Young Actors & Actresses of Color
by mirrormera92 | created - 20 May 2012 | updated - 19 Jun 2013 | PublicI realized lately that the majority of my celeb crushes were Caucasian. I wondered why that was and realized that it's because I haven't seen too many actors of color that were young. So this is my attempt to make a list of actors and actresses 25 and younger of mixed or non-Caucasian ethnicity. I'll add more every time I get on! Tell me others in the comments! (I've only been adding actors who have worked since 2010.)
1. Roshon Fegan
Actor | Greenleaf
Introducing Roshon Fegan: A Musical Prodigy, Captivating Actor, and Dance Dynamo! Prepare to be awestruck by the iconic boundless talents of Roshon Fegan. Born on October 6th, 1991, in the vibrant community of Leimert Park, California, Roshon's journey into the world of music and performing began ...
Love him. He's half Filipino and half African American.
2. Zendaya
Actress | Spider-Man: Homecoming
Zendaya (which means "to give thanks" in the language of Shona) is an American actress and singer born in Oakland, California. She began her career appearing as a child model working for Macy's, Mervyns and Old Navy. She was a backup dancer before gaining prominence for her role as Rocky Blue on ...
This gorgeous young teen is half African American and half Dutch.
3. China Anne McClain
Actress | Hubie Halloween
China Anne McClain comes from an artistic family. Her father, Michael McClain, is a music producer, vocalist, writer and sound engineer. His first production was on Beyonce's younger sister, Solange Knowles (Solo Star CD - track no.16 entitled Sky Away). China Anne's mother, Shontell, is also a ...
4. Carlon Jeffery
Jeffery was born in Houston, Texas and has been performing since the age of 8. He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, performing in numerous community venues. He and his family moved to Los Angeles in 2005 so he could pursue a career his music and acting. He is a rapper under the stage name of "Lil-c Note...
5. Sierra Aylina McClain
Actress | Daddy's Little Girls
Sierra Aylina McClain was born on March 16, 1994. She is an actress, known for Daddy's Little Girls (2007), 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020) and Shrink (2009).
6. Lauryn Alisa McClain
Actress | Haunt
Lauryn Alisa McClain was born on January 9, 1997. She is an actress, known for Haunt (2019), 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020) and A.N.T. Farm (2011).
7. Jordan Francis
Jordan Francis was born on May 10, 1991 in North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and composer, known for Honey (2003), Camp Rock (2008) and The Save-Ums! (2003).
8. Jasmine Richards
Actress | Camp Rock
Jasmine Richards was born on June 28, 1990 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. She is an actress, known for Camp Rock (2008), Picture Day (2012) and Overruled! (2009).
Part African American, part Irish
9. Matthew 'Mdot' Finley
Actor | Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
Matthew 'Mdot' Finley was born on July 12, 1987 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. He is an actor, known for Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010), Soul of a Juggernaut (2004) and With Salt (2022).
10. Camille Winbush
Actress | The Bernie Mac Show
Camille Winbush was born on February 9, 1990 in Culver City, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Bernie Mac Show (2001), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) and Eraser (1996).
11. Naya Rivera
Actress | Glee
Naya Rivera was an Afro-Latina American actress, model and singer known for playing Santana Lopez from Glee and Hillary Winston from The Royal Family. She also was in The Master of Disguise, Baywatch, CSI: Miami, American Dad, Batman: The Long Halloween Parts 1 and 2, Even Stevens and The Bernie ...
Gorgeous. Naya is 25. She's half Puerto Rican, a fourth German, and a fourth African.
12. Raven Goodwin
Actress | The Station Agent
Raven Goodwin was born on June 24, 1992 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She is an actress, known for The Station Agent (2003), Lovely & Amazing (2001) and Snatched (2017). She has been married to Wiley Battle since October 29, 2021. They have one child.
13. Titus Makin Jr.
Actor | Star-Crossed
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Titus always knew in his heart that he was meant to be in show business. Throughout his childhood, he was frequently relocated due to his father's military service, but being able to travel so much had an advantage as Titus was exposed to all forms of entertainment. Titus ...
14. Tyler James Williams
Actor | Dear White People
Tyler James Williams is an American actor, most recognizable for having played the title character of the Chris Rock-inspired sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005) and songwriter Cyrus DeBarge in the Disney Channel movie Let It Shine (2012). He became known for playing the lead role in the show ...
