Key Takeaways
Young black male actors are making a significant impact in Hollywood both on and off-screen. Notable names include Khylin Rhambo, Shameik Moore, and Trevor Jackson, who has appeared in films like SuperFly and the popular series Grown-ish. Micheal Ward, a Jamaican-born English actor, made his acting debut in the critically acclaimed film Blue Story.
Famous Young Black Actors in Hollywood in 2026
In compiling this list, we reviewed IMDb profiles and information from online sources such as Famous Birthdays. Here are 35 famous young black male actors under 30 in Hollywood.
35. Michael Evans Behling (30 years old)
Michael Evans Behling is biracial and was adopted by a white family. He is best known for his role as Jordan Baker on All American. His father is Nigerian, his mother is German, and his last name is German.
34. Bobb'e J. Thompson (30 years old)
Bobb'e J. Thompson is an American actor, rapper, and comedian. He has been acting for over a decade and is known for his youthful energy and quick wit. He has appeared in films and TV shows like Role Models and That's So Raven.
33. Khylin Rhambo (30 years old)
Khylin Rhambo is best known for his role as Caleb in the hit MTV series Teen Wolf. He has also appeared in popular shows like Euphoria and The First.
32. Trevor Jackson (29 years old)
Trevor Jackson began his career as a child actor, appearing in shows like Cold Case and Eureka. He has since moved on to adult roles in films like SuperFly and Grown-ish. He is also a singer and songwriter.
31. Jacob Latimore (29 years old)
Jacob Latimore is an American actor, singer, and dancer. He began acting in 2009 and has appeared in films and TV shows such as One Tree Hill, House Party, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
30. Brett Johnson (29 years old)
Brett Johnson is a rising star whose career debuted in 2016 in an episode of Swamp Murders. He has since appeared in films and TV series such as The Spirit God Gave Us and Five Feet Apart.
29. Tyrel Jackson Williams (29 years old)
Tyrel Jackson Williams is a promising talent. His first acting role was in a video called Sesame Street: Happy Healthy Monsters. He has appeared in TV series such as Good Luck Charlie, Modern Family, and Everybody Hates Chris.
28. Elliot Edusah (29 years old)
Elliot Edusah's career debuted at the Royal National Theatre in London after attending The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology. He has been featured in Sitting in Limbo, Hard Truths, Pirates, and Outside the Wire.
27. Ryan McKen (29 years old)
Ryan McKen rose to prominence by playing Lannister Soldier in Game of Thrones. He is of British-Jamaican-Indian ancestry and is known for Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), Game of Thrones, and Bancroft.
26. Malique Thompson-Dwyer (28 years old)
Malique Thompson-Dwyer is known for portraying Prince McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He was the youngest contestant to appear in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Season 18.
25. Luka Sabbat (28 years old)
Luka Sabbat is a French-American model and actor known for his role as Luca Hall in Grown-ish. He has also held roles in movies such as The Dead Don't Die and Sharp Stick.
24. Micheal Ward (28 years old)
Micheal Ward is a Jamaican-born English actor and former model. He made his acting debut in the critically acclaimed film Blue Story and followed it up with a lead role in the Netflix series Top Boy. He was awarded the 2020 BAFTA Rising Star Award.
23. Jharrel Jerome (28 years old)
Jharrel Jerome became the first Afro-Latino actor to win an acting Emmy for his role as Korey Wise in the Netflix miniseries When They See Us. He has also appeared in films such as Moonlight and Concrete Cowboy.
22. Jaden Smith (27 years old)
Jaden Smith, the son of Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith, has been acting since childhood. His roles in The Karate Kid and After Earth have cemented his place in Hollywood. He is also a talented musician and fashion icon.
21. Skylan Brooks (27 years old)
Skylan Brooks is best known for playing Mister in The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete. He also played Ra-Ra in the Netflix musical series The Get Down and Charles in The Darkest Minds.
20. Michael Rainey Jr. (26 years old)
Michael Rainey Jr. is a promising young American-Jamaican actor. He is best known for his role as Tariq St. Patrick on Power and Power Book II: Ghost. He has also appeared on Orange Is the New Black and LUV.
19. J.D. (26 years old)
Jonathan Pierce Daviss stars as Pope Heyward in the Netflix drama series Outer Banks. He was also featured in Do Revenge and Revolution.
