From mind-thrilling Netflix shows to action-comedy movies, black actresses have made their strong mark in the Film industry. Take any streaming platform, including Netflix, Amazon prime, Disney+, Hulu, etc., today there are hardly any tv-series, and web shows without black women.
These female celebrities from the black community have amazed the world with their creative talent, dedication, and of course, beauty. If you’re also a fan of these black beauties, you’ll love to read about the best black actresses under 40 in Hollywood!
Today in this blog, we’ve made a list of the top 30+ young black actresses under 40 in this year. These powerful female black actresses in their 40s are from all industries like music, Television, beauty & skincare, film, Broadway, perfumes, clothing ranges, and more.
So, get your favorite tea, and let’s start with the list of black actresses under 40.
Top 30 Young Black Actresses Under 40
1. Zendaya – 27 Years
- Date of Birth: September 1, 1996
- Place of Birth: Oakland, California, USA
- Height: 1.74 m
Zendaya is currently just 26 years old and made a mark in Hollywood with her extraordinary talent. She is currently a model, actress, dancer, artist, and singer.
She models for many high-end luxury brands such as Valentino, Macy’s, Mervyns, and Old Navy. However, movies like Spiderman homecoming, euphoria, and Dune have proven her amazing acting skills.
2. Rihanna – 36 Years
- Date of birth: February 20, 1988
- Place of birth: Saint Michael, Barbados
- Height: 1.73 m
Super Bowl Half Time – A performance by Rihanna that can’t be forgotten for many years!
In this show, she once again proved she is the ‘Queen of the Pop industry.’ Wearing a completely red outfit and performing on stage 15–60 feet off the ground while announcing her second pregnancy.
She is the youngest solo artist who has made many times on the top 100 Billboard list. Apart from her hot performance, she always looks hot and sexy thanks to her great dressing sense. This is why she was on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.
3. Zoe Kravitz – 35 years
- Date of Birth: December 1, 1988
- Place of Birth: USA
- Height: 1.75 m
We all remember this actress for her classy and fierce performance in the Game of Thrones series. Zoe Kravitz, also known as ‘Mother of Dragons,’ is among the finest black actresses under 40. She is the daughter of popular musicians Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz.
This black woman gives stunning acting performances in movies like X-Men: First Class, The Brave One, and No Reservations. Maxim also ranked her in their Hot 100 List of 2017.
4. Coco Jones – 26 Years
- Date of Birth: January 4, 1998
- Place of Birth: Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Height: 1.75 m
Do you want to see pure black beauty? Check her out in the above picture!
She is Coco Jones who is a talented rapper, singer, and actress. This actress started working at the age of 12, and in 2016, she appeared in ‘Grandma’s house’ where she got so much fame. She also featured in TV shows such as Vampires vs. The Bronx, White Elephant, Bel-Air, Good Luck Charlie, and many more.
5. Zazie Beetz – 32 Years
- Date of Birth: June 1, 1991
- Place of Birth: Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Height: 1.68 m
Born in Germany, Zazie Beetz started her career with different roles, like a waitress in short films. However, after getting her role in the TV series Atlanta, she showed the world her amazing acting skills.
She is great at acting and looks so attractive! You can’t take your eyes off her! If you want to see her more, watch movies such as Deadpool 2, Extinct, Joker, Bad Guys, etc.
6. Keke Palmer – 30 Years
- Date of Birth: August 26, 1993
- Place of Birth: Harvey, Illinois, USA
- Height: 1.68 m
Now let’s talk about one of the most beautiful young black female actresses under 40, Keke Palmer. Look at her beautiful complexion and glowy skin! Apart from her attractive appearance, she is well known for her singing and acting skills.
She appeared in various television shows like Cold Case, Law and Order: SVU, ER, and Second Time Around, etc. she has already won several awards and acclaim.
