# Actors (either gender) under 40 who can be considered A-List **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697 "2015-01-23T18:15:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/41 "2015-01-24T08:56:46Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > … > –$1million or more per picture > … seems a little bit light for movies. does that mean that the cast of the Big Bang Theory qualifies? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/42 "2015-01-24T11:29:50Z")
The ones who meet that and the three other conditions, sure. I’m sure there’s a Kaley Kuoco rom-com in the works. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/43 "2015-01-24T11:51:13Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Okay, the first two I’ll grant you. But you thought _This Is The End_ was an Emma Watson vehicle? She was the Yin to a whole lot of Yang, which made the movie more watchable. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/44 "2015-01-24T13:56:44Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > The ones who meet that and the three other conditions, sure. I’m sure there’s a Kaley Kuoco rom-com in the works. She’s in The Wedding Ringer and a Wolowitz rom-com (where he also has a writing and directing credit) was just released a few days ago. So yeah, if any TV people qualify, they do. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/45 "2015-01-24T14:50:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > She’s definitely had huge success from the Hunger Games movies, but how much other success has she had? I’m a little reluctant to declare someone A-list just based on one franchise, no matter how successful (this is also why I was unsure about Chris Evans). If you haven’t seen her in _Silver Linings Playbook_ and _Winter’s Bone_ (her breakout role), you really should. She’s fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/46 "2015-01-24T14:58:12Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > If you haven’t seen her in _Silver Linings Playbook_ and _Winter’s Bone_ (her breakout role), you really should. She’s fantastic. She also gave a great performance in _American Hustle_, although it was a supporting role. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/47 "2015-01-24T15:09:12Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > I think the defining elements of an A-lister are: > –$1million or more per picture > –Over-the-title billing > –Movies do or don’t get made largely on the actor’s involvement > –The actor’s phone calls to major directors and producers are taken or returned promptly > > Which of these elements doesn’t apply to Emma Watson? Even DeNiro makes the occasional _Stardust_. That’s a bit hard to quantify, unless you’re in the industry. Even then, it’s a bit subjective. Different people would give you different answers. To try and keep with **Little Nemo** ’s scientific approach, I think we can improve his list by also requiring that each person have had an “Executive Producer” for a full-length, American film or TV series. I think that will serve as a decent proxy for industry power. So the list, using that filter, becomes: Drew Barrymore Justin Bartha Orlando Bloom Chris Evans Anna Faris Colin Farrell James Franco Tyrese Gibson Joseph Gordon-Levitt Jonah Hill Josh Hutcherson Scarlett Johansson Angelina Jolie Shia LaBeouf Justin Long Kellan Lutz Tobey Maguire Robert Pattinson Natalie Portman Jackson Rathbone Ryan Reynolds Seth Rogen This seems like a much more reasonable list to me. I suspect that Anne Hathaway and Benedict Cumberbatch will soon join it. Notably, the list skews male a lot more heavily - I presume because the shelf-life of starlets is still shorter than starlings. Sad, but also indicative that this is a more realistic list. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/48 "2015-01-24T15:20:50Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > So the list, using that filter, becomes: > > Justin Bartha > Jackson Rathbone > > This seems like a much more reasonable list to me. I suspect that Anne Hathaway and Benedict Cumberbatch will soon join it. I still we still some tweaking. The fourth guy from The Hangover (the one who always gets lost) and a fourth-tier Twilighter shouldn’t count as A-List. Especially in a list that excludes Anne Hathaway and Benedict Cumberbatch. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/49 "2015-01-24T16:31:45Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I’m pretty sure most people (including myself) saw it for the Rogan/Franco film. Watson was a fun add along. I watched it for Jay Baruchel, that man cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/50 "2015-01-24T16:44:26Z")
I suppose that anyone who cares enough can [buy a copy of the 2014 “Hollywood Hot List”](http://www.amazon.com/James-Ulmers-Hollywood-Hot-List-ebook/dp/B00JO6TQLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422117797&sr=8-1&keywords=ulmer+hollywood+hot+list) by James Ulmer (who coined the term “A List”) and see what the official rankings are. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/51 "2015-01-24T16:48:39Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I suppose that anyone who cares enough can [buy a copy of the 2014 “Hollywood Hot List”](http://www.amazon.com/James-Ulmers-Hollywood-Hot-List-ebook/dp/B00JO6TQLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422117797&sr=8-1&keywords=ulmer+hollywood+hot+list) by James Ulmer (who coined the term “A List”) and see what the official rankings are. Actually don’t. The Amazon page says it was published in 2014 but the book preview says it includes films up to 1999 :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/52 "2015-01-24T19:18:17Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Emma Watson…has made at least three movies that would never have been green-lit if she weren’t starring in them… **The Perks of Being a Wallflower** … No, most people who saw **Perks** did so because they loved the self-indulgent piece of crap it was based on. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/53 "2015-01-24T19:53:41Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I suppose that anyone who cares enough can [buy a copy of the 2014 “Hollywood Hot List”](http://www.amazon.com/James-Ulmers-Hollywood-Hot-List-ebook/dp/B00JO6TQLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422117797&sr=8-1&keywords=ulmer+hollywood+hot+list) by James Ulmer (who coined the term “A List”) and see what the official rankings are. That link includes a “Look Inside” option, here’s what you can see for free: **A+ List** 1. Julia Roberts 2. Tom Hanks 3. Tom Cruise 4. Mel Gibson (how old is this thing?) The rest can be put together by viewing the [Paperback “Look Inside” link](http://www.amazon.com/James-Ulmers-Hollywood-Hot-List/dp/0312253958). Julia Roberts is on page 14 and everyone else falls in line after that. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/54 "2015-01-24T23:28:39Z")
Didn’t see these names, but in fairness I only quickly skimmed: Keira Knightley [del]Amy Adams[/del] Amanda Seyfried Justin Timberlake Looks like Amy Adams is five months into her 40th year, so she just misses the cut. The two “A-iest” A-Listers under 40 on the women’s side are pretty clearly Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/55 "2015-01-24T23:34:04Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I still we still some tweaking. The fourth guy from The Hangover (the one who always gets lost) and a fourth-tier Twilighter shouldn’t count as A-List. Especially in a list that excludes Anne Hathaway and Benedict Cumberbatch. I agree that I don’t know them, but as I understand it the term “A-List” comes from party invites. If you’re an up-and-comer in Hollywood, you want to throw a party and invite everyone on the A-List, because they can help your career advance. So while some of the people might fall a little short on the household-name-recognition front, the fact that they can swing the cash and know how to wheel and deal properly, could possibly push them up the ladder in Hollywood-town. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/56 "2015-01-25T01:09:14Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > The two “A-iest” A-Listers under 40 on the women’s side are pretty clearly Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson. Someone else mentioned it, but Angelina Jolie is 39. > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I agree that I don’t know them, but as I understand it the term “A-List” comes from party invites. If you’re an up-and-comer in Hollywood, you want to throw a party and invite everyone on the A-List, because they can help your career advance. So while some of the people might fall a little short on the household-name-recognition front, the fact that they can swing the cash and know how to wheel and deal properly, could possibly push them up the ladder in Hollywood-town. Their “Executive Producer” credits appear to be for movies made in somebody’s backyard. These are not money guys or guys that everybody wants to know. They scraped together a few pennies and got some cameras and told their friends to go nuts. Any ranking of the A-List is going to have a “know it when you see it” quality, and those two fail at that part of the test. While the term A-List used to be for party invites, that’s not how people currently use the phrase and it’s definitely not how it’s described in that book. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/57 "2015-01-25T01:12:30Z")
OK, I didn’t know that Lawrence had branched out that much. Yeah, she’s definitely in, then. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/58 "2015-01-25T01:16:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I didn’t know that Lawrence had branched out that much. Yeah, she’s definitely in, then. Winter’s Bone was her first lead role, prior to X-men (so then, prior to Hunger Games). Silver Linings Playbook (she won an Oscar for that) came out the same year as the first Hunger Games movie. She was already branched out before Hunger Games took off. Winter’s Bone is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/59 "2015-01-25T02:10:31Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Winter’s Bone was her first lead role, prior to X-men (so then, prior to Hunger Games). Silver Linings Playbook (she won an Oscar for that) came out the same year as the first Hunger Games movie. She was already branched out before Hunger Games took off. > > Winter’s Bone is fantastic. Her first lead role was in [The Poker House](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014806/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_19), a semi-autobiographical story by Lori Petty. (aka Tank Girl.) That role almost certainly led to Winter’s Bone since there are similarities between the two parts. Agreed that Winter’s Bone is fantastic. I also like Poker House, though I was a bit distracted at the end when she drives off because I kept thinking “…on her way to play Tank Girl!” heh. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697/60 "2015-01-25T02:12:23Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Her first lead role was in [The Poker House](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014806/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_19), the semi-autobiographical story of Lori Petty’s adolescence. That role almost certainly led to Winter’s Bone since there are similarities between the two parts. > > Agreed that Winter’s Bone is fantastic. Cool! I’ll have to see that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-under-40-who-can-be-considered-a-list/710697.md?page=4)