment industry began when she was five years old after a woman invited her to a glamour shot at a mall. Martin’s family took her to have her photo taken and the photographer got so impressed with how the little girl performed. He offered the family a huge discount if Marsai Martin’s father promised to show the photos to a few talent agencies. Martin’s photos were eventually shown to about 4 talent agencies and one of the agencies immediately signed her. She eventually got her first national commercial for Choice Hotel when she was still 5 years old.
In 2014, when she was about 10 years old, Marsai Martin scored her first role when she was cast to play Diane Johnson on the American sitcom Black-ish. The role also gave her the breakthrough her career needed, fetching lots of accolades in the process. The role has fetched her different awards, including three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, as well as a Young Artist Award. The young actress has gone on to star in other projects, including An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win in 2016, Fun Mom Dinner in 2017, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in 2018, Little in 2019, Dragons: Rescue Riders: Secrets of the Songwing in 2020, among others.
Apart from acting, Marsai Martin is also a producer. In 2018, she became the executive producer of the movie, Little which was released in 2019. This made her the youngest person ever to produce a movie. Right now, she is also the youngest person to get a first-look deal at Universal, and the youngest person to get a deal at any studio. It is crystal clear that the future is absolutely bright for the young actress.
3. Storm Reid
- Age: 20 years old
- Years Active: 2012 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): A Wrinkle in Time, Don’t Let Go, and When They See Us
Storm Reid is a young American actress who been acting even before she turned 10 years old. Born on the 1st of July 2003, Reid is just 20 years old right now but has already made her mark in the movie industry, bagging award nominations for her works.
Storm Reid began to aspire to become an actress when she was very little. Because her desire for acting was really strong, her family moved to Los Angeles so that she can pursue her acting career when she was just about 9 years old. Eventually, she bagged her first roles in 2012 when she was cast in the short film, The Girls of Summer and the TV movie, A Cross to Bear. The next year, in 2013, she played Emily in the historical drama film 12 Years a Slave, winning some applause.
Reid finally gained her big break in 2018 when she was cast to play Meg Murry in A Wrinkle in Time, an American science fantasy adventure film. She did so well that she was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Fantasy Movie Actress and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Role in a Motion Picture.
Storm Reid has also starred in other movies, including A Happening of Monumental Proportions in 2017, Don’t Let Go, When They See Us, Euphoria, and The Bravest Knight in 2019, and The Invisible Man in 2020, among many others. There is no doubt that the young star is one of the black actresses under 30 doing wonders with their talents. At the moment, Storm Reid continues her incredible journey in Hollywood and the future looks bright for the young movie star.
4. Quvenzhané Wallis
- Age: 20 years old
- Years Active: 2011 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Beasts of the Southern Wild
A hugely talented thespian, Quvenzhané Wallis is a young American actress who is also an author. Born on the 28th of August 2003, Wallis is just 20 years old at the moment, but in spite of her young age, she has managed to accomplish mindblowing feats in Hollywood, including becoming the youngest actress ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
The actress, who had developed an interest in acting from when she was a toddler, auditioned for the role of Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild, an American drama film when she was just 5 years old. She eventually got the part and when the film was released in 2012, it was met with great commercial success and acclaim from critics who praised Quvenzhané Wallis’ performance.
Her performance in the movie was so exceptional that it earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the youngest actress ever to be nominated. The movie shot her to the limelight, establishing her as a star to watch out for. In 2014, Quvenzhané Wallis was cast to play the title character of Annie Bennett in Annie, an American musical comedy film. Wallis put up another very solid performance which got her nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. She also received great praise from critics and reviewers.
The actress has starred in other movies, including 12 Years a Slave in 2013, The Prophet in 2014, Fathers & Daughters in 2015, Black-ish in 2019, among others. Today, Quvenzhané Wallis is concentrating heavily on her career and it is expected to break new grounds as she grows older. She is respected as one of the young black actresses breaking grounds in Hollywood.
5. Lexi Underwood
- Age: 20 years old
- Years Active: 2013 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Little Fires Everywhere
Lexi Underwood is an American actress who made her acting debut when she was just about 10 years old. Born on the 28th of August in 2003, she is now 20 years old and has done pretty well for herself in spite of her very young age. Lexi Underwood is also a singer.
