Although our vote total was somewhat lower than most years, AFTI Media Boy
Poll voters once again chose a large field of talented performers. There was
consistency as we saw 4 former top 10 winners returning to the winner's circle.
There was room for improvement as all 8 returning stars scored the same or
better rank than their last appearance. And there was room for brand new faces,
as our poll saw two huge debuts in the top 10, and a total of 80 debuting stars
out of our 161 choices. And now...the top 10!
****
Braeden Lemasters
Braeden scored 5 major prime time network guest roles in 2008, including top
shows "Cold Case," "Law and Order: SVU" and "Ghost Whisperer." We’ll see more
of him in 2009 with 3 movie roles on the way.
Luke Benward
After taking
2007 off, Luke shot back into the results this year with the comedy adventure
"Minutemen." The movie was a ratings winner with Disney Channel and Luke was a
poll winner with his first top 10 victory.
Jake T. Austin
Jake debuted in the top
20 last year and now reaches the top 10 with his growing fan base from "Wizards
of Waverly Place." With the success of "Hotel for Dogs" as 2009 begins, we’re
sure he’ll do well in the next poll too.
Nathan Gamble
For Nathan’s 3rd
year in the poll, he had a piece of the action in two of 2008’s biggest movie
hits: "The Dark Knight" and "Marley & Me." We also saw our youngest top 10
finisher in two big TV shows, "House MD" and “Ghost Whisperer."
Freddie Highmore
How can
you top Freddie’s movie career with so many starring roles? How about two
starring roles, playing twins in "The Spiderwick Chronicles." How about five
years in a row in the AFTI top 10, the longest current winning streak!
Kåre Hedebrant
Kåre’s brooding
performance helped lead Sweden’s "Let the Right One In" to huge success with
critics and audiences. Whatever the future holds for Kåre, he’ll long be
remembered for this vampire classic.
Jimmy Bennett
This is Jimmy’s third
year in the top 10, 5th year as an AFTI finalist, and for 2008 it’s his highest
ranking yet. After two major films in 2008, we look forward to one of his
biggest roles yet, in the new Star Trek movie on the way.
Nat Wolff
The Naked Brothers
Band grew from a quirky TV movie to a quirky TV series, and now they have become
a real life story too. Nat Wolff led the rockers through a multi city tour with
his singing and songwriting talent.
Chase Ellison
Chase has been voted
into the AFTI poll for 4 years in a row, but this is his first trip to the top
10. He’s been busy in movies like "Towelhead" and "Fireflies in the Garden,"
and in 2009 he’ll have a big role in "The Tooth Fairy."
Cole Sprouse
Some of our AFTI
poll winners weren’t even born when Cole first showed up 12 years ago. Since
then, he’s topped the poll once and finished in the top 10 three times. The
Suite Life’s move to the high seas has been good.
Emile Berling
International
voters have often put favorites in AFTI’s top 10, and this year for the first
time our number 1 goes to a non-English speaker. Emile’s powerful, dramatic
performance impressed our French voters in great numbers. Congratulations Emile
for a stunning and overwhelming victory!
