15 Young Actors Who Could Be the Next Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro set a template that never really goes out of style. He blends quiet menace with tight control and then flips it into humor or heartbreak without raising his voice. Think of the slow burn in ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘Raging Bull’ and the lived in bravado of ‘Goodfellas’ and the breezy snap of ‘Midnight Run’. That mix of commitment and ease is what keeps people coming back to his work.
The next De Niro is not a copy. It is someone who can carry a movie on presence alone and still disappear inside complex people. It is someone who says yes to tough material and makes it feel human. Here are fifteen young actors who already flash that energy and keep choosing roles that suggest a long road ahead.
Paul Mescal
Mescal works in close up like few actors his age. In ‘Aftersun’ he lets regret sit in small gestures and it lingers long after the last scene. In ‘Normal People’ he turns teenage confusion into something grounded and adult. Every choice feels specific.
He also keeps testing himself with bigger canvases. ‘Carmen’ shows a physical command that hints at a muscular screen presence. In ensemble pieces like ‘All of Us Strangers’ he threads a careful line between mystery and warmth. You can imagine him finding the moral gray areas that De Niro owned.
Austin Butler
Butler understands the power of transformation. In ‘Elvis’ he disappears into nerve and swagger and keeps the man human. In ‘Dune Part Two’ he pushes into villainy with a cool stillness that reads as dangerous from the first glance. It is star power without shortcuts.
He has the physical focus to anchor heavy material and the patience to sit inside a scene. That mix sets up a career of bold swings with real control. De Niro made intensity look effortless. Butler is learning the same trick.
Timothée Chalamet
Chalamet brings a sensitivity that never slips into softness. In ‘Call Me by Your Name’ and ‘Beautiful Boy’ he lets silence do the heavy lifting. In ‘Dune’ and ‘Dune Part Two’ he locks into a colder gear and shows he can drive a giant story without losing the person at the center. That balance of vulnerability and will feels timeless.
He also has a playful streak that keeps him from getting boxed in. ‘Bones and All’ finds new notes inside genre while ‘Wonka’ shows he can handle charm without winking. De Niro spent years bouncing between grit and comedy. Chalamet makes that same jump feel natural.
Barry Keoghan
Keoghan is a live wire who never tips into noise. In ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ he finds strangeness that still feels human. In ‘Saltburn’ he walks a tightrope between innocence and calculation and keeps you guessing. The screen seems to bend toward him.
He also has a face that tells a story before he speaks. That lets him play menace and hurt in the same beat. De Niro often made you lean in so you did not miss the moment. Keoghan inspires that same lean.
Kelvin Harrison, Jr.
Harrison Jr. builds characters from the inside out. In ‘Luce’ he layers charm over unease and invites the audience to do the math. In ‘Waves’ he carries raw emotion with careful precision. He gives performances that reward attention.
He also shows musicality and grace in films like ‘Cyrano’ and ‘Chevalier’. That control over rhythm and tone can make even quiet scenes feel alive. De Niro used craft to ground fireworks. Harrison Jr. has that kind of craft.
Harris Dickinson
Dickinson brings flinty presence with surprising tenderness. In ‘Beach Rats’ he captures restless youth without easy answers. In ‘Triangle of Sadness’ he slips into satire while keeping a beating heart under the surface. He makes uneasy people feel familiar.
He can also project sturdy physicality as seen in ‘The Iron Claw’. That ability to look tough and then reveal doubt is classic movie star stuff. De Niro could do both in a single look. Dickinson has that same switch.
George MacKay
MacKay acts with his whole body. In ‘1917’ he sells endurance and fear with clear eyes and steady breath. In ‘The True History of the Kelly Gang’ he pulls wildness into something real. He is convincing as someone who has lived hard.
He also shines in smaller thrillers like ‘I Came By’ where the stakes live in close quarters. He handles pressure without big gestures. De Niro often found truth in restraint. MacKay carries that lesson forward.
John Boyega
Boyega commands the frame with purpose. He brought soul to a giant machine in ‘The Force Awakens’ and then went sharper and deeper in ‘Detroit’. His work in ‘Small Axe’ shows a thoughtful artist picking roles that say something. He pairs charisma with conviction.
He also has an easy touch with humor that never undercuts weight. That blend opens doors to crime stories, character studies, and bruising dramas. De Niro shaped that lane for decades. Boyega looks built to walk it.
Jharrel Jerome
Jerome finds empathy inside the hardest stories. In ‘When They See Us’ he gives a performance that feels both fragile and unbreakable. In ‘Moonlight’ he turns a brief role into a lasting memory. He understands how small choices land.
He is a listener on screen and that pulls better work from everyone around him. De Niro often did the same and it made scenes feel alive. Jerome has the patience and honesty that mark a long career.
Charles Melton
Melton surprised a lot of people by going quiet. In ‘May December’ he carries layers of shame and yearning with careful control. Every pause feels earned. He shows what can happen when a performer trusts silence.
That kind of restraint pays off in grown up dramas and tough character pieces. He has leading man presence and a willingness to play flawed people. De Niro thrived on that contrast. Melton is stepping into it with confidence.
Damson Idris
Idris projects authority even when the room tilts. In ‘Snowfall’ he charts an arc from ambition to consequence with steady hand. He knows how power feels and how it slips away. The work is disciplined and sharp.
He has the voice, the stare, and the timing that fit crime epics and moral puzzles. You can see him holding the center while chaos builds around him. De Niro often lived in that storm. Idris looks ready for it.
Jacob Elordi
Elordi carries cool charm that can turn unnerving without warning. In ‘Euphoria’ he plays toxic bravado without blinking. In ‘Priscilla’ and ‘Saltburn’ he reshapes that energy into something sly and complex. He understands screen myth.
He also seems to enjoy risk. That curiosity will keep him away from safe choices and into roles that demand stretch. De Niro built a career on fearless moves. Elordi is clearly interested in the same map.
Josh O’Connor
O’Connor excels at interior life. In ‘God’s Own Country’ he lets love thaw a guarded soul in increments. In ‘The Crown’ he bends sympathy toward a man trapped by duty without asking for pity. In ‘Challengers’ he brings desire and rivalry into clear focus. He draws you close.
He has a gift for making quiet scenes feel like events. That is a rare thing and it points to staying power. De Niro often turned restraint into electricity. O’Connor keeps finding that current.
Louis Hofmann
Hofmann brings a haunted intelligence that suits twisty stories. In ‘Dark’ he handles time and memory with emotional clarity. In ‘Land of Mine’ he conveys sorrow and hope with almost no words. He makes complexity feel simple.
He also bridges languages and cultures with ease. That range opens the door to international auteurs and ambitious material. De Niro thrived with directors who pushed him. Hofmann looks ready for the same partnerships.
Jeremy Allen White
White radiates working class heartbeat. In ‘Shameless’ he wore frustration like a second skin. In ‘The Bear’ he channels focus and anxiety into something moving and relatable. He feels true even in heightened moments.
He also brings unexpected gentleness to tough men, as seen in ‘The Iron Claw’. That contrast is gold for character driven films. De Niro made rough edges and tenderness live in the same body. White carries that same truth.
Share the names you would add to this list in the comments and tell us who you think carries the same spark.