Interestingly, the actress made her acting debut on stage in November 2013 when she featured in a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC, during which she played a Want/Urchin Girl. She soon transitioned to the screen, bagging her first onscreen role in the 2014 film, Dance-Off before making her television debut the same year in the TV series, Person of Interest. In 2016, she played Young Charlotte in the TV movie, The Crooked Man and portrayed Narlee in the TV series, Henry Danger in 2017. From 2017 to 2018, she portrayed Nice Nancy in Walk the Prank and played Ava in the series Family Reunion in 2019.
She scored her biggest role in 2020 when she was cast to play the part of Pearl Warren in Little Fires Everywhere, an American drama streaming television miniseries. She starred alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in the series. Her role was hailed by critics who described her work as “excellent”. Lexi Underwood is bent on continuing her great run in Hollywood as she grows older in the industry, serving as an inspiration to a long line of aspiring young black actresses.
6. Skai Jackson
- Age: 21 years old
- Years Active: 2007 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Jessie and Bunk’d
Skai Jackson is a young American actress who doubles as a YouTuber and an author. Born on April 8, 2002, she is 21 years old at the moment. The actress has, despite her very young age, become one of the most admired young black actresses under 30 and was even included in Time’s list of Most Influential Teens in 2016.
Jackson started her career in entertainment as a child model and made several appearances in numerous national commercials before transitioning to film. The actress landed her first major acting role n 2007 when she was cast to star in the independent film Liberty Kid and went on to make a guest appearance in an episode of the comedy TV series, Rescue Me in 2008. The next year, in 2009, she had another small role in The Rebound, a romantic comedy film. In 2010, she played Maddie Phillips in the Royal Pains, a comedy-drama series, before landing the role of Zuri in the series, Disney Monstober.
In 2011, Skai Jackson got her big break when she was cast to portray the role of Zuri Ross in Jessie, a Disney Channel sitcom. The role made Jackson very popular and even earned her an Image Award nomination. She played the role from 2011 to 2015 across 98 episodes, becoming a fan favorite. When Jessie ended, Skai Jackson, in 2015, went on to reprise her role as Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel series Bunk’d, a spin-off of the Jessie series. She starred in this role from 2015 to 2018 before leaving the series.
Jackson has starred in other projects, including Culture Clash in 2018, Dragons: Rescue Riders from 2019 to 2020, and Dragons: Rescue Riders: Secrets of the Songwing in 2020, among others. Today, the actress is making efforts to remain at the top of her game and the future looks very bright for the young movie star who is now one of the widely known young black actresses under 30.
7. Riele Downs
- Age: 22 years old
- Years Active: 2005 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Henry Danger and The Best Man Holiday
Riele Downs is a young Canadian actress who began to star in movies since she was just about 3 years old. Born July 8, 2001, in Toronto, Canada, Downs is now 22 years old and is respected for her admirable work in the film world.
In 2004, when Riele Downs was just 3, she scored an uncredited role in My Baby’s Daddy, an American comedy film. The next year, at age 4, she was cast to portray Amelia Mercer in the American action film, Four Brothers. In 2008, she played Young Jamila Thompson in the TV series, ReGenesis, and Karinna in Made… The Movie, a TV Movie in 2010.
Downs began to make some buzz in 2013 when she was cast to play Faith in The Best Man Holiday, an American comedy-drama film. The movie was a commercial success and earned Downs some praise in various quarters as critics saw great potential in her talent. The next year, she portrayed Arielle in The Gabby Douglas Story.
In 2014, Riele Downs got her big break after she was cast to play the main role of Charlotte Page on the Nickelodeon television series Henry Danger. She played the role from 2014 to 2020 across 121 episodes and became a fan favorite. Her work was so extensive and well-received that it earned her a nomination at the Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Star in 2020. The actress has starred in other projects, including Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special in 2015, Tiny Christmas in 2017, The Adventures of Kid Danger in 2018, S.A.L.E.M. in 2020 among others.
8. Yara Shahidi
- Age: 23 years old
- Years Active: 2007 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Black-ish and The Sun Is Also a Star
Beautiful and hugely talented, Yara Shahidi is a young American actress, who is also a model, and an activist. She started her career in entertainment when she was about 6 years old by making appearances in print advertisements and television commercials for companies.
The actress made her acting debut in 2007 when she was about 7 years old after she landed an uncredited role in the American comedy-drama television series, Entourage. Nearly two years later, in 2009, she starred opposite Hollywood legend, Eddie Murphy in Imagine That, an American comedy film. Shahidi portrayed Olivia Danielson in the movie and put up a very strong performance that eventually earned her a Young Artist Award nomination for the best performance in a feature film category. In 2010, she played Olivia in the TV series, Lie to Me and appeared in Special Agent Oso, another TV series where she played the role of Leah in 2011. After playing Janelle Cross in Alex Cross, a 2012 thriller film, Shahidi went on to play Young Olivia in the TV series Scandal in 2013.
