IMDb has exclusively released their list of top stars to Refinery29. The genre-spanning list reveals most-searched actors on the site this year, and is a great indication of which up-and-coming stars to look out for.
If IMDb is any indication — and with 250 million monthly visitors, it certainly is— then it’s been a great year for TV. Women are dominating the list, taking the top 3 spots in both the “most popular” and the up-and-coming category.
The biggest stars this year are superheroes — and villains. Karen Gillan is the most popular search; the Doctor Who actress recently appeared in Avengers: Infinity War as anti-hero Nebula. Tessa Thompson and Hannah John-Kamen are popular enough to appear on both lists. Both actresses starred in Marvel movies this year, though Thompson's biggest hits this year have been Sorry to Bother You, Annihilation, and Creed II. Eight of the seventeen actors across the two lists have previously starred in Marvel movies. And Venom star Tom Hardy also made the cut, despite the Sony film not technically existing in the wider Marvel universe.
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Not to be outdone by blockbuster films, Netflix had its own share of stars this year as well. On top of the breakout stars list is Jessica Barden, who plays Alyssa in The End of The F***ing World. The darkly humorous show is based on a graphic novel and co-produced by Netflix. The list also includes Kiernan Shipka, who plays the titular role in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The most popular Netflix boys, meanwhile, were both rom-com leads — Noah Centineo of To All The Boys I've Loved Before and Jacob Elordi of The Kissing Booth.
Overall, the IMDb stars list is a pool of incredible talent. These list show stars who may already be household names (like John Krasinski), but who reached a new level of interest and fame this year (...like John Krasinski). It’s also a reflection of some of the biggest movie trends of 2018. The fans have spoken; may next year bring more badass female superheroes and more quirky Netflix rom-coms.
The star rankings are based on IMDbPro’s STARmeter chart. Check out the IMDBrief video, and read the full list below.
IMDb Top 10 Stars of 2018
1. Karen Gillan (Avengers: Infinity War)
2. Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)
3. Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider)
4. Tom Hardy (Venom)
5. Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible — Fallout)
6. Lily James (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again)
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7. Jessica Barden (The End of the F***ing World)
8. Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp)
9. Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War)
10. Tessa Thompson (Annihilation, Sorry to Bother You)
IMDb Top 10 Breakout Stars of 2018
1. Jessica Barden (The End of the F***ing World)
2. Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp)
3. Tessa Thompson (Annihilation, Sorry to Bother You)
4. Martha Higareda (Altered Carbon)
5. Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther)
6. Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One, Vanity Fair)
7. Noah Centineo (To All The Boys I've Loved Before)
8. Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
9. John Krasinski (The Quiet Place)
10. Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth)