Ryan Gosling: With his amazing debut in The Believer overlooked by everyone but adoring critics, Gosling is unfortunately best known as one of the teen psychos in Murder by Numbers. That's set to change this year with The United States of Leland. Co-starring Kevin Spacey, it's the story of a boy who kills an autistic child because he feels sorry for him

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Gyllenhaal's performances are going to push every cinematic button in 2003. She does provocative arthouse in the S&M thriller Secretary. She does intelligent indie in Adaptation, the new film from Spike Jonze. And then there's her mainstream blockbuster turn in Mona Lisa Smile, in which she stars alongside none other than Julia Roberts. The girl can do no wrong.

Kieran Culkin: Macaulay's little brother ended 2002 with a critically acclaimed spell in This is Our Youth at London's Garrick Theatre. And this year sees him triumph on the big screen with The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys and Igby Goes Down.

Jena Malone: Malone is fast becoming the sulky, sexy teen du jour. After fine performances in Life as a House and Donnie Darko, get set to see her show off her range in Cold Mountain, Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys and Saved. The latter is produced by REM's Michael Stipe, no less.

Gael Garcia Bernal: Mexican cinema has enjoyed a renaissance of late. This is in part due to the international success of Amores Perros and And Your Mother Too. Bernal starred in both and this year he is going to add Che Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries to his list of roles.