They’re in some of this fall’s most-talked about films and each, in his or her own right, stands among the most buzzworthy actors of their generation: Armie Hammer, Anton Yelchin, Evan Rachel Wood and Kirsten Dunst.
And at this year’s AFI Fest, all four will gather to discuss their careers during the Los Angeles Times’ second annual Young Hollywood roundtable, moderated by staff writer Amy Kaufman.
During last year’s panel — which featured Oscar nominees Carey Mulligan and Jesse Eisenberg and new Spider-Man Andrew Garfield — the up-and-comers discussed everything from how to ease red carpet anxiety to the experience of working with veteran filmmakers.
Many of this year’s participants may be able to shed light on the latter topic. Hammer, for one, is starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the upcoming Clint Eastwood-directed biopic J. Edgar, which is the opening night film at 2011?s AFI Fest. The actor, 25, earned acclaim last year for his portrayal of two characters — the jilted Winkelvoss twins — in the Oscar-nominated Facebook flick The Social Network.
Wood, too, has been directed by some of Hollywood’s A-listers. The 24-year-old — who plays a sultry intern who seduces Ryan Gosling’s character in the recent film The Ides of March — was Woody Allen’s muse in 2009’s Whatever Works. She also played Mickey Rourke’s daughter in The Wrestler, and has appeared on HBO’s popular television series True Blood.
Dunst, meanwhile, has had her share of top directors as well, from Brian De Palma to Neil Jordan to Michel Gondry. Her most recent film, Melancholia, has taken some heat after director Lars von Trier made some controversial comments at a Cannes Film Festival press conference that suggested he was a Nazi. The outrage that followed, however, did not overshadow Dunst’s performance and she was awarded the festival’s best actress prize. Dunst, 29, has been acting since she was a child, and was nominated for a Golden Globe award at age 12 after starring opposite Brad Pitt in Interview With the Vampire.
Yelchin has recently been turning heads for his performance in the intimate romantic drama Like Crazy, which was beloved by audiences at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Earlier this year, the Russian-born 22-year-old played Mel Gibson’s son in The Beaver and starred in a remake of the ’80s horror flick Fright Night.
The roundtable will take place at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, at the Mann Chinese 6 Theater in Hollywood. The evening is in partnership with AFI Fest. Tickets are free, but you must RSVP at the AFI Fest site.
If you have a question for one of the panel participants, submit it on the LA Times Facebook page. They will select some to ask during the roundtable. They will also videotape the conversation, so check back for clips from the event on 24 Frames next month.
More Information/Purchase Tickets: www.afi.com
