AAN: Who could possibly win the BAFTA Rising Star award?

Gemma Arterton. Andrew Garfield. Tom Hardy. Aaron Johnson. Emma Stone. All actors who have been around for a little while, but have impressed in the past year. All actors who equally deserve this award, because they are amazing.

We're just over a week out from the BAFTAs, so why not start the chatter with trying to answer this impossible question: who deserves this award more? Let's look at each of the nominees and...try to decide.

Gemma Arterton

'Known For' on IMDb: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Quantum of Solace (2008), Clash of the Titans (2010), Tamara Drewe (2010).

Movies released in the past year: St. Trinian's 2, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Tamara Drewe.

Coming up: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Wrath of the Titans.

Gemma Arterton has become the sweet girl from Britain who divides her time between being in indie Brit flicks and huge Hollywood blockbusters. Surprisingly, she is brilliant at doing both, and there seems to be a new trend in blockbusters: 'must have Gemma Arterton'. Not bad for the girl who got her start in British teen comedy St. Trinian's. Gemma has had a good career, which has spanned just around four year, but even though her most famous role came in 2008's Quantum of Solace, 2010 has been her year to shine. She starred in two critical failures, though very successful Hollywood epics: Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia. But Gemma is never one to forget her roots. She came back for a second round of her debut St. Trinian's, which managed to go direct-to-DVD everywhere. She also starred in kidnapping thriller The Disappearance of Alice Creed, which was met with very good reviews and saw Gemma appear on screen looking less like the Hollywood version of herself. Many people outside of Britain aren't probably aware of her collaboration with director Stephen Frears on the comedy Tamara Drewe, which was released in select theaters and will be making it's way to our theatres on the 24th of this month. Gemma has been a busy girl of late, and probably one of the most profitable British stars, which could see her bagging the award.



Andrew Garfield

'Known For' on IMDb: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), The Social Network (2010), Never Let Me Go (2010), Boy A (2007)

Movies released in the past year: I'm Here, Never Let Me Go, The Social Network

Coming up: Untitled Spider-Man Reboot.

If I just went with an uneducated guess at this award, then of course I would pick Andrew Garfield. But then I would feel really bad for the others, because they all deserve it. That aside, Andrew Garfield is amazing. And extremely sexy. To be honest, he has made a huge mark on the film world over the past year. But what few people know is that Andy has already won a BAFTA, for an outstanding performance in TV-movie Boy A. That was back in 2008. Brits would have also become well acquainted with him thanks to his role in the Red Riding series in 2009. Not to mention he was also a part of Heath Ledger's last film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. 2010 was his year though, as he kicked it off playing a robot in Spike Jonze's fantastic short I'm Here. Several months later Andrew burst onto the scene with none other than The Social Network, where he played the emotional backbone of the movie Eduardo Saverin. His performance was acclaimed everywhere, and he only just fell short of an Oscar nomination, which should work in his favour. Riding on the success of The Social Network, and his casting as Spider-Man, came the British sci-fi drama Never Let Me Go, where he shone opposite Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley. Andy has proved to us not once, but several times that he could be the actor of the coming decade. Or, that could just be my opinion coming from my undying love for him at the moment.



Tom Hardy

'Known For' on IMDb: Inception (2010), Layer Cake (2004), RocknRolla (2008), Bronson (2008)

Movies released in the past year: Inception

Coming up: Warrior; This Means War; Tinker, Tinker, Soldier, Spy; The Wettest County in the World; The Dark Knight Rises

Tom Hardy is the only person who isn't in his 20s in this award, but then again, he has one of the better looking futures. He's been around since 2001, and has had parts in the acclaimed TV series Band of Brothers, and films like Black Hawk Down and Layer Cake. It seems the guy likes his period dramas to, starring in Marie Antoinette and as Heathcliff in a TV-movie of Wuthering Heights. While Tom is mostly resigned to taking supporting roles, his big break came when he took the lead role in Bronson, which saw him gain 42 pounds to play 'Britain's most violent criminal'. The movie has been making it's way around the world slowly, so it would be a good chance to see Hardy's star shine. But everyone knows Hardy from somewhere, and that's as the scene stealing Eames in Inception. Eames got all the best lines and squeezed a laugh out of the audience nearly every time he spoke. As soon as word got out about him, the casting calls came flooding in. It's simple: if you're a blockbuster and you have Tom Hardy, you have instant coolness. With all the projects he is tied to and his brilliant breakthrough in Inception, Hardy is a very worthy candidate. Not to mention that he is buddying up with Chris 'God' Nolan again for The Dark Knight Rises. If you are in more than one Nolan film, you must be really swell.

Aaron Johnson

'Known For' on IMDb: Kick-Ass (2010), The Illusionist (2006), Nowhere Boy (2009), Shanghai Knights (2003)

Movies released in 2010: The Greatest, Nowhere Boy, Kick-Ass, Chatroom

Coming up: Albert Nobbs, Jack the Giant Killer, Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall (rumoured?)

Aaron Johnson is probably more famed for his private life, as he is engaged and a parent with 43 year old Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Wood. However, that has not tarnished his rise to fame. He was interestingly cast as John Lennon in a biopic searching into his younger life, Nowhere Boy. His performance was nothing short of amazing. However, while that may have been his artistic break, his Hollywood break came in the form of Dave Lizewski in action-comedy Kick-Ass. He donned an American accent and played the largely stereotyped sensitive/nerdy guy role with such confidence that the audiences couldn't help but fall in love with him. Those familiar with his early work will still see him as more of a teen idol, but those who has just caught the Aaron train will probably feel as if they are in the embrace of a true star on the rise. While he isn't tied to many projects of late, that probably comes with the fact that he is largely picky with roles and also has father duties to attend to. Either way, Aaron Johnson is a name which has been cemented in film world, finally.

Emma Stone

'Known For' on IMDb: Zombieland (2009), Easy A (2010), Superbad (2007), The House Bunny (2008)

Movie released in 2010: Paper Man, Marmaduke, Easy A

Coming up: Movie 43; Crazy, Stupid, Love.; Friends with Benefits; The Help; The Croods; Untitled Spider-Man Reboot

Emma Stone has always been the best thing about bad movies. She is naturally very funny. Her sense of humour and warmth just makes you fall for her. Unfortunately, it has taken until 2010 for everyone to see just how fantastic she really is, with her star turn in teen comedy Easy A. She was easily the best thing about this movie, but at least the rest of it was up to her standard. She got a well deserved Golden Globe nomination for her award, and if the Oscars liked comedies, she could have had potential where that is concerned. But even without that, she has potential with all her upcoming roles to be the next huge thing. It's was she deserves: a comedy just isn't a comedy movie without Emma Stone. Plus she's pairing up with fellow nominee Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man, which could see her serious side bloom. Think she's not versatile? See her in Paper Man, which has her in a pretty dramatic role. Emma Stone is the man.

So after all that 'research', who would I choose?

I'm liking on Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. I think they are the biggest rising stars out of the lot of them, even if Andy only has one project going. Don't ask me to choose between the two of them. It's impossible.

...but considering it's a peoples choice award...

And the fact that you have to be British to vote, I could see them going with Andrew Garfield, since he has become (well, I'm guessing) the 'next new hottie'. Mind you, Kristen Stewart won last year (over Nicholas Hoult and Jesse Eisenberg, plus the BAFTA Best Actress winner/Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan), so anything could happen. Not that there are any 'Kristen Stewart' type people in this category.

Over to you now: who do you want to win? And if you live in the great land of Britain, be sure to vote!