A Salute to Rising Stars

It’s that time again to salute those actresses who are on the move, actresses who deserve a little extra attention for their latest work, those actresses who are rising stars. Landing that crucial role in a TV movie or guest appearance in a successful show or film makes all the difference for aspiring actors.

Let’s take a look at the next group of actresses who viewers should keep their eyes on:

Sandra Mae Frank

The Gallaudet University graduate appeared on the big screen in the 2013 movie Beautiful Sounds of Love and then made her mark in 2015 playing Wendla in Deaf West’s revival of Spring Awakening on Broadway and also appeared in a small role in the TV series Switched at Birth. In 2016, she performed on the Tony Awards and has since appeared on stage in Richard III, Fiddler on the Roof and Our Town [among others].

She appeared in the thriller films Soul to Keep and Multiverse along with the short-lived post-apocalyptic series Daybreak from 2018 to 2019. She followed that up with a role in the ensemble queer lady holiday film Season of Love in 2019; and then she appeared as Abigail in an episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

But it’s her current role of Dr. Elizabeth Wilder on the NBC medical drama New Amsterdam that has put her on the map with TV viewers. She will next be seen in the thriller Age of Stone and Sky: The Warlock’s Curse that is anticipated to be released at some point this year.

Sandra can be followed at Twitter @sandy21mae and on Instagram @sandramaefrank. Fans can also visit her website here.

New Amsterdam airs on NBC on Tuesday nights at 10 PM.

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Tayler Buck

This 18-year-old American actress made her first TV appearance in a 2010 episode of Private Practice and then was in an episode of CSI: NY in 2012 and a 2013 episode of Key and Peele.

She provided her voice to the animated series Clarence throughout 2014 to 2016; and in 2016 she appeared as Melodie Cochran alongside Courtney B. Vance, who played Johnnie Cochran, in the FX anthology series American Crime Story.

In 2017, she appeared as Kate in the horror flick Annabelle: Creation and followed that up with a role in the independent film Princess of the Row in 2019. In 2020 she joined the cast of the comedy Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living, which will be going into its third season sometime this year.

She landed the recurring role of Natalie Irons in the debut season of The CW’s Superman & Lois and was promoted to series regular for the show’s second season, which got started on January 11.

Tayler can be followed on Twitter @TaylerBuck and on Instagram here.

Superman & Lois airs new episodes on The CW on Tuesday nights at 8 PM.