New Delhi: TIME has unveiled its TIME100 Next 2026, bringing together 100 emerging figures whose work is helping shape the next generation across entertainment,
music, sports, business, science, technology, advocacy and other fields. The annual list, which was launched in 2019, includes a mix of established young stars, breakout performers and names making an impact in their respective industries.
Among the names featured in the Artists section are actors Joey King, Chase Sui Wonders, Dominic Sessa, Marisa Abela, Charles Melton, Sarah Pidgeon, Katie Dippold, Isa Briones, Cooper Hoffman, Eiza González, Joshua Henry, Paapa Essiedu and E.J. Lagasse, alongside musicians Alex Warren, Conan Gray, PinkPantheress and Megan Moroney.
TIME will celebrate this year’s honourees at its TIME100 Next event in New York City on October 29. Singer-songwriter Raye is scheduled to perform at the event, which will also feature appearances from several of the 2026 listmakers.
Joey King
Joey King has already experienced several phases of Hollywood stardom, from child actor to leading performer and producer. She became widely recognised as Elle Evans in Netflix’s The Kissing Booth trilogy, which also included The Kissing Booth 2 and The Kissing Booth 3. She later took on very different roles in projects such as The Act, Bullet Train, The Princess, A Family Affair and Uglies. Her performance as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in The Act earned her an Emmy nomination, while her role opposite Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Bullet Train showed another side of her screen presence. King is also part of the cast of Practical Magic 2, alongside Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. TIME has placed her in the Artists section, with Nicole Kidman writing her tribute.
Chase Sui Wonders
Chase Sui Wonders has built a screen career through projects ranging from the horror comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies to the Apple TV+ series The Studio. She also appeared in I Know What You Did Last Summer and City on Fire, while her recent work includes I Want Your Sex.
Dominic Sessa
Dominic Sessa made a striking film debut with Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, playing Angus Tully opposite Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The performance immediately established him as one of the young actors to watch and earned him major awards recognition. He subsequently appeared in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, Tow and Oh. What. Fun.
Marisa Abela
Marisa Abela’s rise has been closely linked to two very different performances. She plays Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the HBO series Industry, while her biggest film transformation came with Back to Black, in which she portrayed singer Amy Winehouse. Abela also appeared in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller Black Bag, demonstrating how quickly her career has moved between television, major studio films and prestige projects. She performed Winehouse’s songs for Back to Black, including “Back to Black”, “Rehab” and “Love Is a Losing Game”.
Alex Warren
The singer-songwriter has built a strong audience around emotionally driven pop songs, with “Ordinary” becoming his defining breakout hit. His music career has moved rapidly from online popularity to mainstream success, placing him alongside artists such as RAYE, Troye Sivan, PinkPantheress, Megan Moroney, Conan Gray and Sombr in TIME’s musician selections for 2026.
Charles Melton
Charles Melton has slowly shed his early TV stardom to become a major film actor. He became familiar to audiences through Riverdale, where he played Reggie Mantle, before earning major attention for his performance in Todd Haynes’ May December. His work in May December, opposite Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, marked an important step in his transition into more dramatic film roles. He has since continued building his film career, and Natalie Portman has written his TIME100 Next tribute.
Sarah Pidgeon
Sarah Pidgeon has made an impression across television and theatre. She was part of the acclaimed Broadway production Stereophonic, a role that earned her a Tony nomination, and she later appeared in the television adaptation of Love Story. Her work in Stereophonic showcased both her acting and singing abilities, while Love Story introduced her to an even wider television audience.
Conan Gray
Conan Gray has become one of the defining singer-songwriters of his generation, building his audience through intimate, confessional pop music. His discography includes albums such as Kid Krow, Superache and Wishbone, with songs including “Heather”, “Maniac”, “Memories”, “Never Ending Song” and “Movies”.
His music often draws from relationships, heartbreak, loneliness and the awkwardness of growing up, which has helped him develop a particularly strong connection with younger listeners.
Katie Dippold
Katie Dippold is in the creative side of the entertainment industry, writing.She is known for her writing and comedy, with credits such as The Heat, Ghostbusters and Parks and Recreation.
Isa Briones (SYN)
Isa Briones has proven herself on TV and on Broadway. She appeared in Star Trek: Picard, where she played multiple characters, before returning to the stage in productions including Hadestown and Just in Time.
PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress has become one of the most recognisable names to emerge from the internet-driven pop scene. She first gained attention with short, catchy songs shared online before turning that momentum into a global music career. Her tracks “Just for Me”, “Pain”, “Boy’s a Liar” and “Nice to Meet You” helped define her sound, which blends pop, electronic music, garage and elements of drum and bass. Her collaboration with Ice Spice, “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”, became one of her biggest mainstream breakthroughs.
Cooper Hoffman
Cooper Hoffman made his feature-film debut in Licorice Pizza, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Playing Gary Valentine opposite Alana Haim, Hoffman quickly attracted attention for his naturalistic performance. He has since appeared in projects including Wildcat and The Bikeriders, continuing to establish himself away from the shadow of his late father, actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Eiza González
Eiza González has steadily built an international career spanning Mexican television, Hollywood films and action-heavy productions. She first became widely known in Mexico through Lola, érase una vez, before moving into projects such as Baby Driver, Alita: Battle Angel, Hobbs & Shaw, Ambulance and 3 Body Problem.
Joshua Henry
Joshua Henry is one of the names on the list with a particularly strong Broadway connection. His theatre credits include In the Heights, Hamilton, Violet, Shuffle Along, Carousel and Ragtime.
Megan Moroney
Megan Moroney has emerged as one of the most recognisable new voices in country music. Her songs often centre on relationships, heartbreak and the messy emotions that follow, giving her music a distinctly personal quality.
Her breakthrough song ‘Tennessee Orange’ helped establish her as a major new country artist, while tracks such as ‘I’m Not Pretty’ and ‘No Caller ID’ have further expanded her audience. She is one of the seven musicians specifically named by TIME in its 2026 TIME100 Next announcement.
Paapa Essiedu
Paapa Essiedu has built a reputation across British television, film and theatre. Audiences have seen him in projects including I May Destroy You, Gangs of London, The Lazarus Project and Black Mirror, while his theatre work has included Shakespearean roles.
The list includes athletes such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tyrese Maxey, Naomi Girma and Alexandra Eala, while musicians include Raye, Troye Sivan and Sombr. In the technology and business space, the list features names such as Luana Lopes Lara, Max Jaderberg and Michael Truell. The youngest person on the 2026 list is 15-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
