With a new decade currently past its midpoint, we’ve come to a shift in the culture where, yes, we do want more fresh faces to join those aforementioned fellas as icons of their own generation. Good thing there’s been a lot of budding talent over the years, including child-star-turned-leading-man Michael B. Jordan; he officially stepped to the forefront of his class recently at the 2026 Oscars after taking home “Best Male Actor” for his dual performance as twins Smoke and Stack in the 2025 vampire thriller, Sinners.
It’s no real secret why Black male actors are dominating screens in 2026 on such a monumental level. Following decades of seeing their caucasian counterparts getting it all — Sexiest Man Alive covers, multiple Oscars to their name and multimillion-dollar endorsements to boot! — those of us spending our Black dollars at the box office started demanding to see a big change. Surprisingly, it worked: the recent rise of Jordan Peele, Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins, Issa Rae, Ryan Coogler and similar Black filmmakers opened up the playing field so that decorated veterans like Spike Lee and the late John Singleton didn’t have to try and get these powerful, fantastical and diverse stories of our culture told alone.
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At front-and-center of those stories are equally melanated actors and actresses bringing it all to life on screens big and small. Of course, leading men play a huge role in that factor — at best for demographic reasons; at worst due to cultural misogyny — and has resulted in a renaissance of sorts where each generation has a set of stars. On the side of Young Black Hollywood alone, 24-year-old Niles Fitch (This Is Us), 25-year-old Michael Rainey Jr. (the Power series), 28-year-old Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us) and 30-year-old Ashton Sanders (Moonlight) have each displayed traction over the past decade that sets them up for solid takeovers within the next 10 years if they stay consistent.
As of now, we think we have a good idea on who will be next up to be the new kings of Black Hollywood. From the ones with accolades already accredited to their name, to those banking on pure talent alone just to make a household name, we feel these 20 guys are making the right moves and accepting the right roles that will eventually set themselves up for sure-shot success.
No one can predict the future, but we’ll use their projected 2026 projects to make fair judgement on their matter.
Keep scrolling for a look at 20 Black male actors who are reshaping Hollywood as we know it in 2026 and for the foreseeable future:
Michael B. Jordan
WHY HIM: Do you really need to ask? Even without the big win for “Best Actor” in last year’s Sinners, MBJ has been putting up bangers on the board with every passing role — his beginnings on HBO’s The Wire (2002), feature film breakout in Fruitvale Station (2013), fan-favorite turn into the villain of Black Panther (2018) and poise as a franchise star throughout the Creed series (2015 – 2023) has all but certified his place at the top.
WHAT’S NEXT: His voice role is completed for Netflix’s Swapped coming in May 2026, followed by another directorial feature with The Thomas Crown Affair for 2027. It still looks promising for Creed 4 as well, as he told GQ back in February 2025, “we left that door open to build on [the Creed] franchise. My thing is like, I don’t wanna make a movie just to make it — give it a little time to breathe, make people want it, miss it a little bit. And when the time is right, I’ll drop in and do another one.”
Damson Idris
WHY HIM: The world has been keeping an eye on Idris — not to be confused with Elba, his aforementioned elder Brit bruv — after the conclusion of his award-winning performance in Snowfall (2017 – 2023). Thankfully he’s been doing a good job at proving himself in the time since, including Swarm on Prime in 2023 and co-starring alongside Brad Pitt last year in F1.
WHAT’S NEXT: Portraying music icon Miles Davis in Miles & Juliette, a romance film about the jazz pioneer’s Parisian love affair with French singer/actress, Juliette Gréco. The period piece, set in 1949, captures both at the turning point of stardom: Miles just a few years prior to releasing his 1951 solo debut, The New Sounds, and Juliette not too long after her theatrical debut in 1947’s The Bouquinquant Brothers. Anamaria Vartolomei (Mickey 17) will play Juliette opposite Idris. Also, he recently hyped up his involvement in the upcoming adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone for 2027 as “the biggest moment in film history.” We’re counting on it!
