Waiting years to land a big break in the film industry? Not exactly Gen Z’s style. The truth is, the industry’s new, emerging talent is already writing, creating, producing, and performing in work that’s turning heads. And if one thing is clear, it’s that Gen Z isn’t waiting for the future of Hollywood — they’re becoming it.
Throughout 2026, Gen Z filmmakers have made major waves in the entertainment industry. At just 21 years old, Kane Parsons turned his viral YouTube series Backrooms into a major Hollywood film adaptation, grossing over $350 million globally. At 26, Curry Barker’s Obsession grossed over $800 million globally on a tight $750,000 budget, becoming the highest-grossing film ever made under $100 million.
But it’s not just Parsons and Curry making an impact. Across the film industry, Gen Z creatives are taking risks, telling bold stories, and proving that age is no barrier to making an impact. Some of the industry’s best stories are already being told by this generation of actors, filmmakers, writers, producers, and creatives — and the best part? They’re only getting started.
So, meet the bold, fearless, and adventurous Gen Z creatives who aren’t waiting for their turn in film. Instead, they’re proving that Hollywood is in good hands. From directors to composers, these Gen Z entertainment creatives are making moves, pushing limits, and writing a whole new script in the industry — literally.
Claire Loudis | 26 | Director & Producer
Claire Loudis has loved storytelling for as long as she can remember, but it was never something she thought she could accomplish. “When I was 11, I watched JJ Abrams’ Super 8,” the Chapman University grad tells Her Campus. “When I saw this film, I saw other kids making movies with their friends, and realized that wasn’t so far from what I could do.”
Since then, Loudis has worked on multiple projects, including Lurker, Didi, and Club Kid, as a post-producer and supervisor. Loudis is also the producer for Moray’s aforementioned comedic drama, Pismo. “So many blockbusters are just too disconnected from what it means to be human,” Loudis says. “And I think that’s all people are looking for.”
Required viewings: O Brother Where Art Thou, After Life, Catch Me If You Can, and The Fisher King
Wildest on-set memory: “Sitting on the floor of a Korean 7-Eleven pressing wax seals onto letters that I had just printed for a not-to-be-named K-pop girl group competition show that I was helping produce. The letters would tell the girls which of them were eliminated, and I was very afraid of mixing them up.”
Myles Anderson | 23 | Composer
Myles Anderson always loved how film could unveil deep feelings and emotions. “When I saw Moonlight for the first time, the music and the way it complemented the film itself truly just broke me,” he tells Her Campus. “From that point on, I wanted nothing more than to be a part of something so beautiful and grand and to share it with the world.”
Anderson’s first job was as a music intern, where he worked for TV and film composer Jeff Russo. “During my time there, I was fortunate to work on a few of their projects, including Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” Anderson says.
Aside from graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2024 and the Berklee College of Music in 2025, Anderson has worked as a composer and music studio assistant on many series, including Outer Banks and Fire Country.
Required viewings: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Moonlight, Poor Things, and Soul
Wildest on-set memory: “I did a cameo for a short I was working on during school, and another actor was told to talk crazy to me as I was walking away. He threw a tennis ball in my direction, and I completely forgot I was acting. I turned around and was about to say something, but I realized he was actually just a great actor doing his job.”
Wade & Wes McElhaney | 27 | Writers & Directors
Like many Gen Zers, Wade and Wes McElhaney got their start creating videos and skits on YouTube throughout middle and high school. “We’ve always been passionate about storytelling and acting, always making parody videos of horror movies and impersonating performances,” Wade tells Her Campus. “We’ve been creating opportunities for ourselves since even before getting into the industry.”
Despite landing internships and PA work at companies like Netflix and Grandview Entertainment, the McElhaneys say their post-grad experience wasn’t immediately what they expected — so they pivoted, writing, producing, showrunning, and starring in their pilot, Codependent. “We crowdfunded online, got our friends to help us bring everything to life, and managed to get [Codependent] into the 2026 SXSW Indie TV Pilot Section.”
Required viewings: Bridesmaids, Hereditary, Gone Girl, Anora, Challengers, Lady Bird, and I, Tonya
Wildest on-set memory: For Wade, “I accidentally broke a microphone on set by dropping it in the toilet, and I was too embarrassed to tell the sound guy, so I told him I dropped it in a puddle.” Wes says, “Having to glue fake braces on Weston’s younger self in Codependent. We tried with this gummy, pink, nasty glue. It didn’t work out, but it was fun that we tried. That’s indie filmmaking for you!”
Jillian Moray | 24 | Writer, Director, & Actor
Jillian Moray started acting in school plays when she was 12. “When I told my parents I wanted to be an actor, they wanted to put me through it to make sure it was something I really wanted to pursue. So, I was sent off to work multiple 12-hour days as an extra on anything and everything,” the Pepperdine University grad tells Her Campus. “Safe to say, it did not scare me away.”
First an actor, then a writer, and now a director, Moray’s favourite accomplishment is her feature Pismo, which she directed and wrote. “It has been the time of my life, and I can’t wait to keep making movies forever,” she says.
