While awards season might be all about celebrating Hollywood’s biggest stars, Teen Vogue’s first ever digital cover is instead paying tribute to the famous faces of the future.
The publication has been publishing a Young Hollywood Stars issue since its debut in 2003, and while this year’s list will not feature in a print version of the magazine, the honor of featuring is no less significant for any of its eight chosen actresses.
Each one features on a group cover, as well as her own individual shoot; and while many of the young starlets highlighted in the piece might not be immediately recognizable to many, the magazine hails them as the hottest young talents who will no doubt be familiar faces by the end of the year.
Cover: Teen Vogue just released its first-ever digital cover since shutting down it’s 15-year-old print magazines last year for their annual Young Hollywood issue
Solo: Not only are all eight of the women actors on one major cover together they each got their own cover as well, like Margaret Qualley, 23, from HBO’s The Leftovers
Actress: Another star of the cover is Bria Vinaite, 24, a breakout star from her outstanding role as a single-mother in the movie, The Florida Project
Featured on the cover is Sasha Lane, 22, Letitia Wright, 24, Ellie Bamber, 21, Margaret Qualley, 23, Laura Harrier, 27, Awkwafina, 29, Bria Vinaite, 24, and Storm Reid, 14 all of whom are predicted to be Hollywood’s next generation of leading ladies.
Aside from the nine-cover portfolio, the issue also includes stunning portraits of each of these ladies with their own profile features.
But it’s not just their on-screen abilities that earned them a spot on the Young Hollywood list; the magazine chose this year’s featured actresses for their ability to ‘break barriers’, celebrating them for ‘advocating for equality and fighting for better representation’.
For example, Storm, the youngest star to feature on the cover, shared how her role in A Wrinkle in Time – her soon-to-be-released movie in which stars alongside big names like Oprah and Reese Witherspoon – has impacted the audience.
‘Representation is everything,’ she said of her casting in the movie.
‘If I was younger, if I saw Meg as myself, Meg would empower me and inspire me and make me feel like I could save the world.
‘So to have those characters and to be able to be that for young African-American girls or just young people in general is really empowering.’
Meanwhile Letitia, who stars in hit movie Black Panther spoke about her iconic character, Shuri, saying that she ‘hopes Shuri opens up a new way of thinking for young girls in terms of careers and subjects in the academic world.
Rapper: Awkwafina, 29, is a rapper and actress most famous for her role in the movie Ocean’s 8
Young: The youngest cover star of the bunch is Storm Reid, 14, most famous for her starring role in A Wrinkle In Time
Stunning: Letitia Wright, 24, stars in the hit new movie Black Panther
‘I wish I watched movies like Hidden Figures when I was a kid and maybe I would’ve taken science classes super seriously, because I saw myself.
‘I can only hope that Shuri can encourage a lot of girls to be a part of subjects in school like science and math and technology.’
Bria is a breakout star from her outstanding role as a single-mother in the movie, The Florida Project which was her first acting gig and she had a lot to say about politics.
‘It’s really sad…The one positive thing about this sort of political craziness going on is that it’s finally making young people stand up and have a voice.’
Sasha, the star of American Honey shared why she feels the Times Up movement is crucial in the world we live in today.
‘People want to be represented, people want to be seen. You want to see yourself on screen so you have something to relate to. You can feel comfortable.’
Change: Awkwafina shared that she’s seeing a ‘general shift in Hollywood and whatever we’re in right now, we’re moving in the right direction’
The Leftovers: Margaret dished about gender equality saying, ‘The goal is to not be patted on the back for hiring a woman because it shouldn’t be an exceptional thing’
Breakout star: Bria said, ‘The one positive thing about this sort of political craziness going on is that it’s finally making young people stand up and have a voice’
Ellie, the cute redhead from Nocturnal Animals, spoke about gender equalityin Hollywood saying, ‘The idea of bringing equality not just to entertainment but to every walk of life, I think it’s very important.
‘There should be no segregation. Everyone should be united and everyone should be seen as equals.’
Laura who played Liz in Spider-Man: Homecoming is now set to star in Spike Lee’s Black Klansman and shared what she learned while preparing for the role.
‘I studied Angela Davis. I got to meet Kathleen Cleaver, and talked to all these incredible women of the Black Panther and Black Power movements.
‘It just struck me how relevant these things are now, unfortunately…It was a lot more peaceful than we were made to think. Women were a big part of it. It wasn’t just this male-driven thing.’
Adorable: Storm said about her role, ‘To have those characters and to be able to be that for young African-American girls or just young people in general is really empowering’
Role model: Letitia said of her Black Panther character, ‘I can only hope that Shuri can encourage a lot of girls to be a part of subjects in school like science and math and technology’
Margaret, who starred in HBO’s The Leftovers, dished about gender equality as well, saying, ‘The goal is to not be patted on the back for hiring a woman because it shouldn’t be an exceptional thing.
‘It should just be commonplace that women should have equal opportunities as men…gender parity is a crucial part of any healthy society. It’s applicable to the entire world.’
Awkwafina, rapper and Ocean’s 8 actor shared, ‘I’m seeing a general shift in Hollywood and even since I’ve started acting, like two or three years ago. I think whatever we’re in right now, we’re moving in the right direction.’
If this is what the future of Hollywood looks like then we are definitely in good hands.