Yara Shahidi scored one of her biggest ever roles in 2014 when she was cast to portray Zoey Johnson in Black-ish, an American sitcom television series. Black-ish catapulted her to the global limelight and earned her awards for her efforts. She won an NAACP Image Award in the category of ‘Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy in 2015 and in 2017, emerged winner of the BET Award for YoungStar for her work on Black-ish.
Shahidi has also played other roles in other projects, including The Fosters in 2014, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia from 2016 to 2018, The Sun Is Also a Star in 2019, Grown-ish from 2018 to date. Yara Shahidi keeps on making long strides in Hollywood, establishing herself as one of the trailblazing young black actresses under 30 in the movie business.
9. Willow Smith
- Age: 23 years old
- Years Active: 2007 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): I Am Legend
Willow Smith is an American actress who is also a singer, rapper, and dancer. Interestingly, she comes from a family of entertainers. Her father is the Hollywood legend, Will Smith, and her mother is the actress Jada Pinkett Smith. Also, her brother is the actor and singer, Jaden Smith. Willow Smith started acting even before she turned 10 years old. Born on October 31, 2000, she is now 23 years old.
Willow Smith made her acting debut in 2007 after she was cast to portray Marley Neville in I Am Legend, an American post-apocalyptic action thriller film alongside her father, Will Smith. Her performance in the film earned her a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a Feature Film (Young Actress Age Ten or Younger).
The next year, in 2008, she played Countee in the comedy-drama film, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, in which she put up a very strong performance. She won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film (Young Ensemble Cast) for her work in the film. In 2009, she voiced Abby in Merry Madagascar. She also played young Gloria the hippo alongside her mother, Jada in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
In 2017, she played Hellenist in Neo Yokio and Beth the Pup Princess in Adventure Time in 2018. From 2018 to the present day, she has been appearing in the American talk show Red Table Talk which stars her mother Jada Pinkett Smith, and her grandmother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris.
10. China Anne McClain
- Age: 25 years old
- Years Active: 2005 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Tyler Perry’s House of Payne
China Anne McClain is an American actress and singer who began her career as an entertainer when she was just about seven years old. She was discovered in the year 2005 by a music executive who heard her sing. The same year, she made her acting debut in director, Rob Hardy’s feature film The Gospel. The next year, she starred in Madea’s Family Reunion, a comedy-drama film, and in 2007, she starred as China in Daddy’s Little Girls, a romantic comedy-drama movie.
In 2007, she gained wide recognition when she landed the main role of Jazmine Payne in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, an American television series. The series made McClain very popular and a fan favorite. Her performance in the series was so top-notch that she won the NAMIC Vision Award for Best Performance – Actress of Comedy in 2017. She starred in the series from 2007 to 2020 across 119 episodes.
Later in 2011, China Anne McClain was cast to play the lead role of Chyna Parks in A.N.T. Farm, the Disney Channel series which was specially tailored for her by Disney. This role helped to make her even more famous, establishing her as one of the most talented teenage stars and well-known young blacks actresses in the world as she soon became internationally recognized. The role also fetched her two NAMIC Vision Awards, one for Best Performance – Actress of Comedy and another for Outstanding Performance by a Youth.
The actress has also starred in other top projects, including Descendants: Wicked World from 2015 to 2016, Descendants 2 in 2017, Blood Brother in 2018, and Descendants 3 in 2019. Since 2018, she has been playing the main role of Jennifer Pierce/Lightning in the American superhero drama television series, Black Lightning.
11. Lovie Simone Oppong
- Age: 25 years old
- Years Active: 2009 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Greenleaf
Lovie Simone is an American actress who is renowned for her superb acting skills and charming looks. She has starred in a number of films that made her very famous. Born on November 29, 1998, she is now 25 years old. Simone developed a passion for acting when she was young and proceeded to study acting at an acting school in New York. It was while at the acting school that she was discovered in 2009 when was about 11 years. She then signed a deal with her manager and started securing some acting gigs on commercials, appearing in a national commercial for JC Penney.
