Career: At 19, Penn began studying acting, and made early TV appearances in Barnaby Jones and Little House on the Prairie. His first film was Taps in 1981. He stole the show in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and At Close Range. Since then, he's starred in Casualties of War, Carlito's Way, Dead Man Walking, I Am Sam, Mystic River, 21 Grams, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Milk, Fair Game and Gangster Squad. He won Best Actor Oscars for Mystic River and Milk. He has also written, directed, and produced several movies, including Into the Wild. Penn also actively supports a number of political and social causes. He called for George W Bush to be impeached after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Career: Elba's earliest roles came in Crimewatch UK reconstructions, 2point4 Children, Absolutely Fabulous and Bramwell. He spent a couple of years in Channel 5 soap Family Affairs and featured in Ultraviolet and Dangerfield before playing a suave, but doomed, urban gangster in the critically acclaimed The Wire on US TV from 2002 to 2004. The role turned him into a star on both sides of the Atlantic. Projects since include 28 Weeks Later, American Gangster, RocknRolla, The Office (US version), Thor, The Big C, Prometheus and the hugely successful Luther. More recently, he has starred in Pacific Rim, Thor: The Dark World, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and No Good Deed.

Career: Scum was remade as a movie two years later. Winstone reprised his role, winning huge critical acclaim, before landing a part in the cult Brit flick Quadrophenia. After becoming a well-known name and face, he appeared in numerous TV shows, including Fox, Robin of Sherwood, and The Ghostbusters of East Finchley, but is better known for his often violent or controversial films, such as Nil By Mouth, Face and Sexy Beast. He is currently the face of an advertisement campaign for an on-line betting company, resolutely appearing during live football matches quoting the latest odds. Other projects include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Departed, Great Expectations, Vincent and the big-screen remake of The Sweeney.

Career: In 1990, he had a small role in Bigas Luna's The Ages of Lulu, a film that also featured his mother. Two years later, Luna offered Bardem the lead role in his next project, the internationally successful Jamon, Jamon. He then starred in Luna's next film Golden Balls (1993). His first English-speaking role came in 1997 in Peridita Durango. He followed this with a number of Spanish-language movies before returning to an English-speaking role in the internationally acclaimed Before Night Falls, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination. His recent movie credits include Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Biutiful, Eat Pray Love, Skyfall and The Counselor. He was the first Spanish actor to win an Academy Award when he won for his role in No Country for Old Men.

Career: Known predominately for his stage career, Rylance has starred in a number of Shakespearean productions, including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Henry V, As You Like It and Macbeth. He became the first Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 1995 and continued this role until 2005. While he was there, he directed and starred in a number of productions. He has won Olivier Awards for Much Ado About Nothing, and Jerusalem, and Tony Awards for Boeing Boeing, Jerusalem, and Twelfth Night. His film credits include Prospero's Books (1991), Angels and Insects (1995), Intimacy (2001), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Blitz (2011) and Anonymous (2011). More recently, he starred in the BBC drama Wolf Hall.