Daniel Kaluuya
WHY HIM: Kaluuya’s background in London theater gave him the chops early, ranging from Oxford Street (2008 – 2009) and the award-winning Sucker Punch (2010) to A Season in the Congo (2013) and Blue/Orange (2016). He also translated well on various British television shows of the lates 2000s and early 2010s, as some of us will remember him fondly from a 2011 episode of UK-based sci-fi series, Black Mirror, which went viral stateside thanks to Netflix. However, his real crossover happened of course in 2017 with Get Out, which led to roles in Black Panther (2018), the somewhat-polarizing Queen & Slim (2019), a prominent voice-acting role in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) and his own Oscar-winning performance for “Best Supporting Actor” in 2021’s groundbreaking Judas and the Black Messiah.
WHAT’S NEXT: Returning as Spider-Punk in 2027 for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, filming a drama currently titled Misty Green with Chris Rock, and a surprising, still-in-production live-action Barney film that’s being touted as Adaptation (2002) meets Being John Malkovich (1999) and aimed at the adult Millennial generation. Let’s go!
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
WHY HIM: From TV to film, Kelvin has done a great job over the past decade at building up his resume to make it where it looks like he can do pretty much anything. He started in 2013 as an uncredited day player on Ender’s Game and a role in 12 Years a Slave credited as none other than “Victim 2”; persistence would soon lead to bigger parts in 2016’s The Birth of a Nation, as well as Mudbound and It Comes at Night in 2017. Starring roles in Monster (2018), the eye-opening biopic Chevalier (2022) and a co-starring voice role in Disney’s live-action Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) proved he was a viable leading man. On the television side, he dominated with prominent roles in Underground and Roots in 2016, followed by Godfather of Harlem in 2019 and portraying none other than the Martin Luther King Jr. in 2024 for the “MLK/X” chapter of National Geographic’s biographical anthology series, Genius.
WHAT’S NEXT: We’ll see him this November in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest chapter in an already decade-spanning blockbuster franchise. Then, he plays late art revolutionary Jean-Michel Basquiat in an upcoming biopic titled Samo Lives.
Tyriq Withers
WHY HIM: With just a few short years to his credit, it might seem a little premature to bet on Withers. However, it’s the rate of his meteoric rise that has many comparing his appeal to that of a new generation Channing Tatum. Seeing as that worked for the latter in turning him from a model in Ricky Martin’s 2000 “She Bangs” music video to becoming Magic Mike and the MCU’s new Gambit, we think the biracial, blue-eyed “boyfriend of America” approach might just be his lane. Roles in the short-lived reboot of The Game (2021 – 2022), a hilarious episode in Season 3 of Atlanta (2022), last year’s Marlon Wayans co-starring horror thriller Him and his currently-in-theaters rom-com Reminders of Him — no relation between the two films — have done a good job at proving his chops.
WHAT’S NEXT: He’s been campaigning quite heavily for a spot in Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, the viral LGBTQ sports romance series streaming on HBO Max, so let’s hope he gets his wish.
Mason Gooding
WHY HIM: Being a legacy act can come with its pros and cons, especially for the son of an Academy Award-winning actor. Yes, the Gooding you see attached to Mason is very much in relation to Cuba Jr. (his dad) and Omar (his uncle); no, he’s not relying on that Gooding namesake to get him in the door. His talent actually speaks for itself, having already successfully co-starred in three chapters of the Scream series starting from the 2022 reboot and its 2023 companion film, Scream VI, to the recently-released Scream 7 in 2026.
WHAT’S NEXT: An upcoming comedy with Kevin Hart titled 72 Hours, and giving late actor James Van Der Beek a proper send-off in the just-released psychological thriller, The Gates, which appears to be a spiritual cousin to Get Out. We’re already getting tickets.
Also, Scream 8 is all but confirmed following the seventh film’s record-breaking performance that’s still ongoing at the box office.
Damon Wayans Jr.
