Career: Nicholson made his film debut in low-budget drama The Cry Baby Killer in 1958, which began his long association with Roger Corman; Nicholson wrote, directed and appeared in several movies for the legendary film-maker. His breakthrough came in 1969 when he was cast in Easy Rider - it earned him the first of many Oscar nominations. Nicholson went on to receive Oscar nods for Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail and Chinatown, before winning for One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. He would also go on to pick up statuettes for Terms of Endearment in 1984 and As Good as It Gets in 1998. Other notable movies include The Shining, Prizzi's Honor, Batman and About Schmidt.

Career: Wright first became famous on TV, playing Kelly Capwell on the soap opera Santa Barbara, and shot to stardom after her roles as Buttercup in The Princess Bride and Jenny Curran in Forrest Gump, the latter role garnering her a Golden Globe Award nomination for best supporting actress. She then put in an exceptional performance in Jack Nicholson flick, The Pledge. Her recent work includes roles in Whie Oleander, The Singing Detective, Nine Lives, Beowulf, New York, I Love You, State of Play, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and House of Cards.

Career: After a few sporadic TV roles, del Toro landed the role of Dario, the vicious henchman in the James Bond film Licence to Kill. He followed it with several notable movie roles but really came to critics' attentions as the mumbling, mysterious gangster in The Usual Suspects in 1995. Staying true to his independent roots, he next gave a charismatic turn as cold-blooded gangster Gaspare in The Funeral. A couple of years later, he took a leading role with Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Gaining 40 pounds for the role of Dr. Gonzo, the drug-addicted lawyer to sports writer Raoul Duke, Benicio immersed himself totally in the role. He won an Oscar for his role in Traffic and also gave a notable performance in Snatch, The Pledge and 21 Grams. His recent films include Sin City, Che, The Wolfman and Somewhere. He is now one of Hollywood's most sought after leading men.

Career: Eckhart made his film debut in 1997 in an adaptation of Neil LaBute's stage play In the Company of Men. The following year, he starred in LaBute's Your Friends & Neighbors. He reached a wider audience in 2000 playing a ponytailed biker in Erin Brockovich. Eckhart went on to star in Nurse Betty (2000), The Pledge (2001), Possession (2002), Thank You for Smoking (2005) and The Wicker Man (2006) before landing the role of Harvey Dent in the hugely popular The Dark Knight (2008). Since then, Eckhart has starred in such films as Rabbit Hole (2010), Battle Los Angeles (2011), Olympus Has Fallen (2013), I, Frankenstein (2014) and London Has Fallen (2016).

Career: Redgrave's first professional job was at Frinton Summer Theatre. She made her West End debut opposite her father in A Touch of the Sun, and starred alongside him in 1958's Behind the Mask, her film debut. She became a face of the 1960s thanks to movies such as Blowup, Isadora and Camelot before winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1977 for Julia. Redgrave has continued to appear on the big screen in productions such as Agatha, Yanks, Wetherby, Howards End, Mission: Impossible, Wilde, Venus, Atonement, Song for Marion and Ralph Fiennes' acclaimed film version of Coriolanus. She's also an activist who works tirelessly for various causes, often creating controversy with her forthright views.

Career: After minor roles in Steven Spielberg's film 1941 (1979) and a number of TV movies, Rourke first made an impact as an actor in Body Heat (1981). He went on to star in Diner (1982), Rumble Fish (1983), Nine ½ Weeks (1986), Angel Heart (1987) and Wild Orchid (1989). After falling out of favour in Hollywood, he became a professional boxer in 1991at the age of 39 and retired undefeated after eight fights in 1995. He went back to acting but starred in a number of largely forgettable movies. He returned to the spotlight in 2008 when he won a Golden Globe for his role in The Wrestler. Since then, he has appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Expendables (2010).

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.