Gen Z’s Favorite Actors Are Older Than You’d Expect
A recent updated report from National Research Group’s study on popular actors has some interesting results, including the fact that many of Gen Z’s favorite stars still come from past generations.
Who are Gen Z’s favorite actors?
National Research Group, a leading entertainment data firm, has been surveying Americans for some time on actors who are deemed “theatrical.” A new update to their surveys for 2025 (via Puck) now also includes stats for more specific age ranges. When it comes to Gen Z (or Americans aged 12-27), the top 25 “theatrical stars” reveal some interesting data.
The full list of top 25 theatrical stars for Gen Z is as follows (rank order change since August 2024):
- Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (+1)
- Ryan Reynolds (-1)
- Kevin Hart (+1)
- Tom Cruise (+2)
- Adam Sandler (+2)
- Brad Pitt (+3)
- Zendaya (+1)
- Denzel Washington (+2)
- Keanu Reeves (+12)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (+9)
- Johnny Depp (-5)
- Will Smith (+1)
- Tom Holland (-1)
- Robert Downey Jr. (-11)
- Scarlett Johansson (+1)
- Timothée Chalamet (+22)
- Tom Hanks (+1)
- Margot Robbie (-4)
- Ariana Grande (+42)
- Jenna Ortega (NC)
- Chris Hemsworth (-6)
- Jim Carrey (+27)
- Angelina Jolie (+11)
- Mark Wahlberg (+21)
- Florence Pugh (+41)
Most notably, the top 25 theatrical stars among Gen Z feature only seven actors that are under the age 40. More surprising is the fact that, outside of six people (Zendaya, Tom Holland, Ariana Grande, Jenna Ortega, and Florence Pugh), the entire list is comprised of people over the age of 25.
Other notable marks of data include the fact that a handful of young stars have made a significant rise in very little time. Chalamet, Grande, and Pugh have all made massive climbs to their perceived star power since last year. Another interesting note is that some older stars like the legendary Jim Carrey and Mark Wahlberg have also seen major increases in their popularity amongst the Gen Z crowd.
Despite Gen Z’s appreciation for older actors, their love for younger stars still overpowers general audience’s reverence for them. Several actors, including Zendaya, Holland, Chalamet, Grande, Ortega, Pugh, Chris Evans, and Jack Black all rank higher amongst Gen Z than they do amongst the total data group, which collects information from Americans aged 12-74.
