A <\/abbr>s the entertainment industry reimagined film and television production, concerts and more during the Covid-19 pandemic, 25-year-old <\/em>actor Emma Corrin found her crowning moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Her debut as Lady Diana Spencer on season 4 of Netflix\u2019s historical drama about Queen Elizabeth II's reign dazzled viewers in November and marked unprecedented success for the series. With millions quarantining at home, demand for The Crown <\/em>was 85% higher than the prior season\u2019s release, according to Parrot Analytics.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Corrin\u2019s story is one of several\u00a0 on this year\u2019s Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment list\u2014which for the first time features entertainers who have emerged from social media as well as the more traditional channels of cinema, television, and music. Her breakout performance was recognized across the industry\u2019s most prestigious circles, and her schedule is filling up quickly, with two leading roles in films coming up and a stage debut in London\u2019s West End scheduled for the summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to play young women finding themselves and overcoming obstacles is such an honour, but I intend to use my platform to write and produce, so I should hope that the roles I play will continue to push me as an actor, no matter what age I am,\u201d Corrin says of her future plans.<\/p>\n\n
The Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment listmakers also reflect, and champion, global demand for more diversity in the industry. Take Phaim Bhuiyan, for instance, a 25-year-old filmmaker whose debut feature Bangla<\/em> is inspired by his experience as a second-generation Italian of Bangladeshi origins. His success will hopefully encourage more talented entertainers to find their spotlight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bulgarian actor Maria Bakalova, who has found international success thanks to her role in Borat: The Subsequent Movie Film<\/em>, is now using her platform to advocate for equal representation for Eastern Europeans, as well as the normalization of foreign accents on screen and shedding negative stereotypes. She\u2019s also become a producer at JupiterLights Pictures, alongside founder Julian Kostov, which will focus on creating original content highlighting Eastern European characters and stories.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Artists on the list are paving the way for underrepresented groups in the European music scene and leveraging their platforms for good. Producer MNEK, who has worked with high-profile acts like Beyonce and Madonna, held a songwriting camp for LGBTQ+ musicians during Pride in London in 2019 and has been recognized as a LGBTQ+ advocate by Gay Times <\/em>magazine. In recognition of racial injustice in the U.S., 27-year-old Shygirl, founder of the record label and collective Nuxxe, released a song called \u201cUnconditional\u201d with producer Arca last summer to benefit Black Lives Matter and INQUEST, a U.K. charity that provides support to those dealing with bereavement following a state-related death.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mental health is another issue that Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment listmakers have tackled. Ella Greenwood started Broken Flames Productions to focus on mental health-based film projects\u2014among them, one featuring fellow honoree Bukky Bakray. Zoe Wees built a loyal fan base on TikTok with body-positive music that then climbed the German and European charts.<\/p>\n\n
Belgian-Congolese rapper-singer Marie-Pierra Kakoma (Lous And The Yakuza), Norway artist Marie Ulven (girl in red) and British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks explore their experiences candidly in their music production. Kakoma sings about racial issues and loneliness; Ulven tackles stigmatized mental illnesses; Parks details her struggle with depression\u2014she dropped a song called \u201cBlack Dog\u201d about coping through lockdown last summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, innovators like beauty guru Nikkie de Jager, 26, brought their visions to life during the lockdown. The makeup artist partnered with YouTube Originals to release a four-part documentary in January about her journey to coming out as transgender. De Jager has built a strong fan base of 13.8 million subscribers since joining the platform in 2008, and her channel has about 1.5 billion views.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe move from in-person entertainment to digital entertainment has been the drive for our business.\u201d <\/p>\n