'Heroes' Adds To The Youth Factor

In that list were at least three actors who are under 22, thus making them eligible (and eventually nominated) for the SyFy Genre Awards Best Young Actor category.

Noah Gray-Cabey is one of the actors nominated, best known for playing the young Micah who can fix just about anything electronic by simply touching it. While most of the "Heroes" season focused on Ali Larter's split-personality character taking care of him, Micah ended up coming into his own by the season finale using his abilities to help stop Sylar (Zachary Quinto) from blowing up New York City.

One of the most famous faces from "Heroes" who even got a whole advertising campaign featuring her was Hayden Paniettere, the cheerleader, Claire Bennett, which if she was saved, the world was saved.

Panettiere had probably the biggest challenges as an actress, playing some very powerful roles opposite of recurring guest star Thomas Dekker, as her gay/not-so-gay sidekick Zach, who also got nominated. Dekker, who left the show before the end of the first season, appears to have a very promising future as he's set to star in the new Fox series "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" based on the Terminator films.

Also getting nominated Ivana Baquero, who gave audiences an amazing performance -- even if it is all in Spanish -- in one of my favorite films of last year, "Pan's Labyrinth." It's tough playing a young girl trapped in the 1940s war zone, trying to interact with monsters scary enough to make even the strong-stomached adults squirm.

And then what's a Young Actor category without everyone's favorite psychic, "The 4400's" Conchita Campbell, who continues to blow away the work of many of the other much older actors on the show (and don't get me wrong, they do pretty darn good themselves).

Speaking of "Heroes" (well, that is, if the young nominees are still fresh in your mind), the show did yet another killing in the Best Special Guest/Television category with three nominations, including two from the ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston.

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