WHY HIM: As one of the many magical members of the Wayans Family, Damon Jr. really had a great stepping stone from jump. However, the name alone isn’t what makes you funny; talent will always speak for itself. Thankfully, standout roles over the years in Happy Endings (2011–2013), New Girl (2011 – 2018), a voice role in Big Hero 6 (2014), The Harder They Fall (2021) and his recent award-winning stint alongside his dad in Poppa’s House (2024 -2025) have shown he’s capable of carrying on the family’s funny gene with ease.
WHY HIM: You might find it surprising to discover Aldis Hodge got his small start at the small age of nine in the 1995 theatrical release of Die Hard with a Vengeance, the trilogy film for the big budget Bruce Willis blockbuster of the ’90s. That’s why it felt like a full-circle moment to see him step back nearly 20 years later (packing a much bigger resume!) in a separate role for 2013’s franchise finale film, A Good Day to Die Hard. Subsequent parts, including the 2015 NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, acting alongside Tom Cruise in 2016’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, starring in the powerful 2018 Brian Banks biopic and voice work as John Stewart in both Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022) and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (2024), have moved his career along swimmingly. However, after landing a guest role on virtually every hit show of the 1990s and 2000s — we challenge you to look it up! — it seems that Hodge has found his calling as the butt-kicking Black star of Cross on Prime since 2024.
WHAT’S NEXT: Co-starring in an upcoming sequel to the 2024 remake of Road House and more seasons (hopefully!) of Cross. Keep kicking, brother.
Aaron Pierre
WHY HIM: Pierre is another one who’s still getting his feet wet in Hollywood, but he’s been pretty knee-deep when it comes to the roles he’s been grabbing up. His starring shift in 2024 with Rebel Ridge proved to be a breakout moment, and voicing the titular role in Mufasa: The Lion King that same year wasn’t a bad follow-up in the least bit. On TV, he cut his teeth in 2021’s The Underground Railroad before fittingly playing Malcolm X in 2024 for the “MLK/X” season of Genius on National Geographic. In 2025, he joined The Morning Show alongside Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.
WHAT’S NEXT: He officially steps into superhero status this August playing the live-action John Stewart, otherwise known as Green Lantern, in the DCU series Lanterns on HBO.
Kofi Siriboe
WHY HIM: Growing both in size and stature from his teen acting days in guest roles on Entourage in 2007, Lincoln Heights in 2009 and even a spot in the 2008 Ice Cube film, The Longshots, Kofi finally found a home on the main cast of Queen Sugar during its epic run from 2016 to the series finale in 2022. The heartthrob momentum he built up from Girls Trip in 2017 unfortunately got sidetracked by the COVID-19 outbreak, as his 2020 romance drama, Really Love, suffered severely from pandemic-related delays. Still, we see success in the cards for him after an impressive return to TV in 2025 in BMF and the final season of Harlem.
WHAT’S NEXT: For the sake of diehard fans of the first film, let’s hope to see him the forthcoming Girls Trip 2.
LaKeith Stanfield
WHY HIM: For those who remember his indie beginning in 2013 with Short Term 12 alongside a pre-Oscar-winning Brie Larson, or his shift to horror a year later in The Purge: Anarchy, we tip our hats for being true movie buffs! For many though, his generational run on Atlanta from 2016 to 2022 is where we really saw his star shine. From there, prominent roles followed in hit films like Get Out (2017), Sorry to Bother You (2018), Uncut Gems (2019), The Photograph (2020), Judas and the Black Messiah and The Harder They Fall both in 2021, The Book of Clarence (2023) and Die My Love (2025) just to name a select few.
WHAT’S NEXT: A fashion-forward crime comedy with Keke Palmer titled I Love Boosters coming this May, followed by F.A.S.T., a special ops action thriller set for April 2027, and an upcoming animated film starring Kid Cudi and Willow Smith titled Slime.
Tyler James Williams
WHY HIM: GOATed from a young age, Tyler was still in single digits as he made rounds on shows like Sesame Street in 2000, voice work on Little Bill from 2002 to 2003 and a hilarious three-episode run as Jack Black’s “adoptive son” in sketches on Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2003. It would eventually lead to his magnum opus: the title role in UPN’s Chris Rock-narrated hit family sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. In adulthood, he’s since translated over as if it was always meant to be with a Golden Globe-winning stint on ABC’s current mockumentary-style hit sitcom, Abbott Elementary. Although TV seems to be more of his forte in comparison to movies — he’s only appeared in 10 feature films within the same time frame —we’re not too mad at a three-decade domination on the small screen in the least bit.