7. Kat Graham – 34 years
- Date of Birth: September 5, 1989
- Place of Birth: Geneva, Switzerland
- Height: 1.57 m
Yes, she is the ‘Bonnie Bennett Witch’ from the popular television series ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ you guessed it right! Before acting and singing, Kat Graham started her career as a dancer. This black beauty proved to the world that complexion, gender, and race have nothing to do with acting skills.
8. Ajiona Alexus – 28 Years
- Date of Birth: March 16, 1996
- Place of Birth: Tuskegee, Alabama, United States
- Height: 1.68 m
The next young black actress on our list is Ajiona Alexus. She was praised for her stage performance in “A Raisin In The Sun,” After this, she started working in films. She works as DeAnna in the famous The Rickey Smiley Show. Right now, she has over 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
9. Nicole Beharie – 39 Years
- Date of Birth: January 3, 1985
- Place of Birth: Florida, United States
- Height: 1.55 m
You may have recognized her from the Fox supernatural drama series Sleepy Hollow. Nicole Beharie has also worked in other TV shows like American Violet (2008), the psychological drama Shame (2011), the biographical sports drama 42 (2013), and the independent drama Miss Juneteenth (2020). This stunning black woman has won the hearts of many people with her gorgeous looks, stunning acting skills, and positive attitude toward life.
10. Samantha Logan – 27 Years
- Date of Birth: October 27, 1996
- Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Height: 1.7 m
Samantha Logan is among the American black actresses under 40, well known for her role in 13 Reasons Why and Gossip Girl. She also made guest appearances in various shows, and later she started her journey in 666 Park Avenue with Vanessa Williams. Her other memorable roles are Teen Wolf, General Hospital, The Fosters, Melissa & Joey, etc.
11. Jaylen Barron – 25 Years
- Date of Birth: August 31, 1997
- Place of Birth: Reno, Nevada, USA
- Height: 1.63 m
She is known for her strong roles as Dominique Winslow in the Zoe Phillips in the Netflix drama series Free Rein and Showtime series Shameless. Born on August 31, 1997, Jaylen Barron started her career journey at an early age. After her success in tv series, she also appeared in several other popular shows like Good Luck Charlie, Twelve Forever, Shake it Up, Shameless, etc.
12. Kylie Bunbury – 35 years
- Date of Birth: January 30, 1989
- Place of Birth: Montreal, Canada
- Height: 1.73 m
One of the most versatile black actresses under 40 is Kylie Bunbury. She is a Canadian-American actress. She started as a model, but she was always inclined toward acting.
So, she started her first acting job as Kathleen in Days of Our Lives. After this, she played several roles in TV series; however, her first drama as the lead actress was Brave New World.
13. Jordin Sparks – 34 Years
- Date of Birth: December 22, 1989
- Place of Birth: Arizona, United States
- Height: 1.78 m
Jordin Sparks is an American singer who gained immense fame and success after winning the television reality show ‘American Idol’ in 2007. Just in a span of a decade, she not only performed in many shows and venues and also released three albums. This led to her many award nominations, including a Grammy! Isn’t she one of the pretty black actresses under 40?
14. Letitia Wright – 30 Years
- Date of Birth: October 31, 1993
- Place of Birth: Georgetown, Guyana
- Height: 1.65 m
This woman has gained global recognition from her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther. This also made her win the NAACP Image Award and a SAG Award. Apart from this, she has also worked in many other popular movies like Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
15. China Anne McClain – 25 Years
- Date of Birth: August 25, 1998
- Place of Birth: Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Height: 1.61 m
Born in 1998, China Anne McClain and her sisters are a part of the widely popular girl band 3mcclaingirls. Later they changed their name to Thrii and continued their spectacular musical journey.
China Anne McClain also appeared on hit Television shows such as Daddy’s Little Girls, The Gospel, House of Payne, Black Lightning, and many more. If you want to know more about China Anne McClain’s life, you can follow her on youtube. She has a youtube channel where she frequently shares videos of their life and music.
