The Hot List—Who Will Thrive in 2005?

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Josh Eagle

Since it's about to be the (secular) New Year, we here at JVibe thought it might be fun to do a little prognosticatin'. Below, you will find fivecelebs who we think are poised to make major moves in 2005. We're talking taking that next step to blow up stardom. Keep an eye out for these guys and gals and let's see how our predictions of greatness work out. Will they break from the stress of being named to the inaugural JVibe Hot List? Only time will tell. Here is part one of the list, check back next month for part two!

	1. Adam Brody You know him and love him as nerd-turned-cool kid Seth Cohen on the O.C., but this 25-year-old Californian is not content to sit back on his T.V. laurels. Look for Brody's breakthrough this year on the big screen with some heavy hitters. He co-stars with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," a comedy about a bored married couple that is surprised to learn that they are assassins hired to kill each other. We hope Brody doesn't get too big for the T.V., but 2005 could make a leading man out of him.
	2. Michelle Trachtenberg After a star turn as Dawn Summers on the now-defunct "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the young Miss Trachtenberg showed she's got the stuff to stick around the biz for a few years. In '04, she starred as "Jenny" in the underrated-yet-uproarious flick "Eurotrip." Next year looks to be even bigger for Michelle. She stars (alongside Joan Cusack and Sex in the City's Kim Cattrall) in the upcoming movie "Ice Princess" as a teen who dreams of becoming a championship figure skater. She also has several films in production.
	3. Natalie Portman How could '05 be any bigger for Natalie Portman than '04 was? Two words: Star Wars. Set to open on May 19, 2005, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith features Portman as the pregnant wife-in-secret of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). Can you say drama? Insiders say this could be a breakout role for Portman, but its hard to argue she hasn't already broken out. What with great roles in Garden State and Closer and all. Still, we think this could be the year for our favorite pro-Israel actress.
	4. Amy Winehouse Some of our British readers probably know about Amy, but we're hoping the talented Brit songstress gets a little better known across the pond. Her debut album "Frank" released in '04 had the music world raving about this talented 19-year-old. One reviewer says of Winehouse," Her vocals are a cross between the grittiness of Macy Gray and the sweetness of Erykah Badu," and we couldn't agree more. If you want a sample of her skills, check out the soundtrack for "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" where she croons "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Yes, Amy we will love you tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that...
	5. Josh Pastner College basketball generally is not a Jewish guy's game. Josh Pastner might just change that perspective. The 27-year-old Kingwood, Texas native first made his mark on the hardwood as a player for the Wildcats in 1996, and did many of the small behind the scenes things that helped his team win an NCAA Championship and two Pac-10 titles during his playing career. Pastner often served as a coach-in-training as a player, helping break down game tapes and scout opponents. In his eight years as a coach and player with the program, Arizona has an impressive 204-60 (.773) record. If the Wildcats can continue to do some good things (they are currently ranked #15 in the nation), it's not hard to imagine Pastner filling the head coaching shoes at a major program before long.