Movie Star Draft II: drafting new stars, plus year one winner
Note: This draft was conducted on Sept. 29, before some of the draftees’ movies were released. We’ll count everything from Sept. 29, 2021 onward in determining the winner.
Jake Skubish: When we held the inaugural Movie Star Draft last May, we knew it was going to be a strange time to predict the next batch of Hollywood A-listers. Movies were routinely getting cancelled or sent into the streaming abyss, and it is increasingly unclear whether genuine movie stars exist anymore. But this game is aspirational: we love the movies, we love movie stars, and we want more of them. We are predicting the future, but we are also trying to will the future we want into existence.
So we’re running it back: four teams, ten picks each. The only parameter is that we cannot select people who have already been the lead of a major movie—an admittedly vague rule that inevitably launches us into contentious debate. But isn’t that half the fun?
First, let’s recap how things went in year one. Here are the most successful breakout performances for each of our teams.
Audrey: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Candyman; Jodie Comer, Free Guy; Noah Jupe, A Quiet Place Part II
Fran: Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes
Jake: Anthony Ramos, Hamilton, In the Heights; Thomasin McKenzie, Old; Kiki Layne, The Old Guard
Peter: Kathryn Newton, Freaky
It’s a motley crew, and I’m not sure that any of them has quite cracked the tier of A-list stardom. The second-overall pick, Abdul-Mateen II was likely the biggest riser, but I’m not yet convinced he is a household name; that might change after The Matrix Resurrections. Brown was already enormously famous, but Enola Holmes was fairly popular. Despite the box office failure of In the Heights Ramos seems to be on an upward trajectory. And Newton may have the brightest future of them all, with her impending absorption into the MCU (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania). The biggest breakout movie star of the past year-plus was Anya Taylor-Joy, but we deemed her ineligible after starring in Emma.
So who won year one? To measure this we each ranked the three teams outside our own, with 10 points for a first-place vote, five points for second place, and three points for third place. Here’s how it shook out:
1st: Audrey
2nd: Jake
3rd: Fran
4th: Peter
Congratulations to Audrey, our year one winner! Now, let’s bring in Audrey, Fran, and Peter to dive into the draft for year two. An online randomizer set the snake draft order as Jake, then Audrey, then Fran, and then Peter.
Round 1
| Jake | Jonathan Majors |
| Audrey | Gemma Chan |
| Fran | Rachel Zegler |
| Peter | Sydney Sweeney |
JS: Ok. I’m going back and forth … I think I just have to go Jonathan Majors first. He’s going to be big time! [Editor’s note: drafted before release of The Harder They Fall.]
AA: I’m mad. And now I have two that I’m debating between. Well, I want Gemma Chan, is she too famous? She was a supporting character in Crazy Rich Asians, but she’ll be the star of the next one based on the books. [Editor’s note: drafted before release of Eternals.]
FS: I’m going to say no, because I want you to remember I said no when we vote on my picks later.
PC: I don’t think she’s too famous.
FS: Can I choose Simu Liu from Shang-Chi?
AA & JS: No.
FS: Ok fine … I’m going to say Rachel Zegler, who will be in West Side Story.
AA: She’s also going to be live-action Snow White, so I think that’s a good pick.
JS: And she’s going to be in the Shazam sequel. Yeah, she’ll be big.
PC: Jeez. I wish I knew more. Is Sydney Sweeney too famous?
JS: I think it’s ok.
PC: Hell yeah!
Round 2
| Peter | Erin Moriarty |
| Fran | Rachel Sennott |
| Audrey | Regé Jean-Page |
| Jake | Jessica Henwick |
PC: Oh man, I have to go again. I have a terrible list. Hmm…
FS: I forgot this was being recorded.
JS: I’m not going to write down all our stupid comments! It’s just to put something in the article.
AA: I think you should put some stupid comments, because that’s a reflection of our interactions.
FS: Only your own stupid comments, Jake! You’ll have enough to choose from.
PC: [Continues stalling]
PC: Ok, I’m going to do Erin Moriarty from The Boys. That’s all I know her from. Now I have a long time to figure out who I’m going to take next. I’m really going to push the envelope with some of these possibly ineligible people.
FS: I’m going to take Rachel Sennott, from Shiva Baby.
JS: Rachel Sennott kicks ass.
AA: I’m up! Let’s see if I take this one from Jake … I’m going to go with Regé-Jean Page.
FS: I should have taken him!
JS: Yeah, he was really high on my list. Majors was #1, Page was #4, and Zegler was #3. So now I get #2: Jessica Henwick. She is going to be in The Matrix Resurrections, and in Knives Out 2.
