Pepi Sonuga

Pepi Sonuga’s got that kind of energy that’s tough to ignore, honestly. Born in Lagos, hustled her way to L.A. at just 10, and pretty much never looked back. She snagged the Miss Jr. Teen Los Angeles crown at 15—that’s wild, right?—and started booking modeling gigs for brands like Hot Topic and Forever 21. Not bad for a teenager who probably still had homework to finish. She hit up Culver City High and got sucked into drama classes, learning everything from improv to writing scripts. Acting was always the goal, and she kept grinding until she landed her first real part in The Life Of A King back in 2013. Cuba Gooding Jr. played the lead, so yeah, no pressure. On TV, she’s been popping up everywhere. She killed it in Starz’s Ash VS Evil Dead, which is a comedy-horror mashup with plenty of gore and laughs. She also had a recurring role on The Fosters, which is basically Freeform’s crown jewel for family drama. But her big breakout? Playing in Famous In Love for two seasons, where she brought some serious heat. And she’s not slowing down. Up next was Thriller, a horror flick where she starred opposite Mykelti Williamson and RZA. The movie’s about a group of South Central teens haunted during Homecoming weekend after a childhood prank goes sideways. Dallas Jackson wrote and directed it, and it got its first look at the 2018 LA Film Festival. Honestly, if you haven’t heard her name yet, you probably will soon.