There’s something rather different about the current wave of young actresses gracing our screens; they’re valued just as much for what they say as the roles they take or the clothes on their backs, and as such have garnered a particularly devoted following. Rowan Blanchard is a prime example of such a star: her outspokenness on the issues affecting women of her generation and the subsequent following has seen her go from Disney teen heroine to Chanel muse and star of a new film directed by Ava DuVernay. Yara Shahidi plays a central role as the eldest daughter on the sitcom Black-ish, but it’s her poise and grace when commenting on the show’s dealings with race, and how that plays into a larger conversation, that have made her a leader of her generation. And India Salvor Menuez has shown that one can bridge the worlds of art and acting without losing integrity or one’s voice, and has served as something of a nexus for this new breed of talents with principles. These are just a few of the women leveraging their fame and following, to talk about what matters to them most, spotlit here alongside their powerfully vocal peers. Welcome to their new, virtuous reality.