WHAT’S NEXT: The renewal of Abbott Elementary earlier this month means Season 6 is underway ahead of the Season 5 finale airing in a few weeks. Not only does that mean 100th episode territory, but also another syndicated series for Tyler!
John Boyega
WHY HIM: Much like his aforementioned British contemporary Daniel Kaluuya, Boyega got his start in London theatre. However, unlike any of his peers, his true breakout came in a major way by co-starring in the legendary Star Wars franchise as Finn for all three films in the sequel trilogy, including The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). His turn to TV in 2020 with Red, White, and Blue, an award-winning chapter of Steve McQueen’s BBC anthology series, Small Axe, really showed his diversity as an actor. His 2022 return to the big screen in both The Woman King and the heart-wrenching Breaking, in addition to sci-fi comedy They Cloned Tyrone in 2023, doubled down on his greatness.
WHAT’S NEXT: You’ll also hear him as a voice in the aforementioned Kid Cudi-led animated film, Slime, followed by a still-in-production Otis Redding biopic where he’ll star as the late R&B pioneer. Then, a highly-anticipated sequel to his 2011 cult classic film debut, Attack the Block.
Donald Glover
WHY HIM: As much as he may try to fight it now, Donald Glover will always be synonymous with his GRAMMY-winning musical alter ego, Childish Gambino. We think it sets him apart from the crowd though, as not one acting peer can quite flex against his trifecta of success in film (Solo: A Star Wars Story; The Lion King), television (Community; Atlanta) and music over the span of five studio albums released between 2011 and a purported final LP in 2024. The fact that he’s in a more than able position to write, produce, direct, star in and soundtrack his own big budget projects is simply on another level.
WHAT’S NEXT: Voicing the iconic and fan-favorite Yoshi in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie arriving in theaters on April 1, followed by the film companion piece to his aforementioned final album, Bando Stone & the New World.
Kendrick Sampson
WHY HIM: After getting a fresh start in 2005 on the indie film front at just 17 years old in Resurrection: The J.R. Richard Story, Sampson spent much of his time mastering the art of short films. Transitioning to television proved to be a win for him as well, be it Season 5 of The Vampire Diaries in 2013, Season 2 of How to Get Away with Murder from 2015 to 2016, White Famous in 2017 or his beloved stint in the last three seasons of Insecure between 2018 and 2021.
WHAT’S NEXT: Portraying Malcolm X in the upcoming Al Pacino-starring biographical drama, Killing Castro, and preparing for the release of Michael next month where he portrays longtime Michael Jackson collaborator and music legend in his own right, the late Quincy Jones.
Winston Duke
WHY HIM: Migrating from Trinidad and Tobago to the East Coast and working his way up through art school, Duke originally made his introduction into Hollywood via guest roles on Person of Interest (2014 – 2015), The CW’s short-lived supernatural drama, The Messengers (2014 – 2015), and a few episodes of Modern Family in 2016. Of course, we all know him from a star-making turn on the big screen in Black Panther (2018) as fan-favorite M’Baku, a character that’s been serving him lovingly ever since. Feature roles in Us (2019), the psychological drama Nine Days (2020) and action star status in 2024 with The Fall Guy alongside Ryan Gosling has really made him an ambidextrous actor.
