Euphoria is to teenagers in the 2020s what Skins was to teenagers in the 2000s. Trashy, irreverent, vulgar, it was the kind of television series that parents try to hide from their children. With very little success, as you might expect... But Skins wasn't just a look into the tumultuous lives (sex, drugs, alcohol) of a handful of young English people, it was also a real breeding ground for talent. Indeed, many of the actors and actresses in the cast of this series have had successful careers, particularly in the horror genre.
#5 Kaya Scodelario, seasons 1 & 2, 3 & 4
In 2019, Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes) directed Crawl, a horror film that exploits one of our most primal fears, that of wild animals. In Florida, a hurricane destroys everything in its path. The survivors, including Haley, a young woman who went looking for her injured father, must face a sudden rise in water levels... And all the dangers that go with it, namely in this case crocodildos hungry for fresh meat. Starring Kaya Scodelario, the unforgettable Effy from Skins, Crawl received mixed reviews, with some criticizing a poor script and others praising the enjoyable entertainment. It's worth noting that Quentin Tarantino, the director of Pulp Fiction, named it his favorite film of 2019.
#4 Nicholas Hoult, seasons 1 & 2
At 35, the actor who played Tony, Effy's older brother, has a breathtaking filmography to his credit. The British actor has dabbled in all genres, and he recently stood out with two horror films. First, there was The Menu in 2022, with the amazing Anya Taylor-Joy, a joyful, bloody dinner in an exclusive restaurant on a private island. This winter, he starred in Nosferatu by Robert Eggers, a gothic horror film with an atmosphere as icy as Count Orlok's home.
#3Jack O'Connell, seasons 3 & 4
Jack O’Connell you star pic.twitter.com/0ihxNHiPkH
— Jillian (@JillianChili) April 20, 2025
One of the worst brats in the series was him,"Cook", a charismatic and provocative teenager, rebellious and reckless, in love with Effy. After several smaller roles, he's back in the spotlight with two horror projects. The first is Sinners, currently showing in theaters where he's enjoying success, in which he plays a terrifying character opposite Michael B. Jordan. The second is Danny Boyle's highly anticipated 28 Years Later, the third installment in the cult post-apocalyptic trilogy. It's not yet known what role he'll play in the film, and the release date hasn't been announced yet. However, he describes his character as "a real jerk."
#2Daniel Kaluuya, seasons 1 & 2
Daniel Kaluuya didn't play one of the main roles in the series Skins, in which he played a young rap fan. Already a multi-tasker, he held two hats at the time, as he was also writing episodes (he wrote two of them). In 2017, Jordan Peele's terrifying Get Out brought him to the public's attention: his performance contributed to the film's success, and he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars. Critically acclaimed for its nightmarish take on racism and class struggle, Get Out will be followed in 2022 by a second collaboration between Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele, Nope, which is equally terrifying.
Between the first two seasons of Skins, in 2008, Dev Patel became a star thanks to his remarkable performance in Slumdog Millionaire, a now cult film. However, this is far from the actor's only breakout performance, as he notably stood out in 2020 in the "horror film" (admittedly, it's not the only genre explored by the story) The Green Knight, a variation on the legend of King Arthur that you can stream on Prime Video. Always at the crossroads of genres, he made a lot of noise last year with Monkey Man, which he directed himself, a thriller flirting with horror in which he furiously fights oppression. Praised by Jordan Peele, it can also be discovered on Prime Video.
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