In 2016, Lovie Simone made her acting debut when she was cast to star in Greenleaf, an American television drama series. The series shot her to international stardom and made her a fan favorite. She played the role of Zora Greenleaf on the TV show from 2016 to 2020 across 60 episodes. In 2017, she appeared in Orange Is the New Black and also played Gina Walker in Blue Blood the same year.
In 2018, Lovie Simone eventually made her film debut when she was cast to play the supporting role of Renee Pickford opposite Hollywood diva, Jennifer Hudson in the film Monster. The next year, she played the leading role of Selah in the drama film, Selah and the Spades and also portrayed Jenna in Share, a drama movie. She has also acted in other projects like Dicktown in 2019 and The Craft: Legacy in 2020, among others. So far, there are many projects in the works for the movie star who is apparently bent on making a difference in her career. She is hailed as one of the young black actresses under 30 who are doing the black community proud.
12. Coco Jones
- Age: 26 years old
- Years Active: 2006 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Let It Shine
Coco Jones is an American actress who is also a singer, rapper, and songwriter. Jones actually started singing before she got into acting but has won the hearts of many with her acting skills and onscreen efforts. Born on January 4, 1998, the entertainer is now 26 years old.
When she was about nine years old, Coco Jones met with the casting heads at Disney and, thereafter, she became an actor and songwriter. In 2011, when she was 13 years old, she landed her first acting role after being cast to guest-star on Disney Channel’s television series So Random!. The next year, she rose to prominence when she scored the role of Roxie in Let It Shine, a musical television film. The movie was successful and went on to become the most-watched Disney Channel Original Movie in 2012. The success of the movie also made Coco Jones a huge star and a fan favorite.
From 2012 to 2013, Jones portrayed Kelsey in the TV series, Good Luck Charlie before landing the role of Vanessa in the series, The Exes in 2014. In 2016, Jones scored the role of Kimberly in the film Grandma’s House and played Ava Moore in Flock of Four, an American adventure comedy-drama film. From 2018 to 2019, she played Jayla in the teen drama web series, Five Points in a recurring role before portraying Rita in Vampires vs. the Bronx, a comedy horror film in 2020.
13. Amandla Stenberg
- Age: 25 years old
- Years Active: 2011 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): The Hunger Games, Everything Everything, and The Hate U Give
Blessed with insanely good looks and stunning acting talents, Amandla Stenberg is an American actress and singer who has received several accolades for her works since she began her career. Born on October 23, 1998, the actress is now 25 years old. Apart from her acting resume, she is also recognized for her outspoken views, particularly towards her activism for LGBT youths. She is one of the most recognized young black actresses under 30 in the world.
Amandla Stenberg kick-started her journey into entertainment at the age of four when she began to do catalog modeling shoots for Disney and proceeded to appear in commercials for clients such as Boeing. In 2011, Amandla Stenberg made her acting debut when she was cast to play Young Cataleya in Colombiana, a French English-language action thriller film.
In 2012, when she was 14 years old, Stenberg had her breakthrough after she was cast as Rue in The Hunger Games, an American science fiction action film. The movie was critically and financially successful and Stenberg’s performance was also praised by experts and fans. She ended up receiving different awards and nominations, including a Black Reel Award nomination and the Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry (shared with Jennifer Lawrence).
From 2013 to 2014, she played Macey Irving in the series, Sleepy Hollow and then portrayed Halle Foster in Mr. Robinson in 2015. In 2017, the actress won a lot of accolades for her performance in Everything, Everything, a romantic drama film that caused quite a stir after its release. The next year, in 2018, she got even more buzz with her performance in The Hate U Give, a drama film. Her performance was so solid that it earned her the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. The actress has also starred in other projects, including Drunk History in 2019, and The Eddy in 2020, among others.
14. Lauryn McClain
- Age: 27 years old
- Years Active: 2005 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Daddy’s Little Girls and A.N.T. Farm
A multi-talented lady, Lauryn McClain is an American actress and singer who started entertaining people from a very young age and has continued to delight fans with her incredible skills in those fields. Born on January 9, 1997, she is now 27 years old.
McClain started out by singing in her church choir when she was about five years old. As she grew into a more confident singer, she also fell in love with the craft of acting. Eventually, she made her debut onscreen appearance in 2005 when she was cast in The Gospel, an American Christian drama film in which she played the part of a chorister. In 2007, she gained some acclaim when she was cast in Daddy’s Little Girls, an American romantic comedy-drama film to play the daughter of Idris Elba’s character, Monty.
