Film Independent released a list of the organization’s 2012 Independent Spirit Award nominees Tuesday, celebrating the best and brightest talents working in independent film.

But for industry watchdogs, the announcement offered a shortlist of performers and filmmakers who either promise to go on to great things, or return to former glories after remarkable creative resuscitations.

For a full list of the nominees, visit the Spirit Awards website. In the meantime, Celebuzz has taken a long look at a few of the names on that list that seem likely to make even bigger waves in the year to come, after introducing (or reintroducing) themselves in 2012.

Among the year’s big newcomers, Brit Marling delivered a knockout performance as a cult leader in the amazing Sound of My Voice, which she also wrote. The fact that she’s easy on the eyes (to say the least) is third among her most attractive attributes virtually ensures that she’s going to enjoy some great opportunities in the months ahead.

Conversely, Matthew McConaughey and Mary Elizabeth Winstead have been entertaining audiences for years, but delivered some of the best work of their careers in 2012 with Magic Mike and Smashed, respectively. Hopefully they will continue to find bigger, better and more challenging projects to keep them – and us – enthralled next year.

And while there are certainly others in Celebuzz’ gallery, Jennifer Lawrence may be its MVP, thanks to not only her critical but commercial moxie – after blowing out the box office with The Hunger Games, she returned in November with a standout (indeed – award-worthy) performance in David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook.

Make sure you peruse our gallery of prospective 2013 stars. In the meantime, watch the trailer for Silver Linings Playbook below.

After appearing in everything from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World to a remake of John Carpenter’s The Thing and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Mary Elizabeth Winstead has proven that she can transform herself into virtually any character a filmmaker requires.

But Winstead admits that co-writer and director James Ponsoldt presented her with a particularly daunting challenge when he offered her the role of Kate Hannah, a school teacher struggling with alcoholism, in the independent drama Smashed.

“One of the things he said to me was this has to be the best drunk ever portrayed on screen,” she tells Celebuzz. “So it was a lot of pressure, but I totally understood where he was coming from; there is no way of failing this – that’s just not an option.”

How did Winstead find the humanity in the film’s flawed characters?

In Smashed, Winstead’s character decides early in the film to try and stop drinking, a decision which her husband (played by Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul) doesn’t have the strength to support. But the actress says she likes the fact that the film humanizes his dilemma in a way that avoids making Paul’s character “the bad guy.”

“They’re just real people, and that was what drew me to the script to begin with,” she observes. “He could easily be in a sort of villainous role, ruining all of the goals that she’s trying to make [happen]. But all he wants is for her to be happy, but not at the expense of their relationship – and he’s terrified that she’s going to leave him.”

Watch Part 1 of Winstead’s exclusive interview with Celebuzz above, and Part 2 below. Smashed opens in limited release on Oct. 12.

With her performance in the new independent drama Smashed drawing accolades from critics nationwide, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s future as an actress seems full of possibilities. But the star of Death Proof, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Thing is flirting with a different career path: pop star.

Although a scene in which the 27-year-old sings The Shirelles’ “Baby It’s You” was cut out of the theatrical version of Death Proof, Winstead teamed up with superproducer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura on a couple of projects, including the highly-anticipated follow-up to Deltron 3030, the debut album from Nakamura’s team-up with rapper Del the Funky Homosapien.

But what does Winstead make of the musical direction her career seems to be headed in?

“It’s mainly for fun,” Winstead tells Celebuzz. “I don’t consider myself a singer, so that takes the pressure off.”

In addition to contributing to the upcoming Deltron album, Winstead is working with Nakamura on an album of songs inspired by ‘60s French pop. But she insists that no matter how well it turns out, she doesn’t expect to be changing career paths any time soon.

“It’s so low pressure because we’re both doing it for fun,” Winstead tells Celebuzz. “So if it doesn’t turn out good he won’t release it, he basically told me. He’s like, ‘I don’t do anything that’s not good.’ But he really does think this is going to be good.”

Winstead demurred on the details of her forthcoming album, but revealed that she hopes to wrap up work on it soon.

“We want to finish it by the end of the year,” she says. “That’s the goal.”

Smashed opens in limited release Friday, October 12. Watch the trailer for the film below.

How would you feel if you could wake up every morning and be in a different body? Well, here’s your chance.

Dubbed a interactive social film, The Beauty Inside is allowing every day people to perform in a role already cast to some of Hollywood’s heavy weights including That ’70s Show‘s Topher Grace and Criminal Minds regular Matthew Gray Gubler.

So how can you play a role already cast?

The film — directed by Sundance award-winner, Drake Doremus who was the creative force behind the stunning flick Like Crazy — follows the struggles of charcater Alex, who suffers from a condition which causes him to be a new person every day.

Complex enough due to his “condition”, Alex’s life only gets more complicated when he falls in love Leah played by Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter star, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Presented by Intel and Toshiba, the “social film” is Hollywood’s first interactive film allowing actors and non-actors alike to step in and play the ever-changing Alex.

The story will air right on the film’s Facebook timeline starting today at 3pm PST.

The film is actually six episodes that will be shown over the course of six weeks.

Would-be Alexs can audition as many times as they want for the lead role in this innovative concept.

Alexs are still wanted, so to have a chance to land your big break head to the film’s Facebook page and click the “Audition Now” tab.

Even if you don’t want to be Alex, the audience will be able to connect with the character and get to know him even better through social networking.

Check out a behind the scenes glimpse of this interactive film project below.

Hot remakes and bone-chilling prequels will own the box office this weekend.

First, we have Julianne Hough starring in the much-anticipated remake of Footloose, but we also have Mary Elizabeth Winstead starring in The Thing, a prequel to the John Carpenter film of the same name.

Which leading babe will have the number one movie? You decide!

Buzz about the remake of Footloose has been swarming for months. With everyone knowing the premise (small-town boy lives in a town where dancing and rock music is banned), many fans are eager to see how the new cast will revisit the iconic 80s film.

Also a classic 80s film, the newest release of The Thing follows a team of scientists who discover a super alien buried in the ice of Antarctica who is still alive, but this extraterrestrial is more than the team has bargained for.

Two sexy starlets and two classic 80s stories will hold the fort at theaters this weekend. Which of these movies are you more likely to watch? Vote in our poll and sound off in the comments!

With TRON: Legacy (and Olivia Wilde in a skintight catsuit) hitting theaters this weekend, Celebuzz decided to honor the hard-hitting female action stars of the past and present.

Whether they are suited up in figure-hugging garb (like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider) or dressed up as a quirky hipster (like Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) these lovely ladies really know how to kick butt on the big screen.

Check out our gallery of our favorite fierce female action stars and share your picks in the comments.