Top 5 Actors/Actresses That Can Potentially Be This Generation's Great One!

Like every time period, each generation has its great actors and actresses. From Dorothy Dangridge and Clint Eastwood to Angela Bassett and Tom Hanks, these actors and actresses have made an unerasable mark on the world of films as we know it. So I started to wonder, who would be next? Here are my Top 5 Potentially Great Actors/Actresses of this Generation.

5. Dakota Fanning: Child stars come around each year, especially ones that Disney and Nickelodeon churn out each year, however, Dakota Fanning is not a sketch acting, singing actress like the cookie cutter ones seen on the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. This young woman means serious business and evidence of that can be seen in her role of Pita in the film Man On Fire, starring Denzel Washington. Mr. Washington has the presence that makes good actors look "just ok", but in Man On Fire, this was not the case. Dakota Fanning held her own beside the Oscar Award winning Washington. Her work in Man On Fire was enough for me to watch everything that she has played in after that. In her role as a runaway in search of the people that her mother spoke so highly of in The Secret Life of Bees, again Ms. Fanning was surrounded by award winning stars such as Queen Latifa, Jennifer Hudson, and Alicia Keys. Just like Man On Fire, Dakota showed that she can shine along side bigger stars. Her choice of roles have been unlike many "child" stars before her but I don't think its proper to call Ms. Fanning a "child" start. Not due to her age but due to the caliber in which she is acting. If continued on her current path, greatness is just upon the horizon.

4. Terrance Howard: From the Jackson 5 to the Best Man onto Four Brothers, Hustle & Flow, Crash, Dead Presidents, Idlewild, Pride and Iron Man, Terrance Howard has been emerging as one of Hollywood's leading men. The obvious method actor is soon becoming the Denzel Washington of our time through the various and wisely chosen roles he's played. What is it about Terrance Howard that makes him stand out among his peers? Is it his ability to cry on cue? Is it the emotion that seeps out of his pours when in front of the camera? Or is it his ability to capture the essence of any character he plays? Maybe it is all three and fans tend to agree. There are still numerous roles that Mr. Howard has yet to tackle but the more diverse the roles he chooses and the directors he works with will make him a staple in the film industry. Personally I would love to see Terrance Howard in a Martin Scorcesse or Jerry Bruckheimer film!

3. Columbus Short: I first encountered Columbus Short in the movie Accepted and wasn't really impressed. His role a mediocre and really required no talent. Then there was Stomp the Yard and other than his dancing ability and on screen romance with the gorgeous Megan Good, there was not much depth to the character he played and the same went for his role in the star casted This Christmas. The role that showed immense promise was his role in Cadillac Records. Columbus Short played Little Walter, a very talented harp (harmonica) player from the 1940's, 50s and 60's. The role progressed from a young, innocent, struggling musician to an alcoholic, troublesome, drug abusing great blues musician. Columbus Short went through a series of emotions and through those emotions was able to bring the character of Little Walter to life on the big screen. Through watching Mr. Short in this role I notice that he had the ability to carry such an important role as playing someone's life and through his acting, was able to show the progression and demise of one of the pioneers of blues music. If Columbus Short continues to accepts roles that have this type of depth then there is no reason why he will not become to Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman of our generation.

2. Taraji P. Henson: When watching Taraji P Henson for the first time in the blockbuster failure, Baby Boy, I knew there was something special about her. Maybe it was the raw emotion she displayed along side her counterpart, Tyrese, on screen or the energy delivered throughout her performance, either way I knew that she was not the depthless actress that we see all too often. My thoughts were proven correct during her role in Hustle & Flow in which she played the pregnant girlfriend of a pimp played by Terrance Howard. There are some parts, even small ones, in which an actor or actress can still draw you into the world, the life and the emotions of what he or she is going through on screen and Ms. Henson is one of those actresses. A viewer can feel the desperation by the sound of her country accent, sympathize with her dialogue just by the look in her eyes as if she's lived the role she is playing even after the cameras are off. Although most people jumped on the Taraji fan wagon after her award nomination for her role in Tyler Perry's,I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Ms. Henson has been an undiscovered diamond for years. Like the other actors on this list, if she continues to chose the right roles we can be looking at an Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine or Alfre Woodard in the making.

1. Shia Labeouf: From Nickelodeon to the mega box office series of Transformers, Shia has been building an impressive catalog of money making films. At the age of 23, Shia has proven his star power and uncanning ability to carry a film on his own despite not having big named actors or actresses behind him. In fact, his talent compliments anyone he is on screen with. His role in Eagle Eye showed me, as well as critics, that this young man can play different character roles outside of Holes, Disturbia and Transformers. Although all those films went on to gross millions at the box office, he played the adolescent, uneasy, almost comical young man. However, in Eagle Eye, Shia put on a completely different mask. While keeping the boyish charm, charisma and witt that has made him a star in previous films, Shia incorporated those techniques within a more serious role that was more than believable. Eagle Eye allowed Shia to step onto a bigger playing field thus opening him up to more diverse and challenging roles that Hollywood has to offer. Continuing to do what he does best, acting for the sheer love of the act, Shia Labeouf can easily turn into the next Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise. 20 extra pounds of muscle for more physical roles and he can potentially be the next Brad Pitt.