In 2012, she appeared in A.N.T. Farm, a teen sitcom that further helped to bring her to a wider audience, then she played Emma in BearCity 3, a drama/romance movie in 2016. From 2016 to 2017, she portrayed Freddie in the series, Descendants: Wicked World across 7 episodes. In 2018, she was cast to play Janelle Baker in the drama television series, Step Up. Lauryn McClain is now focused on causing more stir with her singing and her acting endeavors.
15. Jaylen Barron
- Age: 26 years old
- Years Active: 2012 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Shameless and Free Rein
Jaylen Barron is an American actress who made her acting debut at the age of 15. She has since gone on to endear herself to movie fans with her incredible talent. The actress was born in Nevada but she and her family later relocated to Los Angeles, where she began acting. Born on August 31, 1997, she is now 26 years old.
In 2012, Jaylen Barron scored her first television role when she was cast to play Ashley Otton in Bones, an American crime procedural comedy-drama TV series. The same year, she played Melanie in Shake It Up, another television series. From 2012 to 2013, she portrayed Mary in See Dad Run, a sitcom, then played Lauren Dabney in Good Luck Charlie, another sitcom from 2013 to 2014.
In 2016, the actress got people talking with her performance as Dominique in Shameless, a comedy-drama series in which she appeared across 14 episodes. The next year, she played Jenny Jones in the TV series Explosion Jones. Barron extended her popularity in 2017 when she was cast to play the main role of Zoe in Free Rein, a British drama TV series. She played the role from 2017 to 2019 across 32 episodes, making her a fan favorite. In 2019, she played Esther in the series, Twelve Forever. There are more projects lined up for Jaylen Barron and it is certain the future is crystal bright for the actress.
16. Ajiona Alexus
- Age: 27 years old
- Years Active: 2008 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): The Rickey Smiley Show, 13 Reasons Why, Empire, Acrimony
Ajiona Alexus is an American actress who started her acting career when she was about 12 years old and has maintained steam in her craft ever since. The actress is known for featuring in some globally acclaimed movies and series. Born on March 16, 1996, she is now 27 years old.
Alexus was launched to public attention when she scored her first-ever TV role in 2012 after she was cast to play De’Anna on The Rickey Smiley Show, a sitcom. She played the role from 2012 to 2014, appearing in 24 episodes and winning the hearts of fans. In 2015, she portrayed Marissa McKay in Grey’s Anatomy, a medical drama television series before playing Shawna Wilson in the film Sons 2: The Grave the same year.
In 2016, Ajiona Alexus got further attention when she was cast to play the part of Teenage Loretha in Empire, the American musical drama television series which made waves upon its debut. She played the part from 2016 to 2019. In 2017, shortly after scoring the role in Empire, the actress landed another role in 13 Reasons Why, a teen television series in which she played Sheri Holland. She also received praise for her work on 13 Reasons Why. In 2018, Alexus got the world talking with her role as Young Melinda in Acrimony, a psychological thriller film that stirred fans around the world.
Alexus has starred in other projects and has many more lined up, making the future really bright for the movie star.
17. Zendaya
- Age: 27 years old
- Years Active: 2009 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Shake It Up, Euphoria, The Greatest Showman, Malcolm & Marie, Spider-Man: Homecoming
Zendaya, whose full name is Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, is an American actress and singer widely regarded as one of the most successful and talented black actresses under 30 years at the moment. She has put up sterling performances in different critically acclaimed movies and TV series and has won loads of awards for her efforts. Born on September 1, 1996, she is now 27 years old.
The actress began her career in entertainment as a child model and backup dancer before adding acting to her set of skills. She made her acting debut in 2010 when she was cast to play Rocky Blue in the sitcom Shake It Up. The series became successful and popular, blowing up her popularity status, especially among young people. Zendaya starred in the series from 2010 to 2013, appearing in 75 episodes. Her performance earned her many award nominations, including nominations at the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Youth and Young Artist Award for Outstanding Leading Young Actress in a TV Series.
In 2015, Zendaya was cast to play the role of K.C. Cooper in K.C. Undercover, a comedy series. The role further helped to make her insanely popular around America. It also earned her a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Comedy nomination. Zendaya starred in the series from 2015 to 2018 across 76 episodes. The actress became even more sensational in 2017 when she starred as Anne Wheeler in the musical drama film, The Greatest Showman. For the role, she won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress Drama. From 2019, she began to star in the teen drama series, Euphoria. Her performance has been highly praised. In 2020, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work in Euphoria, making her the youngest-ever winner of the award.
