‘Wicked’: How Marissa Bode is helping to enact change in Hollywood
“Wicked” star Marissa Bode chats with USA TODAY before receiving the Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award at the New York Women in Film and Television gala.
Forbes released the 2025 edition of its “30 Under 30” list Dec. 2 and the annual survey of who’s next across multiple industries is star-studded.
The 15th edition of the list, compiled by an independent panel of judges, includes household names like “Wicked” star Marissa Bode, “One Battle After Another” breakout Chase Infiniti, Doechii and Benson Boone.
The class of 2026 included 600 entrants from North America across 20 industries, according to Forbes, which notes that the average age of this year’s list is 27 and that the celebrities included have amassed over 200 million social media followers.
“For this year’s 15th anniversary list, we are seeing Gen Z take on more leadership roles and rethink the ways we create impact through art, healthcare, education and more,” said Alexandra York, associate editor at Forbes, in a news release accompanying the list’s release.
To qualify for the list, entrants must have been 29 years old or younger at the end of 2025. Stars Timothee Chalamet, Bobbi Althoff, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift were on previous versions of the list.
Celebrities on the Forbes ’30 Under 30′ listActorsAnna CathcartChase InfinitiMarissa BodeChristopher BrineyMikey MadisonAuli’i CravalhoJack InnanenKeyla Monterroso MejiaLola TungEmma MyersLovie SimoneSophie ThatcherMusiciansAlex WarrenDoechiiBenson BooneRebecca BlackGrace BowersJesús Ortiz PazRole Model (Tucker Pillsbury)Audrey NunaJessie MurphTy MyersJensen McRaeUMIBailey ZimmermanSocial mediaKatie FangNicholas CampbellXyla FoxlinJoe MeleMakenzie Fowler and Malia FowlerSylvester BrewsterLeana DeebAaron ParnasWhat does Forbes 30 Under 30 mean?
Forbes writers and editors create the 30 Under 30 list by looking through online submissions and recommendations from industry sources and alumni of the list, according to the magazine. Factors that are considered include “funding, revenue, social impact, scale, inventiveness and potential,” Forbes says.
Contributing: USA TODAY’s Brendan Morrow