As The Coast pointed out in December 2007, last year our homegirl Ellen went from local teen talent to international megastar, as the teen dramedy Juno led to her first Academy Award nomination and a gig hosting Saturday Night Live. It might seem perverse to say it, but that was the easy part. Sure, she worked hard and honed her chops, taking intense roles in challenging projects---see Hard Candy, Mouth to Mouth and An American Crime if you don’t believe us---but whether she continues to get access to the juiciest scripts Hollywood has to offer depends on her next few pictures. First up: She’s Bliss Cavendar in Whip It!, Drew Barrymore’s feature debut as a director. Maybe not a bad choice: Barrymore could teach a course on career longevity. Plus, it’s about roller derby. Awesome.

1st Runner-up: Joel Plaskett

2nd Runner-up: Sidney Crosby