The format took off in China before rapidly gaining traction internationally. Omdia <\/a>estimates that U.S. revenue generated by microdramas is expected to reach $1.5 billion this year. A growing number of apps have emerged to capitalize, including ReelShort and DramaBox, and even TikTok has entered the market, launching its own app, PineDrama<\/a>, earlier this year.<\/p>\n Now, Hollywood talent is starting to get involved, whether by starring in new series, launching their own companies, or investing in platforms.<\/p>\n It\u2019s understandable. Movie studios are looking for cheaper and faster ways to produce content, and many talent and crew are going without work<\/a>. At the same time, TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are capturing an ever-larger share of viewers\u2019 attention, which is turning microdramas into an increasingly attractive new corner of the entertainment business.<\/p>\n Here are some of the most well-known names getting a slice of the microdrama pie.<\/p>\n James Franco<\/p>\n The latest recognizable Hollywood actor to make the jump is James Franco, who stars in \u201cLove, Lies & Frank,\u201d streaming exclusively on Shortical<\/a>.<\/p>\n Franco plays the CEO of an advertising agency that becomes mixed up in crime and werewolves. The premise seems to follow a similar formula to most microdramas, and is packed with outrageously dramatic scenes and a forbidden romance.<\/p>\n The project is notable for being one of the first microseries produced under SAG-AFTRA\u2019s new verticals agreement<\/a>, a union contract specifically for low-budget microdramas. This offers an early glimpse of how the format could create new opportunities for actors and other Hollywood talent.<\/p>\n Beyond that, Franco\u2019s involvement has drawn attention for another reason: The project marks his attempt at a comeback following sexual misconduct allegations and a legal settlement<\/a> in 2021. Variety\u2019s review<\/a> of the show wasn\u2019t glowing, either, with the magazine writing that the actor \u201cappears to be sleepwalking through his lines.\u201d <\/p>\n What compelled Franco to take on a microdrama gig is anyone\u2019s guess, but his casting is still notable. It\u2019s rare to see a major actor who has made millions and starred in blockbuster projects headline a small series built for mobile screens.<\/p>\n Issa Rae<\/p>\n Issa Rae may be one of the most natural stars to embrace the microdrama boom. She created and starred in the 2011 web series \u201cThe Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl<\/a>,\u201d which helped launch her career.<\/p>\n In May, Issa Rae\u2019s company Hoorae Media partnered with TikTok\u2019s new PineDrama app to launch \u201cScreen Time,\u201d a thriller about a double date that takes a dark turn when a mysterious person hijacks the television and starts forcing the couples to confront their secrets.<\/p>\n The series quickly became a breakout hit, gathering nearly 75 million views<\/a> in its first week and becoming the top-performing vertical series on TikTok and PineDrama at the time. It later surpassed 150 million views<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jesse Tyler Ferguson<\/p>\n \u201cModern Family\u201d star Jesse Tyler Ferguson is also getting into the business with \u201cTheater Kids Vs. Zombies<\/a>,\u201d an upcoming musical comedy for vertical storytelling platform aTwist.<\/p>\n The premise is pretty much what the title suggests: A group of theater students finds their high school overrun by zombies, and realizes their best chance of survival is to put on a musical.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ferguson\u2019s entry could be significant, as this series doesn\u2019t sound much like the romance and soap-opera formulae that dominate microdramas, instead leaning into comedy and theater-kid culture.<\/p>\n Taye Diggs<\/p>\n Not only did Taye Diggs star in a microdrama, he\u2019s getting more deeply involved in the business, too.<\/p>\n In January, Diggs was announced as the star and executive producer of \u201cOff Limits & All Mine\u201d for platform CandyJar<\/a>. He plays a widowed mogul who becomes involved in a forbidden romance with his best friend\u2019s adult daughter.<\/p>\n More notably, Diggs has launched<\/a> his own mobile-first, vertical storytelling platform, Microhouse Films<\/a>, which aims to give filmmakers greater control over how they produce and monetize their projects. Eight projects were included in the platform\u2019s debut launch, including \u201cTides of Temptation,\u201d a series created in collaboration with Lifetime.<\/p>\n The move is significant because instead of just jumping on the microdrama trend, Diggs is now helping build the space itself. <\/p>\n Kim Kardashian <\/p>\n Kim Kardashian\u2019s involvement highlights another way celebrities are entering the market. While the celebrity hasn\u2019t starred in a microdrama yet, she has already put money behind the business, investing in GammaTime<\/a> alongside her mother, Kris Jenner, and other angel investors.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2181200424.jpg\")
Image Credits:Marilla Sicilia\/Archivio Marilla Sicilia\/Mondadori Portfolio \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"scene](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/yvonne-orji-issa-rae.jpg\")
Image Credits:HBO<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2290239465-e1787847018363.jpg\")
Image Credits:Chris Delmas \/ AFP \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Taye-Diggs.jpg\")
Image Credits:CandyJar<\/p>\n![\"Kim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1241465546.jpg\")
Image Credits:Nathan Congleton\/NBC \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n