15. Trevor Jackson
Actor | Superfly
Trevor Jackson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and director, known for SuperFly (2018), Grown-ish (2018) and Burning Sands (2017).
16. Coco Jones
Actress | Vampires vs. the Bronx
Courtney Michaela Ann "Coco" Jones was born on January 4, 1998 in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee to Javonda Antenessia Jones (née Floyd), a session vocalist & Mike Jones, a former NFL player. She rose to prominence starring in the Disney Channel film, Let It Shine (2012) ...
17. Brandon Mychal Smith
Actor | Get on Up
Brandon Smith started acting at the tender age of 8 years old. Soon, he booked his first national commercial for Nike with Tiger Woods.
Brandon Smith has garnered a legion of loyal fans for playing the iconic role of super-suave Nico Harris on the Disney Channel series "So Random" ("Sonny with a ...
18. Michael B. Jordan
Actor | Black Panther
Michael B. Jordan, the middle of three children, was born in Santa Ana, California and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He is the son of Donna (Davis), a high school counselor, and Michael A. Jordan. His middle name, Bakari, means "noble promise" in Swahili. (He is not related to, or named after, ...
19. Leon Thomas III
Actor | August Rush
Thomas was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to Los Angeles, California, and now resides there.
At age 10 he made his Broadway debut in 2003 as Young Simba in the Broadway production of The Lion King (1994). In 2004, he appeared as Jackie Thibodeaux in the original Broadway cast of Tony Kushner'...
20. Cymphonique Miller
Actress | How to Rock
Cymphonique Raina Miller, is an actress, singer, dancer and writer. This Los Angeles native, is one of Hollywood's biggest teen phenomena and the star of the hit TV show How To Rock. Cymphonique has made a name for herself and built a diverse R&B, Pop and Hip Hop fan base through the Internet ...
21. Chris O'Neal
Actor | Amp House Massacre
Chris O'Neal was born on April 4, 1994 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor, known for Amp House Massacre (2024), Colin in Black & White (2021) and Greenhouse Academy (2017).
22. Tequan Richmond
Actor | Blue Caprice
Tequan (Tuh-kwon) Richmond arrived in Los Angeles from his hometown of Burlington, North Carolina nearly two decades ago and he certainly hasn't sat idle since planting his feet in Los Angeles soil.
He has appeared in a national Spalding basketball commercial with then Boston Celtic's Paul Pierce, ...
23. Justin Martin
Actor | Flight
Justin grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He started acting at age seven in the drama department in his church. Justin was soon discovered by Atlanta agent Joy Pervis, who had previously discovered many child stars including Dakota Fanning and Kyle Massey. Justin worked for two years in the Atlanta doing...
24. Paige Hurd
Actress | Power Book II: Ghost
Paige Hurd is a well-known actress born and raised on 20th July 1992, in Dallas, Texas. She was born to African American, Puerto Rican mother and an African American father. She is best known for her magnificent role as Tasha Clarkson on the American hit sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005). Some of...
25. Keke Palmer
Actress | Nope
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer was born on August 26, 1993 in Harvey, Illinois and raised in Robbins, Illinois to Sharon and Larry Palmer, both former actors. Palmer showed vocal promise as a five-year-old, when she belted out "Jesus Loves Me" in her church choir. A year later the singer-actress had a...
26. Larramie Doc Shaw
Actor | Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Doc Shaw was born to Larry and Tamie Shaw, being an only child. His grandparents noticed he had a special gift and gave him the nickname, Doc. Doc's dad got him into a modeling career. He moved through the industry fast, and has appeared in many print ads. A car accident took his father's life in ...
27. Tristan Mack Wilds
Actor | The Secret Life of Bees
Tristan Wilds was born in Staten Island, New York. In 2005, at the age of 15, Tristan made his television debut as AJ in the mini-series Miracle Boys. After that, he took his talents to a different venue and tried his hand in theater. He worked with Phylicia Rashad and the Roundabout Theater ...
28. Corbin Bleu
Actor | High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Cobin Bleu was born Corbin Bleu Reivers on February 21, 1989 in Brooklyn, New York City, to Martha (Callari) and David Reivers, an actor. His mother is of Italian descent and his father is Jamaican.
Corbin began appearing in television commercials at the age two, for products such as Life cereal, ...
