Do you like your popcorn with a side of déjà vu?
More so than most years, it feels as though we’re seeing many of the same familiar faces every time we go to the movie theater.
That’s hardly a complaint: We’ll never pass up the opportunity to watch Penélope Cruz light up the screen in a trio of new films (“The Invite,” “La Bola Negra” and “Bunker”). “Weapons” breakout Austin Abrams has become the internet’s latest boyfriend, thanks to “Resident Evil” and “Whalefall,” while Andrew Garfield could be Oscar-bound with his third movie of 2026, the AI dramedy “Artificial” (in theaters Christmas Day).
Hollywood royalty Nicole Kidman (“Practical Magic 2”) and Brad Pitt (“The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth”) have many irons in the fire, as do Ben
Affleck (“Animals”), Matt Damon (“The Odyssey”), and Josh Brolin (“The Dog Stars”).
These are some of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood right now ‒ and where you'll see them next:
Anne Hathaway
In 2026, Hathaway, 44, flexed her muscle as one of the world’s most bankable stars, releasing five movies that grossed a whopping $2.8 billion combined globally. Not only does she deliver career-best work in “The Odyssey” and “Mother Mary,” but she’s also incredibly shrewd in her choices: tapping into the BookTok craze with Colleen Hoover’s “Verity;” patiently waiting 20 years to make the timely “The Devil Wears Prada 2;” and taking a huge swing with indie horror director David Robert Mitchell on the dino thriller “The End of Oak Street.”
In short, she’s unlocked the key to Hollywood longevity, thanks to her bold and carefully considered choices. Plus, she’s game to promote every project for weeks on end, all of which she did with boundless charisma and a growing baby bump. Hathaway has already lined up “Days of Thunder 2” with Tom Cruise for 2028. And after the year she’s had, every studio will surely be lining up to court her for their next big films.
Zendaya
Like Hathaway, Zendaya has savvily navigated the transition from squeaky-clean Disney star to bona fide leading lady. After finding her sea legs with “The Greatest Showman” and “Malcolm & Marie,” the “Euphoria” star, 30, is consistently making some of the most interesting choices of anyone working today, from the erotic tennis drama “Challengers” to the provocative dark comedy “The Drama.”
But the two-time Emmy winner has also been smart about which blockbusters to align herself with: appearing in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” and playing key roles in the “Spider-Man” and “Dune” franchises. Although she’s increasingly selective, producers know they will always get their money’s worth with Zendaya, who creates viral moments on social media and makes every red carpet her runway with showstopping fashion.
Tom Holland
Holland, 30, has struggled to find his footing as a leading man outside of the Marvel universe, with a slew of critical duds including “Cherry,” “Chaos Walking” and Apple TV series “The Crowded Room.” But along with his wife Zendaya, Holland has a fiercely devoted fan base, and it’s undeniable that he’s a draw after “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” shattered expectations with $2.5 billion at the global box office. His supporting turn in “The Odyssey” showed that he’s keen on making better choices going forward, and his upcoming Fred Astaire biopic with Sabrina Carpenter and Margaret Qualley is tailor-made to his talents as a song-and-dance charmer. He's also developing the new movie "Penthouse" with screenwriter Drew Pearce ("The Fall Guy").
Colman Domingo
After years as a consistently excellent supporting player, Domingo, 56, is now firmly in the driver’s seat with back-to-back Oscar nods for best actor under his belt. The “Sing Sing” star was a subtle standout in Steven Spielberg’s modest sci-fi hit “Disclosure Day” this past summer, and he could also earn a third Oscar nomination for playing Michael Jackson’s domineering father, Joe Jackson, in the billion-dollar sensation “Michael.” In addition to a third season of Netflix’s “The Four Seasons” with Tina Fey, Domingo has roughly half a dozen projects in the works, from psychological thriller “The Servant” to Nat King Cole biopic “Unforgettable.”
