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LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood loves the next big thing--especially when it's cheaper than last year's big thing. A handful of former unknowns broke out in 2009 in roles as diverse as a werewolf, a Nazi and a mall cop, and they're poised for even bigger success in 2010.
In Pictures: Rising Stars of 2010
Studios looking to pinch pennies are turning to these actors as the next big stars. They don't demand Brad Pitt- or Angelina Jolie-size paychecks. They don't insist on separate trailers for their gym equipment and entourages. But the actors on our list have proved they can draw audiences who may not have even heard of them before.
New Moon, the second film in the Twilight series about teenage vampires, launched two of the stars on our list this year: Taylor Lautner and Anna Kendrick. Lautner picked up where Robert Pattinson left off as the designated Twilight hunk. As a teen werewolf, he inspired thousands of teen girls to chose Team Jacob over Team Edward. The film has so far earned $500 million at the box office worldwide and Lautner should help propel the next film, Eclipse, to more box office gold in 2010. He's also attached to play Max Steel in a Paramount movie based on the Mattel ( MAT - news - people ) cartoon superhero.
Anna Kendrick has a smaller role in New Moon as Bella's human friend Jessica. Her true breakout role in 2009 was in Up in the Air, in which she plays a protégé to George Clooney's layoff expert. Kendrick is getting Oscar buzz for the role and the National Board of Review recently named her Best Supporting Actress of 2009.
The low-budget comedy The Hangover also launched two stars onto our list: Zach Galifianakis and Bradley Cooper. The film, about a bunch of guys at a Las Vegas bachelor party who can't find the groom and can't remember anything from the night before, was a huge hit for Time Warner ( TWX - news - people ) studio Warner Bros. Made for only $35 million, the movie grossed $460 million at the box office worldwide. A sequel is in the works.
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Galifianakis stood out as Alan, the quiet but deranged brother of the bride. The comedian has had a cult following for years, but The Hangover finally brought him to mainstream audiences. He'll appear in 2010's highly anticipated comedy from DreamWorks, Dinner for Schmucks, which stars Steve Carell.
Cooper had the misfortune of following up his role in The Hangover with the little-seen All About Steve, but the actor is still considered hot in Hollywood. He's been in the business for years, even starring in a short-lived television series called Kitchen Confidential. But it was his role in The Hangover as group leader Phil Wenneck that finally set him apart. In 2010 he'll co-star as Faceman in the big-screen version of The A-Team.
The most well-known actor on our list is Kevin James. The portly actor appeared for years on the TV show King of Queens, and he garnered some movie attention with his supporting role in the Will Smith movie Hitch. But this year James proved he's a movie star in his own right with Sony's ( SNE - news - people )Paul Blart: Mall Cop. The film, which was made for $26 million, earned $183 million at the box office worldwide. James produced and wrote his next big film, The Zookeeper, which will feature the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone and Cher.