WHAT’S NEXT: Expect Kid Cudi’s upcoming animated film Slime to be star-studded, as Duke will also be lending his voice alongside aforementioned contemporaries John Boyega and LaKeith Stanfield. Later in the year, we’ll see him return as M’Baku following the earth-shattering anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday set to arrive on December 18, 2026.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
WHY HIM: From sci-fi to scary and everything in-between, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has never faltered in his approach to a character. Following a promising start in 2016 on the unrightfully-canceled Netflix series The Get Down, his talents would soon make its way onto other hit series like The Handmaid’s Tale in 2018 and a standout 2019 episode of Black Mirror alongside Anthony Mackie. Of course, his larger-than-life portrayal of Doctor Manhattan in HBO’s 2019 limited series adaptation of Watchmen, in addition to taking on the task as Black Manta throughout the Aquaman film franchise, have beeen major factors to his solid fanbase. That’s not even including his stint as the new Candyman in a well-received 2021 sequel of the same name, or as the new Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections released that same year.
WHAT’S NEXT: After kicking off 2026 on Disney+ playing the titular superhero in Wonder Man, Yahya will suit up as the new John Creasy in a TV adaptation of A. J. Quinnell’s novel Man On Fire. Originally made into a 2004 action thriller starring Denzel Washington, this version is set to arrive on Netflix in April 2026.
Zach Cherry
WHY HIM: While he doesn’t look like your typical leading man, we think Zach Cherry’s everyday man relatability is what makes him such a star. His early run through comedy circles saw him popping up everywhere from Broad City (2015) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2016) to being the comedic relief throughout the viral first season of psychological thriller, You (2018). He even locked in a place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe as supporting character Klev — he’s already made rounds through Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025). Just when you think you have his jokes figured out though, Cherry shows up starring in Apple TV’s universally-acclaimed 2022 sci-fi thriller series, Severance. Pure genius.
WHAT’S NEXT: On the TV side, more (and sooner!) seasons of Severance and a return as the hilarious Woody Thomas in Season 3 of Fallout on Amazon Prime are both expected. You’ll also find him on the big screen in yet another reboot of Resident Evil, the Kevin Hart comedy 72 Hours also including Mason Gooding as stated earlier and a slasher film titled Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma arriving in August 2026.
David Jonsson
WHY HIM:
Utilizing all he learned while studying acting on a scholarship at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art until graduating in 2016, Jonsson spent the past decade building his name overseas before making a splash across the pond here in the States. Following the 2017 West End stage play productions of Mary Stuart and Don Juan in Soho, plus small parts in the British detective series Endeavour (2018) and season 2 of Deep State (2019), he landed a breakout role in 2020 on the main cast of HBO’s hit series, Industry. Since then, he’s ventured into feature films with the 2023 coming-of-age British romantic comedy, Rye Lane, the big blockbuster Alien: Romulus in 2024, playing “#23” in last year’s viral survival thriller, The Long Walk, and a recent prison film titled Wasteman that’s gripping to say the least.
WHAT’S NEXT: He rejoins his The Long Walk co-star Cooper Hoffman for an A24 film titled The Chaperones, which packs a decorated cast, big name producers and a cross-country road trip plot. Adventure time!
John David Washington
WHY HIM: There’s probably always been a special place in Hollywood for all four children of the Denzel Washington — and yes, they each rightfully utilized the grand opportunity! However, whereas siblings Katia, Olivia and Malcolm have each opted for a more lowkey presence behind the scenes in production or through independent projects, John David has bravely stepped into his father’s enormous footsteps in the limelight. Following a rough patch of pursuing a career in the NFL after graduating with glowing stats from Morehouse — he had a short stint as an undrafted free agent for the St. Louis Rams in summer 2007 — John David kinda-sorta hung up the cleats; he stopped playing football and instead decided to portray a football star in the Dwayne Johnson-led hit HBO series, Ballers, which ran for five great seasons between 2015 and 2019. Once a niche was established, it led to his big screen breakout: a Spike Lee joint with BlacKkKlansman in 2018, the mind-boggling 2020 sci-fi thriller Tenet, the thought-provoking Malcolm & Marie alongside Zendaya in 2021 and his full-circle family collaboration as the star of 2024’s The Piano Lesson — it’s directed by brother Malcolm, executive produced by sister Katia, has a role featuring sister Olivia and, yes, is produced by daddy Denzel.
WHAT’S NEXT: Nothing on the horizon as of yet, but we’re rather certain the “Washington magic” will be bouncing back in no time.
