In the ever-shifting world of film and television, the limelight can be fickle, shining brightly on some while leaving others in the shadows, no matter how deserving they may be. Two actors—Harry Melling and KiKi Layne—each with their own distinct paths and challenges, are prime examples of this dynamic. Both have amassed impressive bodies of work, yet the recognition they receive often seems to lag behind their talent and contributions.
Harry Melling, the English actor perhaps first known to many as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise, has steadily worked his way into the upper echelons of dramatic performance. As reported by Deadline, Melling was recently signed by CAA for representation, a move that underscores his rising profile and demand in the industry. This comes at a particularly busy time for Melling, who is poised to appear opposite Alexander Skarsgård in the drama Pillion. The film, directed by Harry Lighton in his feature debut, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and is slated for a U.S. release by A24—a studio renowned for championing distinctive, auteur-driven cinema.
Melling’s recent projects read like a who’s who of contemporary film talent and auteurs. He finished filming Butterfly Jam alongside Barry Keoghan and Riley Keough, another indicator of his growing cachet. One of his most notable performances in recent years was as Edgar Allan Poe in Scott Cooper’s Netflix thriller The Pale Blue Eye, where he starred opposite Christian Bale. The film offered Melling a chance to delve into the gothic and cerebral, a challenge he met with aplomb.
But Melling’s resume doesn’t stop there. He’s appeared in Joel Coen’s adaptation of The Tragedy of Macbeth with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, the Netflix sensation The Queen’s Gambit with Anya Taylor-Joy, and the Coen brothers’ anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs with Liam Neeson. Other credits include the Venice-premiering Harvest, Michael Winterbottom’s Shoshana, the brooding thriller The Devil All the Time with Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, Please Baby Please with Andrea Riseborough, and the action-packed The Old Guard alongside Charlize Theron and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It’s a list that would make many actors envious, yet Melling’s name is still, for some, just on the cusp of household recognition.
His talents aren’t confined to the screen. On television, Melling has appeared in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, the BBC and PBS Masterpiece series that continues the acclaimed adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s novels. On stage, he’s tackled roles in King Lear opposite Glenda Jackson at the Old Vic, Mother Courage and Her Children at the National Theatre, Harold Pinter’s The Hothouse, and the Olivier-nominated comedy Hand to God. Such diversity speaks to an actor who isn’t afraid to stretch himself, whether in the classics or contemporary fare.
While Melling’s star is clearly on the rise, his journey has been one of steady, sometimes quiet, accumulation of accolades rather than meteoric, headline-grabbing leaps. His recent signing with CAA suggests that the industry is taking note, and with a slate of high-profile projects on the horizon, broader recognition seems not just possible, but likely.
KiKi Layne’s story, in many ways, mirrors Melling’s in terms of underappreciation, but the specifics are uniquely her own. Since making her acting debut in 2015, Layne has built a career defined by powerful performances that, more often than not, have flown under the awards radar. According to TVOvermind, Layne’s breakout came with Barry Jenkins’ 2018 romantic drama If Beale Street Could Talk. As Clementine “Tish” Rivers, Layne portrayed a young woman in 1970s Harlem fighting to clear her fiancé’s name after a wrongful imprisonment. Critics lauded her for capturing “the quiet strength and remarkable sensitivity of a Black female character in the 1970s,” with many calling it a “stunning debut.” Yet, despite the film’s multiple accolades and Regina King’s Oscar and Golden Globe wins for supporting actress, Layne herself was overlooked by major award bodies. She received neither an Oscar nor a Golden Globe nomination, a snub that still stings for those who champion underrepresented voices in film.
Layne’s versatility became even more apparent with her role as Nile Freeman in Netflix’s 2020 superhero film The Old Guard. Starring alongside Charlize Theron and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Layne brought “a grounded intensity” to her character, a young U.S. Marine who discovers her immortality. Critics praised the film’s fresh take on the genre and Layne’s ability to hold her own amidst a star-studded cast. She reprised the role in 2025’s The Old Guard 2, which, with Uma Thurman joining and the plot centered around Layne’s Nile, gave her even more space to shine. Still, the performances did not translate into the kind of mainstream acclaim or awards buzz that such a central role might warrant.
In 2021, Layne took on the role of Princess Meeka in Coming 2 America, the long-awaited sequel to the Eddie Murphy classic. As the eldest daughter and rightful heir to Zamunda’s throne, Layne’s character was at the heart of a subplot about tradition and gender roles. Yet, as TVOvermind points out, her performance was “largely underutilized” and “didn’t receive any nomination for her performance from any award institution.” The film itself was met with a lukewarm critical reception, and Layne, despite her best efforts, was overshadowed by the veteran ensemble.
Layne’s most recent role in the 2024 indie drama Dandelion saw her return to the festival circuit, leading the cast as the titular character. Premiering at South by Southwest, the film was widely regarded as a critical masterpiece, and Layne received praise not just for her acting but also for her musical performances—a side of her talent that had previously gone largely unnoticed. Still, as with so many of her projects, Dandelion “slipped past many awards radars,” leaving Layne’s richly layered performance underappreciated by the broader industry.
Both Melling and Layne exemplify the paradoxes of modern acting careers: immense talent, a string of impressive credits, and yet, a sense that the full measure of their abilities is still waiting to be recognized by the public at large. For Melling, the recent CAA signing and a growing list of high-profile roles suggest that his moment in the sun may be imminent. For Layne, the hope remains that her consistent excellence will, eventually, break through the noise and receive its due.
For audiences and critics alike, the stories of Harry Melling and KiKi Layne are a reminder that in Hollywood, recognition is never guaranteed—but sometimes, it’s only a matter of time.
