Career: Small parts in TV productions and films during the early 1970s led to him landing his breakthrough role in Dennis Potter's 1978 miniseries Pennies from Heaven. Violent thriller The Long Good Friday followed in 1980, cementing his stardom. Other offerings, including The Cotton Club, Brazil, Mona Lisa and A Prayer for the Dying followed, but he found global fame in 1988's effects-laden Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Subsequent Hollywood movies included Mermaids and Hook, but he also worked in the UK on A Christmas Carol, Made in Dagenham, TwentyFourSeven, Last Orders and The Street. His final film, Snow White and the Huntsman, was released in 2012. He died of pneumonia on April 30, 2014.

Career: Mirren was snapped-up by the Royal Shakespeare Company and tackled numerous classical parts. She's continued to appear on stage throughout her career, alongside TV and film roles. Her most famous TV role is Jane Tennison in police drama Prime Suspect. Her first movie was Herostratus in 1967. More famous parts came in Caligula, The Long Good Friday, Excalibur, The Mosquito Coast, Calendar Girls and Elizabeth I. In 2003 she was made a Dame and three years later won an Oscar for The Queen. She's also been nominated for The Madness of King George, Gosford Park and Hitchcock. Other big-screen outings include State of Play, The Last Station, The Tempest, Brighton Rock, Red and the remake of Arthur.

Career: Thompson got a job as a stage manager and went on to do repertory and fringe theatre. His first professional role was in Romeo and Juliet at the Ludlow Festival and he made his TV debut in the police series Softly, Softly. Other early work included roles in The Gentle Touch, The Long Good Friday and Yanks. Although his main love has always been the stage, he was delighted at being offered the part of Charlie in Casualty. First appearing in 1986, he is the longest-serving actor in the show and has faced many emotional scenes and delicate issues. His famous alter ego has crossed over into sister show Holby City, and in the short-lived spin-off series HolbyBlue.

Career: Brosnan's first roles came on stage at York Theatre Royal. He was chosen by Tennessee Williams to star in the West End debut of his play The Red Devil Battery Sign. He followed by his movie debut in Resting Rough in 1979. He made appearances in The Professionals, Hammer House of Horror, The Long Good Friday and Manions of America before moving to Hollywood. He was in the TV show Remington Steele for five years, which prevented him taking over from Roger Moore as 007 in 1986. Low-budget movies followed until Bond came calling again in 1995. His last 007 movie, Die Another Day, was released in 2002. He runs his own production company, Irish DreamTime. Among his best non-Bond movies are The Thomas Crown Affair remake, The Matador, Seraphim Falls, The Ghost, Love is All You Need, The Love Punch, A Long Way Down and Mamma Mia!