Selena Gomez
21
While she's perhaps best known from Wizards of Waverly Place, this year marked Gomez's official departure from all things Disney with her role in the very adult Spring Breakers opposite a cussing, gun-toting James Franco. Up next? A leading role in William H. Macy's directorial debut, Rudderless.
Big number: Gomez hit No. 1 with her debut solo album, Stars Dance, which sold 97,000 copies in its first week in July.
"People stop me in the street and are just thankful that the story is being told," says Diaz, 29, of the emotional response she's gotten for her work in Fruitvale Station, The Weinstein Co.'s awards contender about the real-life shooting of Oscar Grant.
Diaz, whose grandparents were born in Puerto Rico, will continue her hot streak with a role on HBO's upcoming season ofGirls and in the character-driven drama X/Y with America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn.
Role model: "When Salma Hayek did Frida, she did that on her own," says Diaz. "She took on an executive role and that's inspiring, women who aren't just actresses anymore."
The half-Puerto Rican actress with 500,000 Twitter followers is best known for playing deadpan April Ludgate on NBC's Parks and Recreation, now in its sixth season.
After a lead role in 2012's Safety Not Guaranteed, she starred in this summer's raunchy comedy The To Do List.
Next up is zombie comedy flick Life After Beth with Anna Kendrick.
Dream project: "I would love to speak Spanish in a movie and would die for a chance to be in a Pedro Almodovarmovie."
Saldana has become known for her high-profile sci-fi work, starring in Avatar, theStar Trek franchise and the upcoming ensemble film Guardians of the Galaxy, but she has balanced that with powerful performances in dramas, including 2012'sThe Words and Scott Cooper'supcoming thriller Out of the Furnace.
The Dominican and Puerto Rican American actress is working with producerGuillermo del Toro and director Jorge R. Gutierrez on the animated Day of the Dead story The Book of Life.
Saldana also is making big moves behind the camera: She and her sisters, Mariel andCisely, have partnered with Cinestar Productions in a first-look deal with Lionsgate's Pantelion to produce films and TV content specifically for Latino audiences.
"We found ourselves in the past 10 years being very underwhelmed by the material that's out there," Saldana tells THR, "so either we sit here and complain, or we form our own company." She's aiming to greenlight several projects in the next six months.
Cultural tradition: "One of the great things that the Latino culture has in common with Asian cultures is that we celebrate our dead. It's something as simple as lighting a candle in front of the portrait of somebody that you love and remembering them."
Dream director: "Alfonso Cuaron. I just saw Gravity and it blew me away. Also, Alejandro Amenabar, who has such a beautiful heart when it comes to storytelling."
Guillermo Diaz
"I've never made a film in Spanish and really want to," says the Scandal star, who would want that movie to be directed by Pedro Almodovar.
ABC's hit drama continues to set series highs, averaging 9.25 million total viewers. Meanwhile, Diaz, whose credits includeWeeds and cult hit stoner movie Half Baked, continues to generate buzz from his 150,000-plus Twitter followers for his heartbreaking portrayal of reformed assassin Huck opposite Emmy nomineeKerry Washington.
Dream project: "I want to play legendary Cuban comedian-actor Alvarez Guedes in a movie. My family would play his comedy records all the time when I was growing up, and we would cry with laughter."
Full list at the SOURCE
Surprised they left off some really obvious picks like Jessica Alba and Eva Mendes. Also LOL at everyone wanting to work with Almodovar.