[link=/name/nm5097044]Isabela Merced[/link], [link=/name/nm10695146]Leo Woodall[/link], and more stars who are on the rise in 2025.

Top Stars to Watch in 2025

<a class="ipc-md-link" href="/name/nm5097044?ref_=nmpub_eds_right-3_lk">Isabela Merced</a>, <a class="ipc-md-link" href="/name/nm10695146?ref_=nmpub_eds_right-3_lk">Leo Woodall</a>, and more stars who are on the rise in 2025.

See these famous faces in some of their first breakout roles in Hollywood.

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

Take a peek at the biggest new and returning series coming to your screens in 2025, including new seasons of "Yellowjackets" and "Stranger Things."

IMDb's 2025 TV Guide

Take a peek at the biggest new and returning series coming to your screens in 2025, including new seasons of &quot;Yellowjackets&quot; and &quot;Stranger Things.&quot;

.Heidi Schooler has been busy with diverse work in film, TV, theatre, & VO. Heidi began her career as a child actress and dancer, studying in New York City at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, the American Ballet Theatre School, and at The International School of Dance at Carnegie Hall. She went on to study musical theatre at Syracuse University and moved to Los Angeles to complete her studies in both theatre and dance at the University of Southern California.

.Most recently, Schooler JUST portrayed Irish Nun, Sister Martha, in the 1930's upcoming feature Antonio's Road, written & directed by Donna DiGiuseppe, shot in the Hibernia Bank Bldg. in San Francisco. Prior, she WON Best Supporting Actress for the role of Roberta Dalton in the suspense ghost-themed feature Half Dead Fred (2023), written & directed by Bron Theron; starring Corin Nemec, Jordan Christopher Michael, & Jason London., by L.A's Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival! .Earlier, she played Scarlett Watkins, in the TV series, Cypher (2021), by award-winning writer/director Majdi Smiri, and she's the title role in the newly-expanded comedic series Read to Me, Heidi. .

.She stars in, & is the creator/producer of her whacky comedic film, Millicent & Me and the Apple Tree, directed by John Beaton Hill, in film festivals now: It WON "Critics Choice Award: Mighty Movie Heart Warmer" by Mightier Than the Sword Awards (Sunset Film Festival) in N.C. (1/2024); WON "Best Short Film Adapted from Another Medium" by the Golden State Film Festival (Feb. 2023), & NOM for a People's Choice Award by the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival (Feb. 2023); WON "Best Musical/Comedy" by the Culver City Film Festival (Dec. 2022); WON "Best Comedy Short Film" by L.A.'s Sherwood Players Int'l Film Festival (Dec. 2022); & WON "Best Comedy Short Film" by the French Riviera Film Festival (in Cannes, May 2022).

.It was NOM/Finalist: ."Best Short Film" by Ethos Film Awards (11/2023); "Best Musical Short Film" by Skiptown Playhouse Int'l Film Festival (11/2023); ."Best Actress in a Short" & "Best Comedy Short" by Toronto Indep. Film Festival - CIFT; ."Best Lead Actress in a Short" by L.A.'s Sherwood Players Int'l Film Festival. (12/2022)

.It was NOM/Semi-Finalist: ."Best Actress" & "Best Narrative US Short Film" by San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival; ."Best Actress in a Short" & "Best Comedy Short" at the Niagara Falls Intern'l Short Film Festival; ."Best Narrative Internat'l Shorts" by the London Indie Short Festival; ."Best Musical Short or Comedy" by Kapow Intergalactic Film Festival. ."Best Actress in a Short" by the Hong Kong Indie Film Festival. . .Lastly, it also was an Official Selection in the Nevada Women's Film Festival (6/2023), Marina Del Rey Film Festival (6/2023), the Paris Independent Film Festival, & We Make Movies Internat'l Film Festival.

.Prior, Schooler Won "Best Supporting Actress" for her portrayal of 3 separate characters in the comedic short film Desk Job (2015) by the Los Angeles Short Film Festival, directed by Jason Eaken. Earlier, she finished filming What's Your Opinion of Memory? (2017) and I Defended You (2014), both indep. projects written by Joseph Dougherty (TV writer/prod.: Pretty Little Liars (2010) & Ravenswood (2013)).

