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: During the 1980s, Hunt starred in one season of sitcom It Takes Two, popped up in an episode of Highway to Heaven and had a recurring role in medical drama St Elsewhere. After playing the lead role in short-lived drama My Life and Times, Hunt's big break came in 1992 when she co-starred with Paul Reiser in hugely popular sitcom Mad About You. It ran until 1999 and during that time, she won four Emmy Awards and directed several episodes, including the series finale. In 1998, she won an Academy Award for her role in As Good as It Gets (1997). Films since then have included Cast Away (2000), What Women Want (2000), Bobby (2006) and The Sessions (2012).

Career: Kinnear's first break came in 1991 when he poked fun at talk shows as the host of Talk Soup. He played a talk show host in his first major film role, Blankman (1994). Prominent roles followed in Sabrina (1995), Dear God (1996), As Good As it Gets (1997) and You've Got Mail (1998). His other film credits include Stuck on You (2003), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Baby Mama (2008) and Green Zone (2010). In 2011, he played John F Kennedy in the miniseries The Kennedys.

Career: Bitten by the acting bug, Gooding Jr landed roles on TV shows such as Hill Street Blues and MacGyver in the late 1980s. In 1991, he landed a part in the film Boyz n the Hood, and it launched him on the road to stardom. Small but important roles in the likes of A Few Good Men and Lightning Jack led to bigger parts in Outbreak and Losing Isaiah. However, it was the 1996 smash Jerry Maguire, which saw him win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, that really put him on the map. Since then, his career has been patchy, with movies such as Pearl Harbor and Rat Race alongside meatier fare such as As Good As It Gets and American Gangster. He continues to be an in-demand actor.

Career: In his earliest screen appearances, Ulrich was an uncredited extra in films Weekend at Bernie's and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After joining the Atlantic Theater Company as an apprentice, he performed with the group, which got him noticed yet again, this time by director Stacy Cochran. She cast him in a CBS School Break Special. With her help he also received his first notable role on screen in 1996 as the loutish boyfriend of Winona Ryder in Boys. That same year he appeared in The Craft with Neve Campbell. He starred with Neve Campbell again in Wes Craven's hit slasher film Scream released later that same year which became his best known role. Other roles followed in The Newton Boys, Chill Factor, As Good as It Gets, Touch, and in Ride with the Devil. He enjoyed a major following with TV drama Jericho. He signed on to star in Law & Order: Los Angeles, but was released from his contract after filming 11 episodes.

Career: Smith appeared in a number of Broadway productions before landing her first film roles in Heaven Help Us (1985) and The Legend of Billie Jean (1985). She moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and landed a recurring role in the TV series Brothers. In 1987, she auditioned for The Simpsons shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show. She has voiced Lisa Simpson ever since and the series was spun into a half-hour show in 1989. Away from The Simpsons, Smith played Louise in the sitcom Herman's Head. She has also appeared in such series as Dharma & Greg, Dead Like Me, Mad Men, The Big Bang Theory and The Mindy Project. Her film credits include City Slickers (1991), Jingle All the Way (1996) and As Good as It Gets (1997).