Black Actresses Under 30- 15 That Will Shape The Future Of Your Screen

Publish date: 2024-05-30

Black actresses such as Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, Halle Berry, and Gabrielle Union among many others have left their footprints on the screen. Rising at their heels are people like Lupita Nyong’o and a much younger generation of black actresses under 30 who are set to take over and also leave their footprints.

Table of Contents

Black Actresses Under 30 Leaving Their Marks

1. Faithe Herman- 16 years old

Herman is the youngest person to make the list but she is not the least. The American actress started her career in 2016 but has already established herself as one of the best for the future. She has appeared in both TV shows and films. She has appeared in works such as Bodied (2017), Criminal Minds (2016), and Watchmen (2019).

2. Priah Ferguson- 17 Years old

A teenager of only 17, Priah fell in love with acting as a little girl after watching  Crooklyn and Daddy’s Little Girls. She started her career in 2015 when she made an appearance in a short film and then in 2016, she took part in the TV shows, and Atlanta Coffee X Cream, as well as the films, Suga Water, Deus ex Machina, and Ends. Since then, she has come to appear in more films and TV shows.

3. Marsai Martin- 19 years old

Marsai is only years old, but she is arguably the biggest name among the top black actresses under 30. She is an actress and producer who started her career in 2014 at the age of 10. A natural-born talent, she is also a voice actress and has taken part in more than 20 films and TV shows including Little (2019), Spirit Untamed (2021), and PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021).

More so, she is also one of the most decorated stars on the list with many awards including the BET Awards — YoungStars Award, multiple NAACP Image Awards, and Kidscreen Awards among others.

4. Lexi Underwood- 20 years old

The  Cheverly, Maryland-born star is not just an actress, but also a singer. While she may only be 20 years old, she has already achieved a lot since so13 when she made her theatre debut at the age of 10 in the production of A Christmas Carol.

She has appeared in many productions in theatre, films, and on TV. Some of her works include Person of Interest (2014), Girl Minus (2017), and If Not Now, When (2018).

5. Quvenzhane Wallis – 20 years old

Quvenzhané Wallis was only born in 2003, but she has already made a name for herself as an actress and author. One of the most recognized black actresses under 30, she was birthed to a mother who is a teacher and a father who is a truck driver. She started her career in 2012 when she appeared in Beasts of the Southern Wild.

The young talented actress appeared in films such as Annie (2014) for which she was paid $750,000 and then Fathers & Daughters (2015) for which she received a salary of $40,000. Her other important works are 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Black-ish (2019). Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, she cliched many awards for Beasts of the Southern Wild including a Black Reel Award for Best Actress, Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Performer, Hollywood Film Festival New Hollywood Award, and Satellite Award for Best Breakthrough Actress.

6. Lyric Ross- 20 years old

Another teenage actress, Lyric has been an actress for close to a decade, having started her career in 2012 with an appearance in Chicago Fire. She soon established herself as one of the black actresses under 30 to watch out for with her amazing portrayal of Déjà Pearson in the TV Series, This is Us.

She has appeared in works such as Rogers Park (2017) and Canal Street (2018).

7. Skai Jackson- 21 years old

Skai was born to her parents Jacob Jackson and Kiya Cole in Staten Island, New York. She began her career at the age of 5 and by 2016, she was listed by Time as one of the most influential teenagers in the world. She has made appearances in works such as Liberty Kid in 2007, The Smurfs (2011), and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013). She was also in Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil (2011-2012), Bubble Guppies (2011 to 2013), and then Bunk’d (2015 to 2018) among others.

Although she is better known as an actress, Skai started out as a model before she transitioned into acting. She is also a YouTuber and social media star.

8. Riele Downs – 22 years old

Born in 2001, Riele Downs seems to be cut out for acting like her older sister, Reiya Downs is also on the same path. She started her career as a little girl in 2004 when she appeared in My Baby’s Daddy and then in 2005 she got a role in Four Brothers. She has appeared in other works such as ReGenesis (2008), Peep and the Big Wide World (2010), The Best Man Holiday (2013), and The Adventures of Kid Danger (2018).

