CULTURE

The New Faces to Know at South by Southwest

by Ally Betker

gillian jacobs. photo by mark segal, styled by sally lyndley

Since 1994, the South by Southwest Film Festival has served as a coming out party of sorts for actresses on the make, like a pre-Girls Lena Dunham in Tiny Furniture in 2010, Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids in 2011, and this year’s Oscar winner Brie Larson in Short Term 12 in 2013. Here are five young stars to keep an eye on in 2016.

1

Zoey Deutch plays the main love interest in Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some!!, an ’80s-tribute to the director’s Dazed and Confused. But that’s not all: The 21-year-old stars in the upcoming The Year of Spectacular Men, which is a family affair directed by her mother, produced by her father, and based on a screenplay by her older sister. She’ll also appear in the soon-to-be-released Vincent-N-Roxxy, with Emile Hirsch and Zoë Kravitz, and is currently filming Why Him? opposite Bryan Cranston and James Franco. Photography by Misha Taylor. Styled by Ashley Furnival and Sam Milner.

2

Recent projects of the younger sister of Vera Farmiga (she made her acting debut alongside big sis in Higher Ground) include Sofia Coppola’s 2013 caper The Bling Ring, FX’s American Horror Story: Coven, and last fall’s slasher flick The Final Girls. Photography by Steven Pan. Styled by Jessica dos Remedios. Recent projects of the younger Farmiga (she made her acting debut alongside big sis Vera in Higher Ground) include Sofia Coppola’s 2013 indie The Bling Ring, FX series American Horror Story: Coven, last fall’s slasher film The Final Girls. Photography by Steven Pan. Styled by Jessica dos Remedios. Recent projects of the younger Farmiga (she made her acting debut alongside big sis Vera in Higher Ground) include Sofia Coppola’s 2013 indie The Bling Ring, FX series American Horror Story: Coven, and last fall’s slasher film The Final Girls. Photography by Steven Pan. Styled by Jessica dos Remedios.

3

Haley Bennett’s SXSW appearance will be of the experimental sort: Hardcore Henry is a first-person action film in which the audience has the POV of the main character. Later this year, Bennett, 28, will appear alongside an all-star cast in Weightless (Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Christian Bale), and in Thank You for Your Service, about American veterans and PTSD, with Miles Teller and Amy Schumer. She’s also slated to play Megan in this fall’s surefire blockbuster The Girl on the Train. Photography by Mark Segal. Styled by Tracey Nicholson.

4

Tessa Thompson, who just finished her debut Off Broadway run in Smart People, plays an ex-stripper in War on Everyone, making its North American premiere at SXSW. The 32-year-old has won critical acclaim for her roles in Dear White People, Selma, and Creed. She’s slated to join Jennifer Jason Leigh and Natalie Portman in 2017’s sci-fi thriller Annihilation, to boot. Photography by Tim Walker. Styled by Jacob K.

5

Starring roles in Community, Girls, and Judd Apatow’s new Netflix show Love has made Gillian Jacobs, 33, a darling of the comedy world. Fans will be pleased, then, by her appearance at SXSW in Don’t Think Twice, which is about an improv group losing the lease on their home theater. Photography by Mark Segal. Styled by Sally Lyndley.