UPCUT. ｜Top 10 Vertical Drama Male Actors: Actors’ Place in the Scroll

In the vertical world, actors no longer enter.
They pass through.

They don’t wait for the audience to settle in.
They are seen, judged, and remembered in the instant of a thumb’s scroll.

Top 10 Actors’ Place in the Scroll is not a ranking, and not a deep analysis.
It is a snapshot of fit.

Each name on this list represents a specific way of surviving the scroll.
It observes how a body reads in close-up, how emotion lands without setup, and how presence holds just long enough before the viewer moves on.

—AMY

Jarred Harper

Jarred was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from The University of Georgia with a Bachelors Degree in Business. 

Jarred Harper gained early traction through highly visible relationship-centric vertical dramas such as

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (2024),

a title that appears across multiple IMDb short drama lists and has been recognized by community curations as one of the resonant hooks in mobile-first storytelling.

Harper’s performances in these ensemble romance narratives foreground chemistry and responsive interaction, rather than isolated star turn, aligning him with audience preferences for connection-driven arcs on vertical platforms.

Industry observers have noted his tendency to treat vertical scenes as “compressed emotional exchanges,” a philosophy that shows in his warm, reactive screen presence and his appeal as a chemistry-first romantic lead whose recognition grows with engaged viewer discussion.

Jackson Tiller

Jackson is among the most frequently re-cast male leads in the North American vertical drama ecosystem

Jackson Tiller is among the most frequently re-cast male leads in the North American vertical drama ecosystem, with series credits including
Falling for a Superstar 2 (2025),
From
Contract Lover
to
the Billionaire’s Bride (2024), and
I Can Never Be Yours (2024)
appearing on IMDb actor lists. These projects often inhabit the mid-to-high visibility tiers within community-charted vertical drama catalogs and demonstrate Tiller’s ability to sustain narrative momentum across seasons and variations of romance plotlines.

In interviews, Tiller has noted that “vertical drama rewards closeness, not performance size,” a sentiment reflected in his camera-aware, understated acting style.
His versatility — able to shift between aspirational romance and grounded emotional conflict — has made him a dependable anchor for platforms seeking repeatable success and viewer retention.

Eric Guilmette

Guilmette consistently demonstrates the clarity and emotional legibility necessary for mobile-screen storytelling

Eric Guilmette has become a familiar face to vertical-drama audiences through a run of romance-driven series including titles such as
You Belong With Me
and others that circulate widely on vertical drama actor lists on IMDb.

In these setups, Guilmette consistently demonstrates the clarity and emotional legibility necessary for mobile-screen storytelling, where scenes unfold in rapid succession and character beats must register instantly.

In industry discussions, Guilmette has often emphasized that vertical acting is about “clarity over scale,” a philosophy reflected in his direct, emotionally grounded performances. His appeal lies in reliability: he reads quickly on mobile screens and anchors romantic narratives without overwhelming them, leading to platforms repeatedly selecting him for lead roles designed to convert and retain viewers.

Seth Edeen

His appeal emerges from this blend of physical presence and emotional nuance...

Seth Edeen is known for his work in
Breaking the Ice (2024),
a TV mini-series listed on IMDb where he plays a central role, and which has been highlighted in short drama actor lists.
His background, including a stint as a collegiate athlete before transitioning to dramatic work, lends a grounded physicality and emotional honesty to his screen presence.

In interviews and press features outside the vertical genre, Edeen has spoken about the importance of authenticity and emotional accessibility in performance, attributes that translate well to vertical formats where audiences crave readable and relatable beats.

His appeal emerges from this blend of physical presence and emotional nuance, making him a stable choice for character-driven narratives that emphasize personal growth and relational complexity.

Ben Taylor

An actor who understands how to
“hold emotional weight in close-up”

Ben Taylor has emerged as a recognizable presence in the vertical drama space through a series of romance-forward titles including
Final Call for Love (2024),
Twin’s Love Trap for Billionaire Dad (2024),
and the more recent
Miss You After Goodbye (2025).
These projects place him firmly within the emotional-romance lane of mobile storytelling, where narrative momentum is driven by intimacy, regret, and unresolved attachment rather than spectacle.