Required viewings: The Piano Teacher, Lovers on the Bridge, Frances Ha, and Sex is Comedy
Wildest on-set memory: “Shooting Day 1 of my feature on the pier during sunset on Valentine’s Day.”
Parker Fenady | 24 | Director & Producer
For Parker Fenady, the whole idea of “a calling” has come one project at a time. “There’s an energy to being in a creative state. It’s playful, it’s full of wonder,” the USC School of Cinematic Arts grad tells Her Campus. “I like being in that place, and I think that’s what led me down this path.”
Fenady has directed, written, produced, and acted in several films, including Old Goat, You Can’t Run Forever, and a Paramount+ Original that’s currently still in production. Additionally, her short film I Didn’t Like You (which Fenday wrote and directed) made waves on the festival circuit, premiering as the Opening Centerpiece at NFFTY 2025 — where it was named a Programmer’s Pick and received a Jury Award nomination. “The success of the film has been rewarding in a way I never imagined because I never really imagined people seeing it on this scale,” Fenday says. “The connection people have felt to it, the way they have described it in Letterboxd, [it all reminds] me of the giddiness I have felt as a viewer myself.”
Required viewings: The Princess Bride, Catherine Breillat’s Fat Girl (À ma sœur!), Brazil, and Agnès Varda’s Vagabond
Wildest on-set memory: “I was acting in a feature in Montana, and we were shooting a sequence where we run through the woods at night. The dead giveaway that we were in trouble was that we kept finding piles of bones all over the set. I remember someone asking our set dresser if that was her doing, and she said, ‘No? But I think we should use them in the scene.’ Filming was then interrupted by a bear. No one was hurt, we parted ways, and I believe the bones made it into the final cut of the film.”
Naiylah Archer | 25 | Writer, Director, & Producer
Naiylah Archer has always gravitated towards creativity and storytelling. “The moment I knew filmmaking was what I wanted to pursue professionally was after creating my first film and seeing the way it brought people together,” the Saint Augustine’s University grad and current reigning Miss Black USA tells Her Campus. “From that moment on, I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to creating stories that leave people feeling seen, understood, and connected.”
Archer’s first film role came after she worked as a development intern at Sony Pictures, where she gained valuable insight into the filmmaking process. “That experience helped shape my understanding of the industry, and solidified my desire to be part of storytelling in a more hands-on way,” she says.
Since then, Archer has been involved in several short films, documentaries, and music videos, including being a producer for Behind The Crown, a feature documentary exploring the lives of six Miss Ohio USA pageant winners and contestants.
Required viewings: Wicked, The Shawshank Redemption, Love & Basketball, and Sinners
Wildest on-set memory: “Bringing my own kitten to set, because the production unexpectedly didn’t have a cat for a scene. Instead of letting filming come to a halt, I packed him up and brought him in to save the day. Thankfully, he was calm, curious, and ended up being a natural on camera. It’s one of those moments that perfectly captures the unpredictable nature of filmmaking and the importance of being resourceful.”
McKenna Thurber | 26 | Screenwriter
Chapman University grad McKenna Thurber always knew she wanted to be a writer. “I first tried journalism, but I kept getting in trouble for writing jokes into the articles,” she tells Her Campus. “So I pivoted to writing about fake people instead.”
Thurber’s first job was making music video pitch decks at a small production company. “It wasn’t what I wanted to do at all, but I use what I learned there to pitch my own projects all the time, even still,” Thurber says.
Alongside several short films, Thurber has gone on to work as a writer’s assistant for Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building — where she co-wrote the Season 5 episode “Cuckoo Chicks.” Currently, she is a staff writer on Dig — an upcoming Peacock original created by Michael Schur and Amy Poehler.
Required viewings: Jennifer’s Body, Waiting for Guffman, The Graduate, and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
Wildest on-set memory: “I cannot go into too much detail, but basically, a wild animal got loose on the sound stage.”
Devan Underwood | 25 | Hair & Makeup Artist
Since she was 6 years old, Devan Underwood had a fascination with makeup and the entertainment industry. “My dad raised me on classic monster movies,” she tells Her Campus. “As soon as I learned that Frankenstein was just a regular guy with makeup on, I knew I wanted to be the one bringing characters to life.”
The CMU College of Makeup Art & Design grad is currently working on two untitled films in production — one for Hulu and another for Netflix. While her path to the industry wasn’t “traditional,” Underwood still followed her passion. “Even without going to film school, I found my way into film and TV through student films at Toronto Film School,” she says. “I was on a student set almost every weekend, which gave me a lot of special experiences, and the chance to meet other ambitious young filmmakers.”
Required viewings: The Shining, Silence of the Lambs, Some Like It Hot, and Frankenstein (1931)
Wildest on-set memory: “I recently got hired last minute to do ‘basic hair and makeup’ for a music video, only to find out on arrival that it was for 30 background actors. Every performer needed neon-green, spray-painted hair and matching neon-green grills. It was intense, but so much fun, and I got to work alongside some incredible artists. It was a great lesson in being able to adapt on the fly.”
