5. Chloe Moretz (age:13)

Yes, the new Ellen Page (i.e. the girl who acts like she’s at least two decades older than she really is). If you hated her for her character in (500) Days of Summer and Kick-Ass where she basically is playing a character that should be played by a wise 50/60 year old woman who would either have studied people or kung-fu as long as ever to be that person, then I would like to ask you to go and watch Let Me In where she actually embodies a character that’s so much better than what a lot of other actresses twice her age fail to become.

Upcoming Roles: Movie 43, The Fields, Hugo Cabaret, Hick, The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea, Dance of the Mirlitions, Mixtape, Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall

4. Rooney Mara (age:25)

This might be the most shocking of picks since to this point she’s only done small roles and other than last year where she was in Nightmare on Elm Street and The Social Network I really never knew her name. However, in those two movies with the limited time that she had on screen I got to want to know her name even more than most actresses ever do. She’s also going to be in David Fincher‘s next film The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and I trust Fincher enough that I believe the potential that I saw in that opening scene of The Social Network to give her this #4 spot.

Upcoming Roles: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Emanuel and the Truth about Fishes

3. Anna Kendrick (age: 25)

YES! I love hipster chicks. She was like the hidden acting gem for about three years, then she was cast in Up In The Air and the following year she was in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and I loved her in both of those movies so much. In Up In The Air her character had the trouble of staying enthusiastic while at the same time being professional, she’s romantic while not being dismissive of her boss’ crazy feelings about relationships and eventually brings to question her own beliefs on the topic due to her own experiences. I may have read too much into it, but I loved it and I loved her even more.

Upcoming Roles: Love With It, The Twilight Sage: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2

2. Hailee Steinfeld (age: 14)

Did you watch True Grit? If you haven’t you’ve missed out on the #2 acting discovery of 2010. She manages to grab the men and the rest of the movie by the horns and never let it go. Her ability to deliver lines with so much confidence that when I eventually looked up interviews with Steinfeld and she seems like a regular teenage girl.

Upcoming Roles: N/A

1. Jennifer Lawrence (age: 20)

My favourite actress from last year and I just don’t know how she’s going to top that performance as Ree Dolly in Winter’s Bone. She, like the aforementioned Hailee Steinfeld, managed to become a character that regardless of gender became the person that you just wanted to have her strong characteristics. I loved how she showed a sense of range throughout the film and that’s what makes me know that she’s going to be the #1 breakout actress from 2010 that will hit the ground running and will be able to fit into almost any role that any producer will throw at her.

Upcoming Roles: Like Crazy, The Beaver, X-Men: First Class, House at the End of the Street, Savages, Truckstop

Who’s your favourite young actress of today?