16. Amandla Stenberg – 25 Years
- Date of Birth: October 23, 1998
- Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Height: 1.6 m
Amandla Steinberg – one of the most influential teens in 2015 and 2016! (according to Time magazine)
Amandla Sternberg is a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and identifies themself as non-binary with they/them pronouns. They have done many interesting roles in movies like The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give, Sleepy Hollow, and Columbiana.
17. Yara Shahidi – 24 Years
- Date of Birth: February 10, 2000
- Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Height: 1.68 m
Yara Shahidi is a popular personality known for her acting roles and woman activist. She also has created a platform, ‘Eighteen x 18’, in partnership with NowThis. Yara Shahidi is active in creating awareness about voting rights. She informs all the first-time voters about the voting process.
She also opened a women’s empowerment club called Yara’s Club. You can see her remarkable acting skills in projects like Alex Cross, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, Small foot, Black-ish, Salt, etc.
18. KiKi Layne – 32 Years
- Date of Birth: December 10, 1991
- Place of Birth: Ohio, United States
- Height: 1.76 m
Born in Ohio, United States, KiKi Layne is an American actress. She is famous for her roles in romantic movies like If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), the drama Native Son (2019), the action superhero film The Old Guard (2020), and Coming 2 America (2021).
19. Drea Castro – 39 Years
- Date of Birth: July 29, 1984
- Place of Birth: Philippines
- Height: 1.70 m
Drea Castro is counted as one of the finest black actresses under 40 who has been slaying in the industry for a long time. She is in her mid-thirties and still looks as beautiful as in her younger days.
Apart from acting, she is also a good writer. She has already proved herself through her work, for which she gets praise and admiration.
20. Sydney Park – 26 Years
- Date of Birth: October 31, 1997
- Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Height: 1.65 m
Only a few black women have great careers in comedy roles in Hollywood, and one of them is Sydney Park. This young black actress participated in America’s Got Talent for the first season and stayed till the semi-finals. She was also the youngest female comedian to perform at the Hollywood Improv theater.
Sydney Park also worked on several projects, including Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven, AwesomenessTV, The Sarah Silverman Project, etc. She is definitely one of the best black comedic actresses under 40.
21. Cindy Bruna – 29 Years
- Date of Birth: September 27, 1994
- Place of Birth: Saint-Raphaël, France
- Height: 1.82 m
Cindy Bruna was born in France to Stefano Bruna and Eléonore. Her dream was to become a chartered accountant; however, she applied to modeling school. In 2013, she walked for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
After this, she participated in shows and campaigns for many big brands like H&M, Prada, L’Oreal, Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Michael Kors, etc. She has walked for many popular international designers, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Anthony Vaccarello, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Zuhair Murad, and many more.
22. Paige Hurd – 31 Years
- Date of Birth: July 20, 1992
- Place of Birth: Dallas, Texas, USA
- Height: 1.63 m
We all know Paige Hurd from her hit sitcom Everybody Hates Chris as Tasha Clarkson. Do you know the rapper DMX? This is his granddaughter! Not only this, but Paige Hurd also played his daughter in the movie Cradle 2.
You can also see her incredible work in many series, including Hawaii Five-O, Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Power Book II: Ghost, Tyler Perry’s The Oval, Time Out, etc. She is counted among the top young actresses under 40.
23. Teyonah Parris – 36 Years
- Date of Birth: September 22, 1987
- Place of Birth: Hopkins, South Carolina, USA
- Height: 1.65 m
The next female celebrity on our list of best black actresses under 40 is Teyonah Parris. This woman is a well-known name in the industry, and as an actress and producer, she has done many successful projects like Dear White People (2014), Chi-Raq (2015), and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).
Teyonah Parris received many awards, such as Black Reel Awards, Screen Actors, and nominations, including Guild Awards and NAACP Image Awards.
