Five faces of fall TV
A new television season brings new shows — and new shows always create new stars. USA TODAY picks five actors, and five characters, you're going to want to get to know.
Gina Rodriguez
Who she plays
The innocently and unexpectedly pregnant Jane on CW's Jane the Virgin.
Why you might know her
She was Marisol on Army Wives and Beverly on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Why you might want to know her
Talk about unexpected: With Jane, CW not only has the fall's most promising new broadcast series, it boasts the season's brightest new star in the instantly lovable Rodriguez. She glows in a role that makes her turn on a dime between comedy and drama, all while keeping us invested in the telenovela-inspired plot's multiple twists and turns. Like her show, she's completely beguiling and, well, unexpected.
Robin Lord Taylor
Who he plays
Oswald Cobblepot, someday to be known as The Penguin, on Fox's Gotham.
Why you might know him
Walking Dead fans may remember him as Sam.
Why you might want to know him
There's a lot going on in this very dark Batman prequel, and not all of it works. But complaints tend to fade whenever Taylor takes the screen, supplying a welcome burst of very dark fun to an otherwise grim hour. His proto-Penguin is violent, deranged, strangely sympathetic — and completely compelling.
Alfred Enoch
Who he plays
Wes Gibbins on ABC's How to Get Away With Murder.
Why you might know him:
He was Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter movies.
Why you might want to know him
Harry would hardly know him. As we all tend to do, Enoch has grown up since his Harry Potter days — and with each passing Murder episode, so has Wes. He still seems to be the show's moral compass, but a character who at first seemed to be the naïve and innocent good guy is turning out to be more complicated (and maybe devious) than we thought. Enoch has made the switch make sense, even when his entertaining show doesn't.
Cristela Alonzo
Who she plays
The title character in ABC's sitcom Cristela.
Why you might know her
She hasn't worked much as an actor, but she's had a successful career as a stand-up comedian.
Why you might want to know her
So far, Cristela is pretty standard family-comedy stuff, a show more notable for advancing diversity than for advancing the state of the sitcom. But there's nothing standard about Alonzo, who is winning and ebullient enough to carry a show that so far needs a lot of carrying. Her acting is still a bit rough around the edges, but the potential is there. It should be great to watch her grow, here or elsewhere.
Matt Ryan
Who he plays
The demon-hunting hero of NBC's Constantine.
Why you might know him
He played Mick Rawson in the failed 2011 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior spinoff.
Why you might want to know him
Having tried, and mostly failed, to bring Hellblazer hero John Constantine to big-screen life with Keanu Reeves, DC Comics now turns to the appropriately British Matt Ryan. It's a great idea. Ryan captures Constantine's dry wit and tortured soul, and wraps them up in a very TV-friendly package. And, of course, he has the accent down pat.