In this big year of entertainment 鈥� think 鈥淏arbenheimer,鈥� the twin conquests of Taylor Swift and Beyonc茅 and the jolting strikes by actors and writers 鈥� we witnessed five streaking stars. Their party was 2023.

, , and all set down markers in TV, film and music this year. The five have been named

Gladstone and Melton both snagged Golden Globe nominations and are getting Oscar buzz for their work in 鈥淜illers of the Flower Moon鈥� and 鈥淢ay December,鈥� respectively. Gladstone has been called at the heart of Martin Scorsese real-life tale of greed and treachery, while Melton in his movie about an actor preparing to play a Mary Kay Letourneau-like role.

A year of success for all the honorees puts all those years of working hard in perspective.

鈥淚 was walking dogs and working Chinese takeout seven years ago,鈥� Melton tells the AP.

For Gladstone, the weight of history is woven into her success. If she were to win an Academy Award, she鈥檇 become the first Native American to ever win a competitive Oscar. 鈥淚t would be an incredible moment in my life, but it would mean so much more than just me,鈥� she says.

On the small screen, Edebiri had a great 2023, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her role as Sydney Adamu on Hulu鈥檚 culinary dramedy and laughs for her portrayal of Josie in the satirical coming-of-age teen comedy 鈥淏ottoms.鈥�

鈥淚 was really fortunate to have people in my corner who were like, 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to help you. Like, why wouldn鈥檛 we?鈥欌�� she tells the AP.

Like her fellow honorees, but made the leap to pop star. She went from 鈥淢ean Girls鈥� on Broadway and Mindy Kaling鈥檚 鈥淭he Sex Lives of College Girls鈥� on TV to betting on herself and her music, releasing her first album, 鈥淪now Angel,鈥� and touring.

Of her experience as an actor, Rapp is honest: 鈥淚t was just like a welcomed blessing that was a means to get to what I wanted to do.鈥� Apparently others agree: 鈥淪now Angel鈥� debuted at No. 44 on Billboard 200 Album charts.

For Bowers, it鈥檚 all been about music right from the start. This year alone, the composer and pianist鈥檚 credits include 鈥淥rigin鈥� and 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥� in addition to 鈥淐hevalier,鈥� 鈥淨ueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,鈥� and 鈥淗aunted Mansion.鈥�

鈥淚 feel like the daily process is always trying to figure out the voice inside that鈥檚 telling me that I don鈥檛 belong or shouldn鈥檛 be here,鈥� he says.

For him and the four other honorees, the place they do belong is on the list of The Associated Press鈥� Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year.

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