She has been nominated for a Kids’ Choice Awards, USA in 2020 for her role in Henry Danger.

9. Yara Shahidi- 24 years old

While Yara’s father Afshin Shahidi is a cinematographer, her mother, Keri Shahidi is a producer and actress. Nonetheless, it is Yara’s talent that has made her famous. A graduate of Harvard University, she was born in Minneapolis and she started her career as an actress on TV in 2007 when she appeared in Entourage and Robotboy. Since then, she has come to appear in many other productions including The Sun Is Also a Star and PAW Patrol: The Movie.

Although she is better known as an actress, Yara is also a model and an activist. She is also one of the biggest names on the list.

10. Sydney Park – 26 years old

Sydney Park was born in 1997 and she has been around as an actress since 2003. More than acting, she is also a highly talented comedian who was born to a Korean-American father and an African-American mother. She became the youngest comedian to perform at The Improve when she took the stage in 2003. Her first acting role came in 2006 in That’s So Raven and then in 2007, she appeared in The Hill and Entourage. She has since appeared in many more productions.

11. Jaylen Barron – 26 years old

Jaylen Barron is yet another talented actress who has been in Hollywood since 2012 but got what is considered to be her real breakthrough in 2016 when she appeared in Shameless. Of Venezuelan, Brazilian, and African descent, she was born in 1997 in Nevada and is sister to child model, Sofia Barron. She has had roles in works such as Good Luck Charlie (2013-2014), Free Rein (2017 – 2019), Twelve Forever (2019), and Blindspotting (2021).

12. Zendaya – 27 years old

Born in Oakland, California in 1996, Zendaya is arguably one of the most talented and versatile individuals on the list, The actress has been around for many years, having started her career in the entertainment scene as a child model before she transitioned to dancing and singing, She had her first role as an actress in 2010 when she took the main role in Shake It Up. In 2012, she was in Frenemiesand then among others, she appeared in Euphoria since 2019. In 2013, she released her first musical album titled Zendaya.

She has won more than 20 awards in her career thus far including the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, Black Reel Awards, Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards, and People’s Choice Awards among others.

13. Taylor Russell – 29 years old

Taylor Russell was born on born July 18, 1994. She started her acting career in 2012 when she made her debut in the TV show, Emily Owens, M.D. The next year, she made her film debut in If I Had Wings. The Canadian actress has appeared in some other works including Lost In Space, Escape Room, and Bones & All.

Born to a  black father and a white mother, she suffered racism while growing up, but that did not dampen her creativity. She has won many awards in her acting career thus far including the Hollywood Critics Association, Nashville Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Gotham Awards, and Blackstar Film Festival.

14. Letitia Wright – 30 years old

The Guyana-born actress started her career in 2011 when she played the role of Nyla in Victim. However, she experienced real fame after she played the role of Shuri in Black Panthers (2018). Since then, she has come to appear in many other productions including Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019). Black Mirror (2017), and Small Axe (2020). She has won numerous awards thus far including the Teen Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and British Academy Film Awards.

15. Keke Palmer – 30 years old

It is not surprising that Keke Palmer is one of the best black actresses under 30 as she was birthed to a father who used to be an actor and a mother who is also in the acting business. Keke was born on August 26, 1993, and has built a career for herself also as a singer and TV personality.

She began her acting career in 2004 when she appeared in the film, Barbershop 2: Back in Business. In the years that followed, she was in some important films such as Akeelah and the Bee and Madea’s Family Reunion both in 2006, Shrink (2009), Imperial Dreams (2014), and Hustlers (2019). She was also in the TV shows Cold Case (2004), Scream Queens (2015 – 2016), Scream (2019), and True Jackson, VP (2008 – 2011). Also a musician, she released her first album, So Uncool in 2007.

She has won many awards in her career thus far including a Primetime Emmy Award, BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Black Reel Awards, and Chicago Film Critics Association Awards among others.

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