12 Amazing Young Actors Who Succeeded Without Family Ties

      Here are 12 young actors who achieved success without the advantage of family connections — solely through hard work and immense talent.

      No nepotism here.

      Let’s dive in.

      **Jenna Ortega**

      Jenna Ortega in *Wednesday* – Credit: Netflix

      At just 23, Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in *Scream* and *Wednesday*, is among the fastest-rising young actors who broke into the industry without family ties. She shared with MovieMaker that she started pursuing her acting dreams at six after convincing her mother, a nurse, to support her passion. Growing up in Coachella Valley as the fourth of six children, Ortega said, “I really wanted to act when I was six, but my mom wasn’t on board. After some pleading, she got me a monologue book from Barnes and Noble to quiet me down.” She performed a monologue about her mother dying of cancer, which her mom recorded and posted on Facebook, jokingly captioning it “Oh, my little drama queen.” A casting director stumbled upon the video and reached out to her mother, leading to Ortega’s career kickstart.

      She recently starred in *Beetlejuice* and *Finestkind*.

      **Zendaya**

      Zendaya in *Dune 2* – Credit: C/O

      Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, raised by two teachers, began her journey in the entertainment world by participating in a Black History Month play at her Oakland school. She later joined the California Shakespeare Theater, where her mother worked as the house manager. Her career took off with modeling gigs and Disney roles, and now she stars in *Euphoria*, *Dune*, and the *Spider-Man* franchise, establishing herself as an A-list actor, surpassing many with stronger connections.

      At 29, she is featured in the new film *The Drama* and the exciting third season of *Euphoria*.

      **Barry Keoghan**

      Barry Keoghan, 33, experienced a challenging childhood, with a mother who struggled with addiction and his placement in 13 foster homes from ages 5 to 12. His mother visited him and his brother until her passing. “That was the worst day of my life,” he revealed to *Ireland Unfiltered* with Dion Fanning. “I was about 12, but it made me stronger.” He began performing in school plays and landed his first film role in 2011 with *Between the Canals*. Keoghan has since appeared in notable films such as Christopher Nolan’s *Dunkirk*, Yorgos Lanthimos’s *The Killing of a Sacred Deer*, and Martin McDonagh’s *The Banshees of Inisherin*, for which he received an Oscar nomination.

      This year, he is in *Crime 101* and *Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man*. Besides being on this list of young stars without family connections, he’s also an amateur boxer.

      **Daniel Kaluuya**

      Daniel Kaluuya in *NOPE* – Credit: C/O

      The 36-year-old Oscar winner for *Judas and the Black Messiah* was born in London and raised by his Ugandan mother in public housing. He realized his desire to prove himself when a teacher deemed him difficult at age 9, leading him to write a play that won a local competition and was performed at the Hampstead Theater, where he later worked as a writer and performer. His breakout came with Jordan Peele’s *Get Out*, and he reunited with Peele for his current film, *NOPE*.

      Kaluuya made his directorial debut with Netflix’s *The Kitchen* and will appear next year in *Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse*.

      **Selena Gomez**

      Selena Gomez in *The Only Murders in the Building* – Credit: C/O

      In *The Only Murders in the Building*, Selena Gomez's mother Mandy Teefey was just 16 when she gave birth to her future star. Gomez’s parents, who married and divorced by the time she was five, shaped her childhood. “I often blamed my mom for wanting a complete family,” Gomez recalled in an E! special. “I just wished they were together.” However, she has come to recognize her mother’s sacrifices: “She gave up everything for me and worked multiple jobs.” Now 33, Gomez starred in *Emilia Perez* last year and recently married Benny Blanco.

      **Simu Liu**

      Simu Liu in *Shang-Chi* – Credit: C/O

      Simu Liu was born in Harbin, China, to parents who overcame significant obstacles to study engineering at Beijing University. They later emigrated to Canada, where they worked menial jobs while pursuing careers as aerospace engineers. In his memoir, *We Were Dreamers*, he recounts experiencing “tiger parenting” and pressure to be exceptional. After losing his