Career: Myers was snapped up by Toronto's Second City comedy ensemble on the day of his final high school exam in 1981. He later moved to the UK, where he did stand-up and had a regular slot on The Wide Awake Club. In 1989 he began a six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, where he created Wayne's World. Two hit film versions followed, but it was the three Austin Powers movies which really made him a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, although his magic touch deserted him in The Love Guru, a film that was panned by critics and struggled at the box office. On a more positive note, he lent his voice to Shrek in all four hugely successful Shrek movies.

Career: Over the next three years, she honed her acting skills in such low-budget independent films as The Last Supper, Feeling Minnesota, and Head Above Water. She returned to mainstream films in My Best Friend's Wedding, in which she held her own against veteran actress Julia Roberts. She earned full-fledged star status in 1998 for her performance in the box office smash There's Something About Mary. Since then she's had top billing in such smashes as Charlie's Angels, Gangs of New York and Knight and Day, provided the voice of Princess Fiona in the Shrek movies and TV specials and gained critical acclaim for her performance in Being John Malkovich. She reunited with former boyfriend Justin Timberlake on the big screen in 2011 in Bad Teacher.

Career: In 1980, Murphy became a regular on comedy show Saturday Night Live, and was a huge hit with viewers. At 21, he received his first major film role in box-office smash 48 Hours, followed by the equally successful Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop and its sequels, and Coming to America. However, his 1989 directorial debut, Harlem Nights, was a flop. His popularity received a big boost thanks to The Nutty Professor in 1996. Murphy has since appeared in that film's sequel, two Dr Dolittle movies, Bowfinger, The Haunted Mansion, Dreamgirls and lent his voice to Donkey in four Shrek films - becoming an unlikely family-friendly star along the way. He's also appeared in several flops, including The Adventures of Pluto Nash and Norbit.

Career: In 1992, Banderas made his Hollywood debut with The Mambo Kings. Because he didn't then speak English, his dialogue was taught to him phonetically. He shot to international fame with his sensitive performance as Tom Hanks' lover in Philadelphia, then played opposite Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire in 1994. He established himself as one of Hollywood's leading men after co-starring with Madonna in Evita in 1996. In 1998 he won acclaim for his performance in Zorro, opposite Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and later returned to the role in The Legend of Zorro. In 1999 he made his directorial debut in Crazy in Alabama and showed his comic ability as the voice of Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise and its spin-off. He is a hugely busy actor.

Career: In 1995, Timberlake, then just 14, and Chasez joined the boy band N'Sync, and had huge success with a string of number one singles and albums. Timberlake eventually went solo, and his debut album Justified was an acclaimed success; he's since released the albums FutureSex/LoveSounds and The 20/20 Experience. He has several acting credits to his name, including The Social Network, Shrek the Third, Bad Teacher and Trouble with the Curve.

Career: Everett made his TV debut in The Manhood of Edward Robinson; his first film role came a year later in A Shocking Accident. Following the success of Another Country (both on stage and on film) and Dance with a Stranger in the 1980s, Everett took the potentially risky decision to openly declare his homosexuality. He enjoyed a successful stint as a model and published two novels before playing Julia Roberts' gay confidant in 1997's My Best Friend's Wedding, which helped revitalise his career. Since then he's appeared in such movies as Shakespeare in Love, An Ideal Husband, Stardust, St Trinians and Wild Target.

Career: Idle's first TV appearance came in Jonathan Miller's 1966 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. A year later he featured alongside Terry Jones and Michael Palin in Do Not Adjust Your Set. In 1969 the trio joined forces with John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Graham Chapman to make sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus. The programme ended in 1974, but the team went on to make several films, including The Holy Grail, on which hit musical Spamalot - written by Idle - is based. They also reteamed in 2014 for a final, sell-out series of gigs at London's O2. Other projects include Rutland Weekend Television, The Rutles, Nuns on the Run, Splitting Heirs and voicing Merlin in Shrek the Third. He also wrote and sang the theme for hit sitcom One Foot in the Grave.

Career: Cleese's showbiz break came with The Frost Report. By 1969, he and Chapman were working alongside Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam on Monty Python's Flying Circus, which made them household names. He left the group in 1972, although they reunited for several films. In 1975, Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth wrote and starred in Fawlty Towers, which was a worldwide hit. Projects since include A Fish Called Wanda, which he co-wrote, two Bond movies, and two Harry Potter films. He has also appeared in 3rd Rock from the Sun and Will & Grace. His stand-up show, The Alimony Tour, proved hugely popular in 2010; his most recent film, God Loves Caviar, was released in 2012.