Young Americans were more than twice as likely to choose an unfamiliar actor as an influencer to star in the stories they watch, according to a UCLA-affiliated report released on October 21.
The finding gives studios and content businesses a reason to test a familiar assumption: a large social-media following does not necessarily mean audiences want that creator in a leading screen role.
In the Center for Scholars & Storytellers’ 2026 Teens and Screens report, 39.8% of respondents would cast a new actor, compared with 38.2% choosing a known actor and 16.8% choosing an influencer.
The annual survey covered about 1,500 US participants ages 10 to 24. Its racial and gender makeup broadly reflected US Census demographics, according to UCLA’s announcement.
Short videos and movie theaters coexist
Respondents recognized storytelling across several formats. YouTube was selected by 72.9% when they were asked which media can tell a story, followed closely by television at 70.3% and movies at 70.2%.
Those responses concern perceptions of a medium’s storytelling ability. They are not shares of viewing time, subscription spending or advertising revenue.
Going to a new movie in a theater also ranked first among the weekend activities offered in the survey, for the third consecutive year. Playing a new video game ranked second.
For entertainment companies, the combination argues against treating enthusiasm for short videos as proof that long-form entertainment has lost its audience. The survey records stated preferences; actual attendance also depends on ticket prices, available titles and access to a theater.
Interest in AI stories differs from choosing AI as a medium
The report separately asked about stories involving artificial intelligence and AI’s ability to tell stories. Enjoying a subject and accepting a production method are different questions.
Just over half chose fascination or excitement when describing their reactions to stories about AI. About 32% chose feeling doomed or scared. Yet only 41.3% identified AI as a medium capable of telling a story, placing it sixth among eight options.
Age differences also appeared in reactions to AI-themed stories. A business commissioning entertainment for children should be careful about applying responses from older young adults to its own audience.
The same caution applies to influencer casting. A preference in a questionnaire cannot establish that replacing a creator with a newcomer will increase ticket sales or make a production profitable. The survey did not compare the commercial performance of otherwise identical films with different casts.
Audience research has to guide a specific decision
The report was written by Stephanie Rivas-Lara and Yalda T. Uhls. Research support came from Roblox, YouTube, Hopelab, the Nielsen Foundation and Warner Bros. Discovery, including businesses with commercial interests in entertainment.
It is an audience survey, with a broad age range, rather than an experiment establishing which casting or distribution strategy generates the highest return.
For a producer, the findings can inform narrower market research: whether viewers recognize a proposed star, whether they want to watch that person in a particular role, and whether the story appeals to the intended age group.
Those questions should be tested separately. A creator can help a project reach people without being their preferred lead actor. An unknown performer can appeal in a survey without supplying the promotional reach a distributor needs. Casting appeal, audience reach and willingness to pay each require evidence of their own.