18. Tremaine Brown Jr. (26 years old)
Tremaine Brown Jr. is best known for his portrayal of Boo-Boo Kipling on the Netflix original series The Get Down.
17. Marcus Scribner (26 years old)
Marcus Scribner began studying acting at age seven. He is best known for starring as Andre Johnson Jr. in the ABC sitcom Black-ish and its spin-off Grown-ish.
16. Jaden Harmon (25 years old)
Jaden Harmon is an American actor who voiced Denzil in the American dub of Chuggington. He is most famously known for his role as Andre in One Tree Hill.
15. McCarrie McCausland (25 years old)
McCarrie McCausland began his television career in 2011, portraying David Burton on ABC/Lifetime's series Army Wives. He also landed the recurring role of Young Marcel on The Originals.
14. Jahking Guillory (25 years old)
Jahking Guillory is best known for his starring role in the 2016 film Kicks. He also appears in Showtime's The Chi and Netflix's On My Block.
13. Niles Fitch (24 years old)
Niles Fitch began his career as a child actor and gained prominence through his role in the NBC series This Is Us. He received praise for his performance in the film The Fallout.
12. Abraham Attah (24 years old)
Abraham Nii Attah is a Ghanaian actor based in the United States. He made his feature-film debut in Beasts of No Nation in 2015, earning the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor. He also appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
11. Chosen Jacobs (24 years old)
Chosen Jacobs is best known for his recurring role as Will Grover on Hawaii Five-0 and his role as Mike Hanlon in the 2017 film It Chapter Two.
10. Myles Truitt (24 years old)
Myles Truitt is best known for his breakout role as Eli Solinski in the 2018 action film Kin. He also plays Ant in Queen Sugar and Issa Williams on Black Lightning.
9. Akili McDowell (23 years old)
Akili McDowell is known for his roles in David Makes Man and Criminal Activities. He was arrested in August 2024 in connection with a murder.
8. Jahi Winston (22 years old)
Jahi Winston launched his career on Broadway as Simba in The Lion King. He has appeared in films such as The Upside, Proud Mary, and Charm City Kings.
7. Nathaniel McIntyre (22 years old)
Nathaniel McIntyre made his debut in the TV series Celebrity Ghost Stories. He has also appeared in Magic Camp, David Makes Man, and Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
6. Asante Blackk (24 years old)
Asante Blackk made his career debut in the miniseries When They See Us, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He has since appeared in This Is Us and Social Distance.
5. Caleb McLaughlin (24 years old)
Caleb McLaughlin gained international recognition for playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things. He has also starred in films such as Concrete Cowboy and High Flying Bird.
4. Miles Brown (21 years old)
Miles Brown is best known for his role in the TV show Black-ish. He is also a talented dancer known by his stage name Baby Boogaloo.
3. Issac Ryan Brown (20 years old)
Issac Ryan Brown is known for his role as Booker in Disney Channel's Raven's Home and as Augustus Porter in The Owl House.
2. Lonnie Chavis (18 years old)
Lonnie Chavis is best known for playing young Randall Pearson on NBC's This Is Us. He earned a Screen Actors Guild Award for the series.
1. Cayden K. Williams (17 years old)
Cayden K. Williams is known for Girls Trip (2017), Beautifully Broken (2018), and David Makes Man (2019).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest-paid black actor under 30?
Michael Evans Behling, Miles Brown, Jahi Winston, Marcus Scribner, Jaden Smith, Micheal Ward, and Trevor Jackson are some of Hollywood's highest-paid black actors under 30.
Who was the first Black Hollywood star?
Josephine Baker earned the title of the first Black superstar with her first credited appearance in 1927. Due to racism in the US, many of her early films were made in France.
Who was the Black singer and actress?
Cassandra Monique Batie, known professionally as Andra Day, was the first black singer to become an actress. She sang R&B and soul music.
Who is the youngest Black executive producer?
Guinness World Records recognized Marsai Martin as the youngest person to serve as an executive producer on a major Hollywood film after working on her film Little.
Who is the most successful black actor?
Some of the most successful black actors are Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Will Smith.
Who is the most iconic black actor?
The most iconic Black actor is subjective, but Sidney Poitier is widely considered one of the most significant for being the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor. Others include Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, and Morgan Freeman.
Who are some black actors under 50?
As of 2026, black actors under 50 who have made significant headway in Hollywood include Donald Glover, Michael B. Jordan, Damson Idris, and John Boyega.
