Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
Remember when people sneered, "TikTokers? Making movies?" Yeah, toss that script. This isn’t about going viral anymore; it’s about building empires. What started as 15-second clips is now turning into major movie deals, studio projects, and executive producing credits. These creators have crossed over into film and television, landed record deals, voiced animation characters, and in some cases, even produced their own films.
Studios aren’t casting these creators for clout; they’re handing them keys. Why? Because they walk in with what Hollywood’s starving for: armies of fans who actually give a damn!
Here are 10 TikTok stars who didn’t stop at going viral. Instead, they turned their popularity into serious Hollywood power.
1. Charli D’Amelio (157M followers)
From TikTok to Apple TV+ and Disney+
She went from dancing in her room to being the face of a new generation. Charli’s three-season run on The D’Amelio Show gave her fans a closer look at her life, and it worked. More than 70% of her audience followed her to new projects. Now, she’s leading Apple TV+’s The Studio and producing dance films for Disney+. She’s not just performing; she’s making decisions behind the camera too.
Addison broke into acting with He’s All That, which went #1 in 78 countries on Netflix. She followed it up with a role in Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, showing she can go from high-school cute to slasher scream. With a seven-figure, multipicture deal with Netflix and an upcoming movie with Ryan Reynolds (Animal Friends), she’s clearly not here for just a cameo.
Bella’s journey is proof that one viral video can indeed start a new life. Her hit single Build a Btch crossed 500 million streams, but she didn’t stop at music. She voiced a character in DC League of Super-Pets and is now creating her own anime series for Crunchyroll, involved in every creative decision. It’s not just about fame for her; it’s about building a whole world.
Bryce has always been polarising, and that hasn’t changed in Hollywood. He’s co-starring in Skillhouse, a horror film produced by 50 Cent, but the drama hasn’t stayed on screen. A legal fight over creative control made headlines, and yet, his name keeps getting bigger. Like it or not, people are watching.
Hannah made her name on Vine and YouTube before TikTok, and now she’s turning all that into big-screen moments. She joins Bryce in Skillhouse and even voiced a version of herself on The Simpsons. She’s not trying to go viral anymore; she’s building a career that stretches far beyond short clips.
Rudy didn’t wait for someone to give him a role; he made his own. His Amazon Prime film Música is based on his life, and he wrote, directed, and starred in it. His next two films focus on immigrant stories, and he’s changing how stories are made: TikTok polls helped decide the movie ending, which saved 60% of marketing spend. He’s reinventing indie film, with Gen Z in the front row.
Often living in the shadow of her sister, Dixie’s making her own lane. Her song Be Happy made it to the Billboard charts, and she voiced a lead in StarDog and TurboCat. Alongside Charli, she co-led The D’Amelio Show. She might not be loud online, but she’s working, and it clearly shows.
Loren was once TikTok’s most-followed creator. Now, she’s starring in Netflix’s After Ever Happy and has over 1 billion music streams under her belt. Signed to Virgin Records, she’s one of the few to find real success in both music and acting, without ever losing her online edge.
Noah was a Division I soccer player before TikTok, and now he’s acting in indie movies like The Influence and appearing in an HBO Max reality series. He’s not chasing roles for fame; he’s choosing ones that let him grow, and it’s showing in the way his audience sticks around.
She made her mark with makeup and dance, but Avani’s acting résumé is growing fast. She starred in Bixler High Private Eye on Hulu and voiced a role in Netflix’s Marmaduke. She also won the 2019 Streamy for “Dance Creator of the Year.” She’s quietly becoming a reliable face in teen films, and producers are taking notice.
This isn’t about influencers "breaking into" Hollywood. It’s about Hollywood breaking open. These creators aren’t guests anymore; they’re building their own tables. Horror films. Rom-coms. Animation. Music. Production deals. They keep it real, know their fans like family, and won’t apologise for taking space.
It’s easy to dismiss viral fame as a trend. But these ten prove otherwise. They didn’t just ride a wave; they built boats. And now they’re steering them straight into Hollywood.
Ranveer Singh’s rugged new look anchors the high-energy music video.
Rapper Hanumankind makes his official Bollywood début with a fierce verse.
Modern take on the classic Punjabi folk tune 'Jogi'.
Glimpses of Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal in the mix.
The full trailer lands next month.
The Dhurandhar title track just hit the internet, and the noise around this spy thriller just went up a few notches. This is the track that pulls rapper Hanumankind into his first proper Bollywood playback moment. They have taken the old folk number 'Jogi' and built a power-packed version around it, a mix of earthy roots and straight-up aggressive energy that hits like a truck. It fits, honestly. It mirrors the film's whole gritty vibe and Ranveer Singh's battle-hardened look with that wild beard.
Hanumankind brings raw rap fire while Ranveer Singh owns 'Dhurandhar' music video Getty Images/ Youtube Screengrab/Saregama Music
What is the Dhurandhar title track about?
You get a proper blast of the film’s atmosphere from this track. The music video cuts fast between shots of a heavily bearded and muscular Ranveer Singh, looking every bit the part of a hardened operative. The video cuts to the other big names in the cast as well. Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal are all there in what appears to be a tense, dark situation. The music includes traditional Punjabi folk with a stronger, cinematic rhythm.
How did Hanumankind get involved in the Dhurandhar song?
It turns out his involvement was a pretty organic, almost spontaneous thing. Music composer Shashwat Sachdev opened up about how the rap section came together. Apparently, it happened during a late-night studio session with director Aditya Dhar and Hanumankind himself. They captured an impromptu performance that just clicked, bringing what Sachdev called a "raw, instinctive fire" to the whole track. For an artist known for his independent work, this Dhurandhar feature is a major step into the mainstream film scene.
All this build-up is heading towards a definite date. The makers confirmed it right at the end of the title track video. Dhurandhar is locked in for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 December of this year. For those who need more than a song to tide them over, the official trailer is promised for 12 November.
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