Jooystin (Justin Nguyen) | 24 | Director & VFX Artist
Jooystin’s career in the film industry started out in a non-traditional way. “I had a straight 0% in my writing class because instead of turning in assignments, I would drive off to LA and work on low-budget music videos,” he tells Her Campus. “My first video for Devon Again brought some independent attention, and that’s when I found out the weird stuff I was making could actually be a quasi-lifestyle.”
Nguyen ended up dropping out of California State University, Long Beach, and since then, has directed music videos — such as Devon Again’s “Cherry Cola” and “Deep & Still Can’t Dress Myself” — and worked as a VFX artist for several films, including the Oscar-nominated short film The Singers on Netflix.
Still, working as a VFX artist on Didi, his first project, holds a special place in his heart. “I genuinely saw myself in that film,” he says. “When I first watched that rough cut, I couldn’t believe we were making Asian-American stories about little kids growing up in Fremont. My shy-boy, Vietnamese, post-modernist heart couldn’t take it.”
Required viewings: The Social Network, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Taxi Driver, and Before Sunset
Wildest on-set memory: “I directed a low-budget music video in San Francisco last year, and the cast was a bunch of middle schoolers who I honestly felt intimidated by. We gave them a bunch of spray-painted Nerf guns to run around and fight an invisible CG monster at Baker Beach. Some random old man was nude tanning [at the beach], fully spread eagle. That’s when I learned we were shooting at a nude beach.”
Arjun Kalra | 21 | Actor & Performer
Arjun Kalra’s passion for film came from his ever-growing admiration for Bollywood icons, and the inspiration of his on-screen mentors. “My first on-screen booking was in a 2023 indie film where I got to play a teenage werewolf jock,” the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Performance grad tells Her Campus. “It was bizarre and wildly entertaining.”
Kalra has since worked across film and theatre, and is set to appear in Season 2 of the Prime Video comedy series Overcompensating. “My favorite accomplishment, although definitely cliché, is having met and formed beautiful friendships with such cool people,” Kalra says. “Whether it’s other members of my cast, the crew, or anyone around, people’s energies on a set are usually unmatched.”
Required viewings: Frida, Goliyon ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela, Sinister, and Aaja Nachle
Wildest on-set memory: “Chilling with the main cast of Overcompensating (angels, BTW) and discussing each other’s love lives was a moment I’ll never forget! Meet your icons, please — you might just click and soul-bond forever!”
Jackie Lee | 27 | Director
Jackie Lee has always loved the feeling of directing. “There are so many aspects about this craft that I love, one of them being how many different departments it takes to make something come to life,” the USC grad tells Her Campus. “I’ve been labeled a ‘Jack(ie) of all trades’ because I’m someone who has worn so many different hats within film.”
Lee has directed several short films and commercials, including the shorts Sebae and Heat. She is currently shooting her next short film and writing her next feature film. “Finding your voice isn’t just a one-stop shop,” she says. “I’ve found a lot of peace and joy in understanding that finding your voice will be a lifelong pursuit.”
Required viewings: 13 Going on 30, Handmaiden, 20th Century Women, and Shall We Dance? (1996)
Wildest on-set memory: “One of my first PA experiences was working in a Catholic church for a shoot with a famous singer whose team clogged the toilet. I was tasked to unclog [it] with a plastic hanger because the church didn’t have a toilet plunger.”
Li Anne Liew | 26 | Director & Animator
Li Anne Liew, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was just 14 when she fell in love with making videos. “I’d stage my friends and family in pretend plays and short films,” she tells Her Campus. “When I learned about film school, there wasn’t anything else I wanted to pursue.”
While studying at Chapman University, Liew started her career as an intern in the International Creative Advertising department at Paramount Pictures. “I got to learn about the processes behind creating key art and trailers for films, as well as learn the dynamics and logistics behind coordinating all of the assets to international territories,” Liew says.
She recently animated two lyric videos for Olivia Rodrigo’s album You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, as well as producing and writing her short film, Glide: All the People I’ll Never Be.
Required viewings: Yi Yi, C’mon C’mon, La Chimera, and Goodbye Dragon Inn
Wildest on-set memory: “I spent a few days shooting in the jungle last year and heard the most incredible bird call while I was alone. At first, I thought it was some sort of police siren or some sort of human calling for another. I’d never heard anything like that in my life.”
Teddy Alvarez-Nissen | 24 | Director & Producer
Teddy Alvarez-Nissen used to sneak into his brother’s room to watch R-rated movies and re-enact the scenes at school the next day. “I was sent to the principal’s office many times for inciting violence,” the USC grad tells her Campus. “I am still trying to prove a point to my elementary school principal.”
Alvarez-Nissen has written and directed several short films since. “In my freshman year of college, I spent about five months in my garage building miniature sets and raising pet snails to star in a short film called Lovebugs,” he says. “After hitting the festival circuit, I was lucky enough to travel the world with it.”
Required viewings: Iron Giant, Fantastic Mr Fox, Children of Men, and City of God
Wildest on-set memory: “I saw an alien spacecraft on June 16, 2021 in Bakersfield, California.”