Round 3
| Jake | Leslie Grace |
| Audrey | Halle Bailey |
| Fran | Patti Harrison |
| Peter | Jon Bernthal |
JS: OK, alright, I’m going to send it on Leslie Grace, AKA Batgirl, soon-to-be. A lot of my list I just looked up people who are going to be superheroes.
AA: I’m going to do Halle Bailey.
JS: Who is that?
AA: She’s going to be Ariel in the new live-action Little Mermaid.
FS: How do you do live-action Little Mermaid when it’s all underwater?
JS: Audrey is always taking people who I don’t even have on my list.
FS: I’m going to say Patti Harrison, because nobody saw Together, Together, and it wasn’t a very good movie, and everybody stopped talking about it immediately.
JS: She’s the best part of I Think You Should Leave.
PC: Is Jon Bernthal too famous?
JS: I don’t think he’s too famous, but he is kind of old? But go for it!
Round 4
| Peter | Jeremy Pope |
| Fran | Annie Murphy |
| Audrey | Teyonah Parris |
| Jake | Corey Hawkins |
PC: I’m going to take Jeremy Pope. Won a couple Tonys, pretty prestigious award.
JS: I’ve never heard of him, why are you so high on him?
PC: I would say he just looks like a movie star. saw his name on a list, hasn’t left my mind since.
FS: I’m going to go with Annie Murphy, from Schitt’s Creek. I hate her, but I think she’ll probably make some movies.
AA: I’m going to take Teyonah Parris, who was just in Candyman and WandaVision, and she will be a much bigger figure in the Captain Marvel movies going forward. And she’s also a good actor! I’m trying to pick Marvel people I actually like.
JS: These things just never end. Alright, I’m on the clock. I’m picking Corey Hawkins, from In the Heights. Going back to Anthony Ramos last year I have three In the Heights people! I’m betting on Lin-Manuel Miranda to be a star-maker.
Round 5
| Jake | Aaron Pierre |
| Audrey | Angourie Rice |
| Fran | Zazie Beetz |
| Peter | Emma Corrin |
JS: I’m going to take Aaron Pierre, AKA Mid-Sized Sedan from the film Old.
FS: I don’t know who any of these people are.
AA: Did you see Old, Fran?
FS: Obviously not.
JS: It wasn’t very scary.
FS: Remember when we saw Us? I was scared for like five weeks afterwards. And I had my eyes closed when they were in the carnival funhouse.
PC: That whole movie was scary, and I’m pretty sure Jake was a fraud and told me it wasn’t.
JS: Us was not very scary.
PC: It was very creepy. I still hate Jake for recommending that.
JS: I’m so excited for his next movie!
AA: Alright, I’m going to do Angourie Rice. She’s the daughter in Mare of Easttown, and also has a minor part in the Spider-Man movies.
FS: I’m going to take Zazie Beetz. I love her, she’s so great.
PC: I’m going to take Emma Corrin.
AA: Good call.
Round 6
| Peter | Taylour Paige |
| Fran | Barbie Ferriera |
| Audrey | Josh O'Connor |
| Jake | Madelyn Cline |
PC: Can I take Taylour Paige?
AA: She was the star of Zola, but I don’t think that was big enough to disqualify her.
PC: I love how my team is shaping up this year!
FS: Ok, I’m going to say Barbie Ferriera.
JS: Wow, how many Euphoria people have we picked?
FS: A lot.
AA: Ok, I’m going to go with Josh O’Connor, who just won an Emmy for The Crown.
JS: Pretty good in Emma.
PC: I saw Emma. Meh.
JS: I think I’m on a super big island with my opinion that I don’t get Anya Taylor-Joy, I don’t get it at all. I think she’s weird and I don’t like her. Ok … can I take Maria Bakalova?
AA: She’s too big, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
PC: Trying to sneak that in, I almost think you should be docked a pick.
JS: She was the last one I was super excited about. Um … I’m taking Madelyn Cline from Outer Banks. But I’m taking her because she’ll be in Knives Out 2. I’m so excited for Knives Out 2!!
Round 7
| Jake | Daniela Melchior |
| Audrey | Eliza Scanlen |
| Fran | Brittany O'Grady |
| Peter | Murray Bartlett |
JS: Next, I’m taking Daniela Melchior. She’s Ratcatcher in The Suicide Squad.
PC: Did you like that? I thought it was a fun little flick to watch.
JS: I hated it.
AA: Ok, I’m going to take Eliza Scanlen. It’s an iffy one, but I love her.
PC: I have no idea who she is, so I guess it’s ok.
FS: My turn … well this woman was in White Lotus, which I have seen … Brittany O’Grady.
