15 Best Young Black Actors Under 20

Spotlighting boys and young men who are already building real resumes helps parents, teachers, and fans find the projects that shaped their skills. This list gathers working performers who fit the age cutoff today and have concrete credits you can check out right now, from network series to studio films and streaming originals.

You will see leads of family shows, scene stealers from prestige dramas, and voices behind animated hits. Each entry includes specific roles and projects so you can track down their work and see exactly where their careers began and where they are heading next.

Jalyn Hall

Jalyn Hall portrays Dillon James on ‘All American’ and stepped into a major historical role as Emmett Till in ‘Till’. He also headlines the sports coming of age series ‘The Crossover’, bringing a popular verse novel to the screen with episodes focused on school, family, and basketball.

Additional credits include appearances in ‘Family Reunion’ and ‘Grown-ish’. He has moved between network television and feature films while continuing to book projects that center youth perspectives and real world themes.

Dallas Dupree Young

Dallas Dupree Young joined ‘Cobra Kai’ as Kenny Payne, a middle school student whose arc pulls him into the world of rival dojos. The role expanded across later seasons, giving him multi episode fight choreography and school storyline work in ensemble scenes with teen and adult characters.

He stars in the indie feature ‘1 800 Hot Nite’, which follows three friends on an overnight adventure across Los Angeles. Earlier guest roles include spots on kids and family series, laying the groundwork for larger parts that balanced comedy with drama.

Isaiah Russell-Bailey

Isaiah Russell Bailey plays Shaka McKellan on ‘Family Reunion’, a multi camera comedy built around school, siblings, and grandparents. He moved into sci fi adventure as the lead in ‘Crater’, a space road trip story anchored by friendship and exploration.

He also appears in ‘We Can Be Heroes’, teaming with a young ensemble in a superhero setting. That combination of sitcom timing and genre adventure has given him experience across studio features and streaming series.

JD McCrary

JD McCrary voiced young Simba in the global release of ‘The Lion King’, recording songs and dialogue that sit at the center of the story. Television audiences saw him on ‘The Paynes’, where he played Kenny Payne in a family comedy setting.

His music career runs alongside his screen work through singles and performances that connect with his Disney role. He has appeared on variety and talk programs to support those projects, linking vocal performance with on camera acting.

Lonnie Chavis

Lonnie Chavis is known for playing young Randall on ‘This Is Us’, carrying flashback storylines that anchor the Pearson family history. He moved into features with ‘Magic Camp’ and then took a lead turn in the adventure drama ‘The Water Man’.

His film and television work has covered both comedic scenes and emotional arcs, with multiple seasons of network television experience. He also appears in family and holiday programming that reaches broad audiences.

Keith L. Williams

Keith L. Williams co starred in the theatrical comedy ‘Good Boys’, playing Lucas alongside a middle school trio navigating one chaotic day. He previously recurred on ‘The Last Man on Earth’ as Jasper, a kid survivor who joins the post apocalyptic group.

He headlined the sci fi adventure series ‘The Astronauts’, where a group of kids accidentally launches into space. Voice and guest roles across family television round out a slate that balances studio films and Nickelodeon projects.

Christian Isaiah

Christian Isaiah played Liam Gallagher on ‘Shameless’ across later seasons, growing the role from supporting moments into storylines that track school, family, and South Side life. The long running series provided continuous production experience on a single camera set with a large ensemble.

Outside that flagship credit, he has appeared in short form projects and commercials. His work on a mature cable dramedy gives him exposure to material that blends humor with social issues and day to day family challenges.

Ethan Hutchison

Ethan Hutchison portrayed Blue Bordelon on ‘Queen Sugar’, joining the show from its first season and appearing in episodes across the run. The character’s school years and family choices put him in scenes with adult leads and guest directors who rotated through the series.

He has booked additional television roles and voice work, building a résumé that started in early childhood. Consistent time on a drama production has given him experience with location shoots and story arcs that stretch over multiple seasons.

Elisha EJ Williams

Elisha EJ Williams leads ‘The Wonder Years’ as Dean Williams, bringing a new family and a new city to the classic coming of age concept. The half hour format places him in classroom, neighborhood, and household settings that mirror the original while telling new stories.

His background includes commercials and guest roles that prepared him for a network lead. The series work adds voiceover and narration elements, since the show uses a storytelling frame that toggles between present day voice and past events.

Maceo Smedley

Maceo Smedley appeared on ‘Cloak and Dagger’ as young Tyrone Johnson, taking on scenes that set up the hero’s backstory. He also featured in ‘Underground’, where he played James, a child whose story intersects with the larger fight for freedom.

Additional credits include family and holiday programming that expanded his range. Those projects provided period costumes, stunt coordination exposure, and location filming that differ from contemporary kids shows.

Ja’Siah Young

Ja’Siah Young stars as Dion in ‘Raising Dion’, a series about a kid discovering new abilities while his mother works to keep their lives stable. The show blends school life with superhero elements and uses effects driven sequences to frame a child’s point of view.

Before landing the lead he appeared in commercials and guest spots that built on camera comfort. The series format gave him multi season experience in scenes that mix classroom, home, and action set pieces.

Chase W. Dillon

Chase W. Dillon delivered a pivotal performance as Homer in ‘The Underground Railroad’, appearing in episodes that follow a young boy moving through dangerous spaces. He later took a key role in ‘Haunted Mansion’ as Travis, joining an ensemble in a family friendly supernatural adventure.

He has guest credits in television that showcase his ability to play serious material and lighter moments. Working in both prestige limited series and a Disney feature provides range across tone and audience.

Keivonn Montreal Woodard

Keivonn Montreal Woodard portrayed Sam in ‘The Last of Us’, a role that integrated American Sign Language into a high stakes survival story. His work earned an Emmy nomination for guest acting, highlighting a performance that brought deaf representation into a major genre series.

He has appeared in short projects and community productions that center deaf actors and storytellers. That foundation connects his screen work with advocacy for accessibility in casting and on set communication.

Jahzir Bruno

Jahzir Bruno took on a lead role in ‘The Witches’, playing a boy who tangles with a coven in a reimagining of the classic story. He also joined ‘The Christmas Chronicles 2’, working within a holiday adventure that combines action and family themes.

On television he appears in ‘The Really Loud House’ as Clyde McBride, a best friend role that carries through episodes focused on school and family. Those credits give him a mix of single camera film work and multi episode kids comedy.

Jordan A. Nash

Jordan A. Nash played Peter in ‘Come Away’, a fantasy drama that links childhood imagination with family challenges. His earlier television work includes the British miniseries ‘Kiri’, where he appears in episodes that track a missing child case and its impact on a community.

He has also performed in shorts and commercials produced in the United Kingdom. That background gives him experience with both independent film sets and national television shoots.

Share your favorite performances from this list in the comments and tell us which projects you think more people should check out next.