24. Madison Pettis – 25 Years
- Date of Birth: July 22, 1998
- Place of Birth: Arlington, Texas, USA
- Height: 1.6 m
Madison Pettis is another one of the most famous black actresses under 40 that we can’t skip on our list. She first started doing small roles in Barney and Friends; however, her breaking point is the role of Peyton Kelly (Dwayne Johnson’s daughter) in Game Plan. This character gained immense popularity worldwide.
Some of her best shows are Cory In The House, Hannah Montana, Phineas and Ferb, and Jake and The Never Land Pirates. She also appeared in movies like He’s All That, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, and American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules.
25. Amber Stevens West – 37 years
- Date of Birth: October 7, 1986
- Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States.
- Height: 1.75 m
Now let’s talk about the Californian black beauty Amber Stevens West. She is 33, yet her looks and acting are enough to mesmerize people. Another interesting fact about her is that she is the daughter of Shadoe Stevens.
When anyone comes from a family of actors, people expect so much from them. The same thing happened to Amber Stevens West. The positive thing is she didn’t let anyone down! Every role played by her has proven her good acting skills.
26. Storm Reid – 20 Years
- Date of Birth: July 1, 2003
- Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Height: 1.7 m
Storm Reid is another popular black female celebrity under 40. She has come a long way from doing minor roles and cameos to leading the cast in a world-famous and award-winning show.
Some of her notable appearances in films like Don’t Let Go, The Invisible Man, Suicide Squad, Sleight, etc.
27. Jasmine Tookes – 33 Years
- Date of Birth: February 1, 1991
- Place of Birth: California, United States
- Height: 1.74 m
One of the top models for Victoria’s Secret, Jasmine Tookes, truly looks like an angel! She has walked for many prestigious designers and brands such as Carolina Herrera, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs, and many more.
Apart from modeling, she has also appeared in advertising campaigns for Jimmy Choo, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Lancôme, Kate Spade, Gap, and Victoria’s Secret. In 2016, she was chosen to wear the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Fantasy Bra worth $3 million. This made her the 3rd black woman to wear the fantasy bra.
28. Skai Jackson – 21 Years
- Date of Birth: April 8, 2002
- Place of Birth: New York City, USA
- Height: 1.58
Skai Jackson begins her career journey as a child model in ads for Old Navy, Band-Aid, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi. After some time, she started getting projects and films like Bubble Guppies, Liberty Kid, Smurfs, Boardwalk Empire, etc.
She gets immense fame and success after her roles as Zuri Ross in Jessie, DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Raiders, Glory Grant in Marvel Rising, Bunk’d, Austin & Ally, Dora The Explorer, etc., She has proved to the world that with the right attitude towards life and hard work, you can achieve anything in your life.
29. Ella Balinska – 27 Years
- Date of Birth: October 4, 1996
- Place of Birth: London, England, UK
- Height: 1.81 m
The next black female celebrity on the list is Ella Balinska, a British actress. She completed her studies in drama and acting at the Guildford School of Acting. She struggled a bit and was getting minor roles. However, later she was cast as Nyela Malik in The Athena. She is among the best black British actresses under 40 who appeared in Charlie’s Angels as Jane Kano and Run Sweetheart Run.
30. Kiersey Clemons – 30 Years
- Date of Birth: December 17, 1993
- Place of Birth: Pensacola, Florida, USA
- Height: 1.7 m
The last most famous black actress under 40 is Kiersey Clemons. This actress identifies as queer and prefers they/ them as pronouns. They are a producer, singer, and, of course, a great actress. We all know them from the comedy Dope. Kiersey debuted in Hollywood in 2010.
Since then, they have worked on many successful projects, such as Sweetheart, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Austin & Ally, Lady and the Tramp, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Angie Tribeca, etc.
Wrapping It Up
So, these are some of the best black actresses under 40. From the film industry to the beauty industry, black women are making history in every field! All these women worked really hard to get where they are right now! With their remarkable acting skills and gorgeous beauty, these young black actresses under 40 have captured the hearts of millions. So, take inspiration from these black female actresses under 40 and start your life journey positively.
More from The Dezayno