Zendaya has also starred in other huge projects, including Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017, Spider-Man: Far from Home in 2019, and Malcolm & Marie in 2021. She also continues to star in the series, Euphoria.
18. Samantha Logan
- Age: 27 years old
- Years Active: 2009 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): All American, The Fosters
A truly beautiful and gifted lady, Samantha Logan is an American actress who launched her acting career when she was about 13 years old. She has kept the pace ever since, making appearances in movies and TV series that have gotten many people around the world talking. Born on October 27, 1996, the actress is now 27 years old.
Logan began her acting career with a small role in Gossip Girl, a TV series. Later in 2011, she appeared in Detachment, a drama film, before portraying Lola in the popular TV series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit the same year. From 2012 to 2013, she played Nona Clark in the series 666 Park Avenue and later landed the role of Taylor DuBois in General Hospital in 2014.
From 2014 to 2015, she gained prominence by starring in The Fosters, a family drama series across 7 episodes. In 2016, she played Nessa in the series, Junior, before landing the role of Cassidy Barrett in the TV movie, Cruel Intentions the same year. In 2018, Samantha Logan gained more prominence after she was cast to play Nina Jones in 13 Reasons Why, a teen television series. The same year, she scored the role of Olivia Baker in All American, a sports drama television series that is still ongoing. The series’ popularity has since turned Logan into a fan favorite, making her one of the most prominent young black actresses under 30 to watch.
19. Kiersey Clemons
- Age: 30 years old
- Years Active: 2010 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Dope, Sweetheart, Lady and the Tramp
Kiersey Clemons is an American actress who is also a singer and producer. She began her acting career at the age of 17 and has since gone on to star in dozens of movies and TV series. Born on December 17, 1993, she is now 30 years old.
Kiersey Clemons scored her first acting role in 2010 when she was cast to play Danielle in the sitcom, Shake It Up. The next year, she appeared in the TV series Bucket and Skinner’s Epic Adventures and Good Luck Charlie. In 2013, she landed a recurring role as Kira Starr in the comedy series, Austin & Ally. The actress got her big break in 2015 when she was cast to play Cassandra “Diggy” Andrews in Dope, an American comedy-drama coming-of-age film. The film received critical acclaim and was a moderate commercial success, making Clemons a popular face in America and beyond. Her performance also earned her a Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, Female.
The actress went on to star in other projects like the 2016 comedy film Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, the 2017 drama film, The Only Living Boy in New York, and the 2018 comedy-drama music film, Hearts Beat Loud. In 2019, Clemons got even more popular with her portrayal of Jennifer “Jenn” Remming in Sweetheart, a survival horror film that made some buzz after its release. For her performance in Sweetheart, she won the Fantastic Fest Award for Best Actress. Clemons clearly has a lot more in store for her and the future is really bright for the performer as one of the young black actresses of note.
20. Raven Goodwin
- Age: 31 years old
- Years Active: 2001 to present
- Most Famous Work(s): Lovely & Amazing, The Station Agent, Phat Girlz, Being Mary Jane
A very talented thespian, Raven Goodwin is an American actress regarded as one of the most gifted young black actresses in Hollywood. She made her acting debut when she was about 9 years old and has gone on to endear many fans to herself with her sterling performances in different projects. Born on June 24, 1992, the actress is now 31 years old.
Unlike many people, Raven Goodwin made her debut with a bang. Her first movie, the 2001 comedy-drama film, Lovely & Amazing, established her as an actress to watch. Goodwin played the role of Annie Marks in the movie and did so well that she got nominated for Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance and Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance.
Her next movie The Station Agent, which was released in 2003 was also a huge success. Goodwin starred as Cleo in the movie and received praise for her performance. She shared a nomination for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture with the cast. In 2006, she headlined the romance film Phat Girlz and received further praise for her work.
The actress went on to star in other projects, including the 2007 film, All About Us, and also portrayed Becca Huffstatter in the series, Huge in 2010. Raven Goodwin scored one of her biggest ever roles in 2013 when she was cast to play the main role of Niecy in Being Mary Jane, a drama series. The series gave Goodwin her mainstream breakthrough and made her a fan favorite. She played the role from 2013 to 2019 across 35 episodes.
Since then she has starred in other popular projects, including SMILF from 2017 to 2019, Christmas Belles in 2019, and The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel in 2020, among many others. For her performance in The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, she got nominated for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie or Limited Series. There is a lot more in store for the actress and it is expected she will become bigger with time as she still has her years in front of her.