29. Jaden Smith
Actor | The Karate Kid
Jaden Smith is an actor, known for The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), The Karate Kid (2010) and After Earth (2013). In addition to being an actor he is also a dancer, songwriter and rapper who won an MTV award for his performance in The Pursuit of Happyness. He co-starred with his father Will Smith ...
30. Willow Smith
Actress | I Am Legend
Willow Smith was born on October 31, 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for I Am Legend (2007), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008).
31. Jazz Raycole
Actress | The Lincoln Lawyer
Born in Stockton California, Jazz began performing at just two years old. Her mother owned a dance studio where she developed her onstage skills, studying an array of dance styles from salsa to ballroom, and modern to African. She booked her first commercial at just six years old, and landed her ...
32. Imani Hakim
Actress | Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet
Writer/Actress/Humanitarian, IMANI HAKIM is most recognized for portraying Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas in Lifetime's award winning TV movie, THE GABBY DOUGLAS STORY. In addition to her series regular role of Tonya, sister to Tyler James Williams Chris Rock in the acclaimed series EVERYBODY ...
33. Bobb'e J. Thompson
Self | Wild 'N Out
Kicking off an impressive career in front of the camera at the tender age of five, Bobb'e J. Thompson rose to fame as a child actor well before his teens, initially with a small but colorful and energetic supporting role as the pint-sized Tupac in My Baby's Daddy (2003). He subsequently appeared in...
34. Maestro Harrell
Actor | The Wire
Maestro Harrell was born on July 29, 1991 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Wire (2002), Fear the Walking Dead (2015) and Teen Titans GO! To the Movies (2018).
35. Logan Browning
Actress | The Perfection
Logan Browning was born on June 9, 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Perfection (2018), Bratz (2007) and Powers (2015).
36. Kyle Massey
Actor | Cory in the House
Kyle Orlando Massey was born on August 28, 1991, in Atlanta, Georgia. His first acting job was in "The Wizard of Oz," but his big break came after he was cast in the popular Disney sitcom That's So Raven (2003), where he starred as Cory, the mischievous, money-obsessed brother of the main character...
37. Chris Warren
Actor | Grand Hotel
Chris Warren was born on January 15, 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Grand Hotel (2019), Sistas (2019) and The Fosters (2013). He has been married to Layla Warren since May 23, 2019.
38. Shad Moss
Actor | The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Shad Gregory Moss was born on March 9, 1987 in Columbus, Ohio to Teresa Rena (Jones) and Alfonso Preston Moss. When Shad was five, he started his rap career using the nickname "Kid Gangsta." One year later, he took front stage during "The Chronic Tour" and impressed rapper Snoop Dogg, who later ...
39. Jurnee Smollett
Actress | The Burial
Jurnee Smollett is an award-winning actress and activist of rare talent and conviction. In the fall of 2020, she starred in J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele and Misha Green's critically acclaimed drama for HBO, "Lovecraft Country." Smollett's performance was lauded by industry insiders and critics alike. ...
40. Cameron Boyce
Actor | Mrs. Fletcher
Cameron Boyce was an American actor, with Afro-Caribbean and African-American descent. His paternal grandmother Jo Ann Allen was one of the "Clinton Twelve", the first African-Americans to attend an integrated high school in the Southern United States (specifically in Clinton, Tennessee).
In 1999, ...
41. Karan Brar
Actor | Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Best known for his role as 'Ravi Ross' on Disney Channel's hit series "Jessie" and its spinoff, "Bunk'd," Karan Brar is taking Hollywood by storm and seeking to break cultural barriers in the entertainment industry. He stars in "Bunk'd" on Disney Channel and 2018 will be a major year for Karan as ...
42. Skai Jackson
Actress | Arthur
Skai Jackson stars as the adorable "Zuri Ross" on the Disney Channel sitcoms Jessie (2011), with Debby Ryan, and Bunk'd (2015). Before that, we've seen her in small roles on Boardwalk Empire (2010) and Royal Pains (2009), and even in the film, The Smurfs (2011).
43. Taylor Lautner
Actor | Twilight
Taylor Daniel Lautner was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Deborah, a software company worker, and Daniel Lautner, a pilot for Midwest Airlines. He and his younger sister Makena were raised in a well-mannered, Roman Catholic household in Hudsonville, Michigan. He is of English, German, Dutch, and...
of German, French, Dutch, and Native American (specifically Ottawa and Potawatomi) descent
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