Faces of the future – the ones to watch in 2026

LEO REICH

Leo, 26, is one of the most talked-about voices in British comedy. Following his acclaimed solo stand-up Literally Who Cares?!, he landed a role written for him by Lena Dunham and starred in her Netflix series Too Much in May. His latest project, the six-part comedy series It Gets Worse, is for Channel 4, and in it he plays Ethan, one of three university friends navigating life in London in their mid-20s. Moving beyond the microphone and into full-blown show-runner mode, watch him fly in 2026

YAEL VAN DER WOUDEN

Yael van der Wouden has pulled off one of the decade’s standout literary breakthroughs. Her debut, The Safekeep, swept the 2024 Booker Prize and the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction, cementing her as a major new voice. Born in Tel Aviv and raised in the Netherlands, she tackles post-war guilt and fractured families with striking clarity, attracting both critics and committed fans. She’s now completed the first draft of her second novel, set in a 1930s fishing village and following a woman fighting for a divorce.

I hope to work at the intersection between Jewish studies, critical antisemitism studies and literature

CHLOE PINTO

An academic specialising in literary representations of antisemitism, Chloe is currently examining“what happens when anti-Jewish and misogynistic prejudice collide”— a painfully timely subject given how reports of abuse against Israeli women by Hamas terrorists have been ignored, even by feminist groups. Named an emerging writer by the Genesis Foundation and Jewish Literary Foundation, her creative work centres on “a reimagining of the biblical story of Joseph, the one that we all know, the one that we’re all singing along to.” Alongside her writing, Pinto plans to remain in academia: “I hope to work at the intersection between Jewish studies, critical antisemitism studies and literature.” Her determination to understand — and push back against — the hatred faced by Jews, especially Jewish women, feels urgently needed.

DR BENJAMIN PALMER

The Israeli scientist was one of 2025’s standout young researchers, honoured with a Blavatnik Award for his pioneering work in biomineralisation — examining how organic crystals form and interact with light, opening doors to new sustainable optical materials and bio-inspired technologies. Palmer is part of the new wave of Israeli scientists gaining global attention for research that blends biology, physics and engineering.

CLARA AND ESTHER MCGREGOR

The daughters of Ewan McGregor and Jewish French-Greek production designer Eve Mavrakis are carving out their own creative paths. Both have spoken about growing up Jewish and had bat mitzvahs. Clara, 29, can currently be seen in the A24 road-movie Bleeding Love and soon in the thriller Noon and satire The Philosophy of Dress. She is also developing female-led projects through her company, Deux Dames Entertainment. Esther, 24, is in We Were Liars on Prime Video and is in A Place in Hell with Michelle Williams and Daisy Edgar-Jones. Together, the McGregor sisters are making the most of their cultural lineage.

SIGAL NACHSHEN

Harpist Sigal Nachshen has achieved what many young musicians spend years chasing: a coveted place in the National Youth Orchestra. A Hasmonean alum now at Henrietta Barnett, she has long been performing with a harp almost taller than she was. Now she wants to bring orchestral music directly to teens through workshops and school outreach. She is firmly on track towards the country’s top orchestras.

BERTIE

Singer-songwriter Bertie Newman, 23, is one of the younger UK artists gaining attention this year, thanks to a growing Instagram presence and a run of warm, lo-fi demos. His candid lyrics and understated indie-popsound began circulating more  widely after a February post spiked in views, and tracks like Weekend Lovers, Skin and I’m Only Gonna Break Your Heart have helped build his following. Raised Jewish in Hackney — he once sang in a synagogue choir —Bertie’s standout voice promises success with
more new music expected in 2026.

KIT RAKUSEN

Actor and Kit Rakusen is emerging as one of the most interesting young performers of the year. The surname rightly rings a bell as his great-great-grandfather was Abraham Rakusen, founder of the Leeds matzo company, though Kit only discovered this recently, he told the audience at the UKJFF screening of short Beshert.

Starring opposite Anton Lesser, it’s his most intimate role yet, building on an already impressive CV that includes BBC’s The Famous Five, Belfast, Golda and Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme. Lesser praised him
as “a rare young performer who listens with his whole face — it makes you lean in”. With more screen work on the way, Rakusen appears to have cracked it.

SIENNA SPIRO

The London-based singer-songwriter has been rising steadily since releasing her debut EP Sink Now, Swim Later in February, a moody, intimate mix of alt-pop with real emotional sharpness. Building momentum on TikTok and Instagram, where several clips have passed the million-view mark. Still in her early 20s, she’s widely tipped for a breakthrough in 2026.

JOSH ADLEY

He might not present them, but Josh Adley is the man behind some of the most popular podcasts around. His firm, Platform Media, is a video-first podcast company and having received briefs from Audible and the BBC it became clear to him that podcasting was “the direction things were going quite quickly”. After navigating various sales and mergers, Adley’s company is now behind hit shows like Traitors Uncloaked and has worked with England’s Women’s Rugby Team. Adley says he’s “never been that forthcoming about my faith,” although this has changed as he has become more senior. The CEO also says that “it’s noticeable that in podcasting there are very few Jewish people,” making him, perhaps unwittingly,
something of a pioneer. Adley has now worked with some big names,
but his favourite collaborators? “Ramesh Ranganathan is one of my favourite comedians and we launched the show with him a couple of months ago, which was a really proud moment. The person I’ve been most impressed with over the years of working closely together is Olivia Attwood,” he says of the former Love Islander. And the dream collaboration for the future? “Larry David.”

JACOB AGAR

The singer-songwriter and cantor has gained serious traction following the release of his album In Search of Silence in October — a blend of classical, rock and Jewish spiritual influences. Born in Baku and raised in the US, Agar has spoken about how his grandfather’s funeral redirected his artistic compass toward liturgy and memory. A shul cantor since 2020, he’s carving out a space where contemporary songwriting and sacred music meet.

NAOMI GIRMA

The California-born defender of Ethiopian Jewish heritage made global sports headlines this year with her January transfer to Chelsea FC Women — a landmark $1.1 million deal, the first million-dollar transfer in women’s football. After dominating the NWSL and captaining Stanford, she’s now shaping up to be one of Europe’s defining football talents.