Cannes News

Zac Efron, Other Young Actors Make Cannes Debut in 2012

Six years after starring in "High School Musical," Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron has graduated to the big leagues. The 24-year-old star, whose three-film run as Troy Bolton made him an object of obsession for teenage girls around the world, will be making his first appearance in Cannes this year to support his new movie "The Paperboy."
Efron's attendance at Cannes is a coming-of-age moment marking his successful transition from teen-centric movies to more adult-themed films. "Paperboy," which is competing for the coveted Palme d'Or, stars Nicole Kidman and John Cusack and features Efron and Matthew McConaughey as reporters investigating a murder case in the hope of freeing a man on death row.
Efron isn't the only young talent making an appearance at Cannes 2012. This year's festival has become the film-industry equivalent of a debutante ball. Here's a look at which rising stars will be on hand for the opening Wednesday, May 16, when the torch will be passed to a new generation of actors.

Robert Pattinson
After appearing in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and the entire "Twilight" series, Robert Pattinson seemed destined for a life of supernatural movies and screaming female fans. Though he's worked consistently on "heavier" films, such as "Little Ashes," "Remember Me," and "Water for Elephants," Pattinson has yet to escape his teenybopper associations and firmly establish himself as a worthy talent in the world of adult actors.
Fortunately, the Englishman's role in the 2012 Palme d'Or competitor "Cosmopolis" could be just the proving ground R-Patz has been looking for. Weighing in on his experience filming the dark thriller, Pattinson said, "I'm going through a phase where I'm trying to determine what I can accomplish or not as an actor." He added, "Filming 'Cosmopolis' with [director David Cronenberg] changed something in me. It gave me balls."

Kristen Stewart
Stewart has been appearing in films for over a decade, but it wasn't until her 2008 role in "Twilight" that she became a household name. Though she landed Young Artist Award nominations for "Panic Room," "Cold Creek Manor," and "Into the Wild," she -- like boyfriend and costar Robert Pattinson -- has struggled to find her footing as an adult outside the teen movie genre.
With this year's adaptation of the Jack Kerouac book "On the Road," K-Stew took her shot and swung for the fences, signing on to play pot-smoking free spirit Marylou. Stewart felt so strongly about the film that she took a massive pay-cut, reportedly earning only $200,000.00 for her appearance.
"[I love the role because] there's something scary and unpredictable and animalistic about Mary Lou," Stewart said.

Shia LaBeouf
Former Disney darling Shia LaBeouf, who appeared on the show "Even Stevens" and the movie "Holes," had his career breakthrough in 2007 when he hit the big screen in the mega-hit "Transformers." Following that up with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," LaBeouf seemed to have found his action-movie niche.
With a number of superhero-style films under his belt, the 25-year-old star diversified with a role in the Prohibition-era crime picture "Lawless." Moreover, LaBeouf will be presenting his very own short film, "Howard Cantour.com," during the Cannes Critics Week. The short, which stars comedian Jim Gaffigan, is a tongue-in-cheek critique of film critics and will get a special screening on May 18.

Quelle: http://movies.yahoo.com