Taylor has been described in interviews and audience discussions as an actor who understands how to “hold emotional weight in close-up,” and his performances often lean into quiet sincerity and sustained eye-level connection with the camera. His appeal lies in emotional steadiness and approachability, positioning him as a reliable romantic lead for vertical dramas that prioritize longing, reconciliation, and relational depth over heightened fantasy.

Noah Fearnley

Fearnley’s screen energy balances charismatic assertiveness with vulnerable beats

Noah Fearnley has made a name for himself in vertical drama circles through his role in
Mr. CEO, Ms. Samantha Has Three Months Left (2024),
a TV mini-series credit listed on IMDb that highlights Fearnley in a leading character arc involving corporate entanglements and romantic complication.
This project places him within the narrative archetype of “ambitious professional with emotional stakes,” a popular template for mobile audiences.

Fearnley’s screen energy balances charismatic assertiveness with vulnerable beats, and he has been described on fan forums as an actor who can pivot between comedic beats and intimate drama in formats tailored to short-form attention patterns.

Sam Myerson

His performances in vertical series often leverage a blend of grounded emotional beats and relatable presence...

Sam Myerson is documented on IMDb for his role as Daniel Rodney in
Love You Beyond 6 Months (2025),
a TV mini-series credit that situates him within the vertical drama ecosystem. Beyond his on-screen roles, Myerson has been featured in industry publications like Medium’s Meet Sam Myerson: Hollywood’s Next Guilty Pleasure, which highlights his versatility as an actor, writer, and content creator capable of bridging multiple formats.

His performances in vertical series often leverage a blend of grounded emotional beats and relatable presence, and commenters note that Myerson easily transitions between romantic earnestness and broader ensemble dynamics, making him a compelling figure for platforms balancing character depth with mobile engagement.

Leif Erik Offerdahl

His performances often emphasize restraint and emotional withholding...

Leif Erik Offerdahl has carved out a niche through tension-driven vertical dramas such as
The Boy I Hate (2025),
a credit noted on IMDb actor lists. His performances often emphasize restraint and emotional withholding, qualities that resonate in genres where atmospheric buildup and narrative slow burns are prized by viewers. Offerdahl’s approach to vertical storytelling has been described in industry circles as letting “silence do the work,” leveraging close-up framing and micro-expressions to communicate stakes without melodrama.

His appeal lies in controlled intensity — a useful counterpoint to the more overt romantic archetypes that populate the format and a bridge toward audiences seeking depth and psychological texture.

Elijah Van Zanten

Van Zanten’s body of small and ensemble roles suggests a comfort with vulnerability and relational tension...

Elijah Van Zanten’s background, as referenced on IMDb vertical drama actor lists, shows a trajectory rooted in emotionally expressive screen work that suits intimacy-heavy formats. Though formal press interviews specific to his vertical roles are limited, Van Zanten’s body of small and ensemble roles suggests a comfort with vulnerability and relational tension — traits that serve vertical romance and conflict genres well.

His presence has been noted in community-curated actor lists, and his screen persona tends to emphasize emotional transparency, making him a reliable choice for narratives that foreground viewer empathy and character dynamics over spectacle.

Cayman Cardiff

His appeal lies in polished charisma and screen elegance, positioning him as a genre-friendly lead

Cayman Cardiff’s IMDb profile identifies him as an actor appearing in multiple vertical drama mini-series, including
Santa Send Me a Billionaire Husband (2024)
and
Good Girl Gone Bad (2025),
where he inhabits roles that blend romance with aspirational fantasy. Community databases also list Cardiff’s active engagement in the vertical drama space with a wide range of credits spanning alpha-lead archetypes and genre hybrids.

Cardiff has spoken in video features about his appreciation for the fast-paced world of vertical storytelling and the challenge of creating compelling presence within compressed narrative timeframes. His appeal lies in polished charisma and screen elegance, positioning him as a genre-friendly lead who bridges traditional romance tropes with short-form consumption patterns.

Images used in this article are sourced from the public internet and are presented for editorial context only. All rights remain with their respective owners.

✱