PC: She’s friends with Sydney Sweeney! White Lotus is fun. Hmm … I think this person might be far too old to become a star …
FS: Is it Anthony Hopkins? You can’t take Anthony Hopkins.
PC: I kind of want to take the guy who runs the hotel in White Lotus because he’s super fun in it, but that’s based solely on this one single character I’ve seen him play.
FS: You should follow that instinct.
PC: OK! Murray Bartlett. His career is going to be sparked by this performance.
JS: What a chaotic draft from Peter.
Round 8
| Peter | Michael Gandolfini |
| Fran | Cooper Hoffman |
| Audrey | Alan Kim |
| Jake | Boyd Holbrook |
PC: OK, now I have to pick a good person. I’m going to take Michael Gandolfini and lock in a notable movie for him. [Editor’s note: drafted before release of The Many Saints of Newark.]
FS: I’m going to take Cooper Hoffman, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son.
AA: I’m taking Alan Kim, who is the kid from Minari. It was announced he’s going to be in a movie with the girl from Eighth Grade.
JS: So A24 core. Gah! I only have three picks left. I have somebody high on my list because they’re going to be in a superhero movie, but I don’t care about them. I have to go with my heart. Ok … how’s everyone feeling about their team so far?
AA: I’m good. Are you vamping?
JS: Peter, how do you feel about your team?
PC: I feel terrific about my squad. I got the people I wanted to get, and I think Jake picked a lot of duds, which is always nice. There’s a lot of talent left on the board that I wish I could draft, but there’s just sadly not enough spots on the roster. It’s very competitive.
JS: Alright, I would like to take the film actor Boyd Holbrook.
PC: This guy does not look like a movie star.
JS: Well, he’s going to star in Indiana Jones 5.
PC: That’s a pretty good pick then. I retract my previous comment.
Round 9
| Jake | Alexandra Shipp |
| Audrey | Jack Quaid |
| Fran | Shaunette Renée Wilson |
| Peter | Robert Aramayo |
JS: Ok … taking another person now … I’m taking Alexandra Shipp.
PC: Who?
AA: She’s in Love, Simon, that’s what I know her from.
JS: Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know about that one. I don’t like that pick.
AA: I’m going to go with Jack Quaid, another nepotism baby. He was in Plus One, do I still get him after that?
JS: Whatever, no one saw that movie. Plus One is so good.
FS: Ok, I’m going to take Shaunette Renée Wilson.
JS: Who?
FS: Oh, funny you should ask! She’s going to be in Indiana Jones 5. And she was a small part in Black Panther.
PC: I’m going to go with a real flyer on this one. I’m playing the long game. I’m going to pick Robert Aramayo. He seems to be playing the lead in the new Lord of the Rings series at Amazon. It’s already scheduled to go for five seasons. I’m going to bank on, in about eight years, he’s going to be a mega-star.
FS: Or he’ll still be wrapped up in his Amazon contract.
PC: It’ll be a tough one! My main issue, and the reason I didn’t draft him much higher, is because he’s odd-looking.
JS: Oh, he’s going to be in The King’s Man. That’s going to be a big movie.
PC: Yeah, I mean, it’s a hell of a pick.
Round 10
| Peter | Charlie Plummer |
| Fran | Billy Magnussen |
| Audrey | Dan Levy |
| Jake | Jenna Ortega |
PC: I’m going to take Charlie Plummer.
JS: Wow, Round 10 already!
FS: I’ll pick Billy Magnussen.
AA: I really don’t know what to do here … alright, we’re doing Dan Levy.
PC: I should’ve had him higher! So funny, so charismatic.
JS: Ok, last person: I’m taking Jenna Ortega. Never seen her in anything. But she’ll be in the new Scream, which I’m excited about.
Final teams
| Jake | Audrey | Fran | Peter |
| Jonathan Majors | Gemma Chan | Rachel Zegler | Sydney Sweeney |
| Jessica Henwick | Regé-Jean Page | Rachel Sennott | Erin Moriarty |
| Leslie Grace | Halle Bailey | Patti Harrison | Jon Bernthal |
| Corey Hawkins | Teyonah Parris | Annie Murphy | Jeremy Pope |
| Aaron Pierre | Angourie Rice | Zazie Beetz | Emma Corrin |
| Madelyn Cline | Josh O'Connor | Barbie Ferriera | Taylour Paige |
| Daniela Melchior | Eliza Scanlen | Brittany O'Grady | Murray Bartlett |
| Boyd Holbrook | Alan Kim | Cooper Hoffman | Michael Gandolfini |
| Alexandra Shipp | Jack Quaid | Shaunette Renée Wilson | Robert Aramayo |
| Jenna Ortega | Dan Levy | Billy Magnussen | Charlie Plummer |