.Earlier, she shot the British-themed film "Michael Sadler's Crusade", (c. England, 1800's) & has been cast as Charlotte in the Sci-fi/psych. thriller S2K with Erica Grant, Robert Peters, and Meg Foster. Schooler was on - CSI: NY (2004) (w/Gary Sinise), The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (2009) video-game in mo-cap, (with Vin Diesel), appeared in David Lynch's Inland Empire (2006), WWII film, Beautiful Dreamer (2006), & played the title role for Mischief Films/BBC's movie Calling Hedy Lamarr (2004). Previously, Schooler finished portraying the title character in the film "Protestskaya". (A story about a female Russian immigrant who survives on the streets of America.)

.TV: MOW's: American Masters' Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul (1995), and Strange Voices (1987); also in Medium (2005), Nickelodeon's "Snow White", Pilot (1988) "Heartbeat", "Pizza Man" (for USA), & General Hospital (1963), among others.

.Theatre favorites: Cancer patient Danielle in "Me Too", (a Mark Goffman play), Cordelia in Tony Award dir. Tony Tanner's "King Lear", & Mary Magdalene in Ivan Kauffman's "He Was Here". (LA Weekly's "star turn" performance). Schooler has worked her dramatic skills at The Actor's Studio, has studied with such teachers as Susan Anspach, Shelley Winters, Susan Peretz, & Clyde Ventura, and has been directed by Martin Landau, Tony Tanner, and Robert Berlinger; and currently has studied with Stephen Book.

.Comedically, she has trained with Gary Austin (founder of the Groundlings), Robin Menken (Second City), Sandra & Dee Caruso, and has worked with several comedians from the Comedy Store. She has performed in numerous theatre productions in Los Angeles and New York.

.Recent Commercials & VO's: Schooler is in 2 separate comedic spots for DirecTV; JUST voiced a few characters for a new Nickelodeon Animated series called Rock, Paper, Scissors (2024), (2024), has a character on Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears (2014). In the past, she's most recently been the voice of Walmart (TV & Radio), Oliveda, and Neutrogena, & is Lois Lane for Warner Bros.'s past digital re-release of "Superman 2". Currently, Schooler's been in development writing a comedic TV pilot.

.BIO from HeidiSchooler.com: At the tender age of six, Heidi would accompany her mother, an opera singer, from Long Island to Manhattan for voice lessons with her Metropolitan Opera singing coach. Heidi would sit mesmerized under the piano, eating honey candies and listening to the music. It was all so fascinating that she was hooked from then on!

.Heidi began her own career as a child actress and dancer, studying in New York at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, the American Ballet Theatre School, and at The International School of Dance at Carnegie Hall. She went on to study musical theatre at Syracuse University and moved to Los Angeles to complete her studies in both theatre and dance at the University of Southern California.

.Heidi has performed in numerous theater productions in Los Angeles and New York and continued with more film and television work upon graduation. Her own life experience has allowed her to portray a wide range of characters from the lovable comedic heroine and quirky sidekick to darker, character-driven dramatic roles requiring a depth of emotion and sensitivity.

.She continued to hone her comedic and dramatic skills with workouts at The Actors Studio, studying with such teachers as Susan Anspach, Shelley Winters, Susan Peretz, and Clyde Ventura, and currently studies with Stephen Book. .Comedically, she has trained with Gary Austin, founder of the Groundlings, and Robin Menken of Second City, and has worked with several comedians from the Comedy Store.

.In addition to her work in theater, film, and television, Heidi has established herself as a sought-after voiceover and commercial actress. She was a columnist (2008-2012) for Backstage about the voiceover industry, which included interviews with respected actors, teachers, and producers in the field so that readers could learn more about the amazing world of voiceover acting. Those articles are still available on Backstage or at heidischooler - Also, plse. visit Heidi's page on linktree for the most updated interviews & articles about many of Heidi's projects.

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