It’s no wonder the Sun Valley Film Festival committee bestowed its Rising Star Award on Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Presented to a burgeoning artist whose dynamic body of work positions them as a breakthrough talent in film and television, the 31-year-old artist fits the description to a tee. Since graduating Yale School of Drama in 2015, Abdul-Mateen has appeared in no less than seven feature films and television series. Last year, he was a scene-stealer opposite Dwayne Johnson in Paramount’s Baywatch. In August 2016, Abdul-Mateen originated the role of Cadillac, the prince of disco, in Baz Luhrmann’s visionary television series, The Get Down. He was most recently seen in Michael Gracey’s The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Zendaya. And next December, Abdul-Mateen will play the lead villain, Black Manta, opposite Jason Momoa in James Wan’s Aquaman.
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