Olivia Colman
The beloved British actress, 52, has sneakily become one of the most booked-and-busy stars in Hollywood, with Netflix series “Pride and Prejudice” and fantastical comedy “The Fox” both out early next month. The affable and hilarious Oscar winner is likely to scoop up her fourth nomination for AIDS drama “Elsinore” (in theaters Nov. 20) with Andrew Scott. She may also net her eighth Golden Globe nod for the low-budget “Wicker,” a stealth box-office hit ($30 million worldwide) about a fisherwoman who commissions a basket-maker to weave her a husband.
Pedro Pascal
Like “The Mandalorian and Grogu” co-star Jeremy Allen White, Pascal, 51, has recently been ubiquitous on the big and small screen, thanks to HBO’s “The Last of Us” and last year’s rom-com “Materialists,” which proved to be a sleeper box-office hit. His quiet, soulful presence combined with dreamboat looks have made him an intriguing star to watch as he vaults into the Oscar race with Tony Gilroy’s orchestral drama “Behemoth!” (in theaters Dec. 4). Two weeks later, he’ll return as Mister Fantastic in “Avengers: Doomsday” (Dec. 18), which is already expected to be one of the biggest movies of 2026.
Robert Pattinson
More than 15 years after his “Twilight” breakthrough, Pattinson remains a lucrative star among the younger generation, helping turn risky art films including “The Drama” and “Primetime” into genuine cash cows. It helps that his delightfully chaotic interviews often go viral, as do his meme-spawning turns as Chris Hansen (“Primetime”) and Antinous (“The Odyssey”). But more than that, Pattinson, 40, is a chameleonic actor with remarkable range, which makes his movies feel like genuine events unto themselves. The Brit currently has “Dune: Part Three” and Denzel Washington heist thriller “The Take” (in theaters Jan. 15, 2027) in the pipeline, before he masks up as the Caped Crusader once again in the long-delayed “The Batman: Part II.”
Olivia Wilde
This year, nobody had a more welcome comeback than Wilde, who weathered a media firestorm around 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling.” Not only is the genial actress the best part of dominatrix thriller "I Want Your Sex" and music drama "Behemoth!," but she may also garner multiple Oscar nods as the director and star of marriage comedy "The Invite." The film is a blazing testament to the expressiveness and depth of Wilde, 42, who has often been underestimated as a performer. Next up, she’s prepping her fourth directorial outing “Naughty,” a star-studded 2027 comedy about a single mom (Jennifer Aniston) asking Santa Claus to testify in her child custody case.
Florence Pugh
Pugh, 30, continues to prove herself as one of the most formidable actors of her generation, gifting us the best TV performance of 2026 in Netflix miniseries "East of Eden" last month. Come Dec. 18, she'll star in two of the year's most highly anticipated movies: "Avengers: Doomsday," as spy-turned-superhero Yelena Belova, and "Dune: Part Three," as the pivotal Princess Irulan. The Oscar nominee has become a favorite among millennials and Gen Z thanks to her daring style, refreshingly unfiltered social-media presence, and courage to speak out about political and social issues. She will next appear with Andy Samberg in the sci-fi romance "42.6 Years."
Sandra Hüller
Ask any A-lister who their favorite actor is, and they'll likely tell you Hüller. The 48-year-old German powerhouse has been fiercely in demand since her astonishing Oscar breakthrough in 2023’s “Anatomy of a Fall.” She stole the show earlier this year singing Harry Styles in Ryan Gosling’s quirky space adventure “Project Hail Mary.” Last month, she went toe to toe with Tom Cruise in the wildly divisive "Digger," which she followed weeks later with the lyrical Cold War film "Fatherland." And coming up, she could very well earn her second Oscar nod with the gender-bent drama "Rose," which showcases the wry humor and shattering humanity that make Hüller a singular performer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The busiest stars in Hollywood right now, from Anne Hathaway to Zendaya
