by Rodrigo Sanchez
With the addition of Netflix original movies or series, there are many actors and actresses who have risen to stardom due to breakout roles they got on Netflix. Some were regular actors before Netflix, but once they starred in a Netflix project, their popularity/fame skyrocketed. Others who aren’t actors at all have also become famous through Netflix documentaries.
We’ve picked four people who have been elevated to new levels of fame or fortune through Netflix:
Lana Condor
You may have seen Lana in the popular rom-com movie series To all the Boys. This coming of age movie series based on Jenny Han’s books was an instant hit. Half of the time, we see Lara Jean in her bedroom; it’s a memorable and aesthetically pleasing space, with the green wall, fairy lights, bookshelves and the metal frame bed. It’s a space most teenage girls would appreciate, one that can be recreated with interesting pieces such as this understated urban bookshelf from Kmart specials and luminous wall paint from Glow Paint. Condor made her debut as Jubilee in blockbuster X-Men: Apocalypse, but her rise to fame came from her role as Lara Jean Covey in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. She then took on the roles of Koyomi in Alita: Battle Angel and Lexi in Summer Night. As an actress, singer and producer, she has a bright future ahead of her. Currently, she is filming Chris Winterbauer’s Moonshot, a romantic comedy/science fiction film that will be released in 2022.
Jon Bernthal
The name might be familiar to you if you have watched Daredevil, but Jon Bernthal wasn’t always so well known. Prior to being cast in the Netflix original series Daredevil as Frank Castle (The Punisher), he had smaller parts in different movies. He had roles in The Wolf of Wall Street and The Walking Dead, among others. When he starred as The Punisher, his portrayal of the character was remarkable, so much so that his character was given a spinoff series. This wasn’t originally in the streaming network’s plans, but after The Punisher, his character would appear in many other Marvel series, including Luke Cage, Ironfist and The Defenders.
Millie Bobbie Brown
Brown made her debut as Eleven on Stranger Things at just twelve years old. She has amazingly been nominated for an Emmy twice for the role, and she is one of the youngest Emmy nominees ever. She later appeared in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Enola Holmes. In Netflix’s popularity charts in 2019, she was considered one of the top stars from Netflix’s top original series.
Thabang Molaba
Born and raised in South Africa, This young model and actor started out in a local telenovela called The Queen. He also played roles in Diamond City, which is also on Netflix and as Fumane in Ring Of Lies. His career took off with Blood and Water last year, a South African Netflix original that was on the top charts for weeks after its debut. Blood and Water won an award in the Best TV Drama category at the South African Film and Television Awards this year. There is more to come for this actor, Blood and Water Season 2 will be coming out soon, and he might land a few more roles in the future.
