Who should be the next great rom-com star?
We're pulling for actors like Keke Palmer, Tom Holland, Ariana Grande, and Paul Mescal to lead the romantic-comedy renaissance
Film Features Rom
In years past, the biggest stars in Hollywood were romantic comedy stars: Katharine Hepburn. Cary Grant. Audrey Hepburn. Barbra Streisand. Tom Hanks. Meryl Streep. Julia Roberts—the list goes on. Yet somewhere along the way, we stopped respecting the rom-com, so movie stars stopped showing up for them. A generation of talented young actors has passed over the genre entirely, skipping straight to serious dramas, superhero fare, or even the industry’s old scapegoat, television.
Now it feels like the romantic comedy is finally enjoying a renaissance, with many of the old players (like Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, and Sandra Bullock) joining the resurgence. The titles of Next King and Queen of the Rom-Com are wide open, however, and The A.V. Club has some ideas about who should step up and take the crown. Click through to see our nominees for the next big rom-com stars.
39 Comments
I guess we’ve forgotten that Zoey Deutch exists!
i think she’s already a rom-com star! the majority of these picks have never done one before. she’s def a strong candidate for the crown this era, though
Fair enough! I guess I feel like most of hers have been direct to streaming and not theatrical releases, though that may not matter anymore since the old guard is doing it too.
“I feel like most of hers have been direct to streaming and not theatrical releases”
So, liked MOVIES.
She’s my pick! She’s a delight.
Zoey Deutch DOESN’T exist! She never did! There IS NO Zoey Deutch! I want you to STOP this nonsense at once!
Since her mom was in Back to the Future it’s appropriate that she was…..erased from existence.
Another victim of the recent “nepo-baby” discourse? Anyways, I like her.
I thought that was Jodie Comer, who absolutely should do a rom-com.
Manny Jacinto.
My GOD those cheek bones…
See also: everyone else on The Good Place.
Jameela Jamil is tailor-made to be the stuck-up romantic rival.
B O R T L E S
Haley Lu Richardson and Molly Gordon would be perfect. I’m sure Steven Yeun would be great, but I don’t want him getting distracted from doing all the cool stuff he’s already doing.
Sounds like I should watch Nope and Teen Wolf.
*sigh*
Fine, I’ll do it.
some star
your reply is TERRIFIC
no more rom com.
Not Ariana Grande. I have no idea how she made it on the Disney Channel, she can’t act.
Her death scene in season one of Scream Queens was pretty amazing though.
Yes when I see her “acting” I am embarrassed for her.
You mean those movies on the TV channel no one under 60 has? Rom-coms in the movie theatre are dead.
Can we please stop trying to make Keke fucking Palmer a thing?
Although I guess one of the hallmarks of romcoms is generally their unbelievably unlikable and obnoxious leads…
“She has proven time and again that she can do anything from horror to comedy.”
WHEN????
jessica williams! she was really good in the incredible jessica james.
Ariana Grande? What, is there a rom-com subgenre for being a grown woman who still acts and talks like she’s 12? Hard pass.Geraldine Viswanathan, NOW we’re talking. She should be a bigger star already.
Listen, you – take that 12 year old and give her a voice like she’s been chain smoking since 10 and you’ve got Zooey Deschanel.
I hope anyone who doesn’t say Dave Baustita stubs their toe.
God no, not Tom Holland. He’s managed to carve out a niche as a guy that still looks and acts like a high schooler but is closing in on 30, and when he tries to act older it just comes off weird, like he’s in Bugsy Malone. He’s too young-looking to work in anything other than like, high school/college-set romances, but he’s getting too old to be in those anymore. I like him in the Spider Man movies but I think he’s going to need to go through a big physical transformation before he is taken seriously as an actor in anything more adult. The few attempts he’s made so far are very bad and he feels really miscast.
Daniel Kaluuya is a good choice. I think he’d be great in them. It’s sort of surprising he’s in so much dark material considering how magnetic he is. I first saw him in that super-sadistic Black Mirror episode, and Get Out and Nope weren’t a whole lot warmer or fuzzier.
Batista. Man is hot and doesn’t believe it. Put him in a rom-com and change his mind.
It’s interesting to see his and possibly the industry’s view on his handsomeness, because he used to get a lot of females screaming during his wrestling career.
Sam Richardson is a good one, but I’d want to see him as a more confident/assertive romantic lead or even as a rival. The last three things I’ve seen him in have been slight variations on the same type—an awkward dork with an unrequited crush on a female friend who continues to pine after her while she dates other people. Let the man branch out!
He’s got great range, as seen when he hosted the Little Buff Boys competition
Exactly! I’m partial to Baby of the Year myself. I know he can do more than be the overlooked guy, he just needs better material. He needs to write his own romcom with Tim Robinson, who could play the supportive best friend.ETA—Further proof of his range and sex appeal from Detroiters:
whoops, gifs didn’t upload:
Also a great action guy, as seen is his glorious fight against The Bonies