The Hottest Breakout Stars of 2011

Thomas McDonell - the ruggedly attractive 24-year-old star of the new movie Prom (out April 29th) – isn’t the most natural choice for Disney’s next High School Musical-style franchise. Since graduating from NYU a few years ago, McDonell, son of Sports Illustrated editor Terry McDonell, has lived a very un-Zac Efron-y downtown bohemian lifestyle – exhibiting artwork at New York galleries and making music with his band, Moon. “They like for their actors to be the characters in the film,” he says of Disney. “Or if they’re not, they try to meld them. They really are feeling the meld.” So how did he get the part? “I tricked them,” he says, laughing. “Just kidding, I didn’t trick them.”

-Doree Shafrir