Career: Sheen toured Europe with the Living Theatre group in 1961 and starred on Broadway before moving to Hollywood. His big break came in Terrence Malick's 1973 cult classic Badlands. He had a heart attack while filming 1979's Apocalypse Now, and later became a passionate campaigner on human rights issues. He's since featured in projects such as Gandhi, miniseries Kennedy, Wall Street (alongside son Charlie) and Catch Me If You Can. Sheen starred as a White House aide in romantic comedy The American President, which led to him being cast as the US leader in acclaimed TV drama The West Wing. He had a small but eye-catching part in Oscar-laden cop movie The Departed. He has also starred in Bobby and The Way, both directed by his son Emilio Estevez. He played Ben Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).

Career: Finney's movie debut was a small part in The Entertainer in 1960, playing the lead character's ill-fated son. Director Tony Richardson then offered Finney the lead in kitchen-sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and period romp Tom Jones. The latter made him a major star and gave him the first of his five Oscar nominations. He turned down the title role in Lawrence of Arabia, but gained plaudits in a string of acclaimed movies, including Murder on the Orient Express, The Duellists, Shoot the Moon, The Dresser, Miller's Crossing, Erin Brockovich, Big Fish and Skyfall. Finney's only film as director is 1967's Charlie Bubbles. His TV work includes Karaoke, Cold Lazarus, The Green Man, My Uncle Silas and The Gathering Storm.

Career: Pryce built up his acting CV with roles in two TV films directed by Stephen Frears, Daft as a Brush and Playthings. In 1975, he played the lead role in the Trevor Griffiths play Comedians. He reprised the role on Broadway and won a Tony Award for his performance. He made his film debut a year later in Voyage of the Damned and continued to be a regular stage performer. He won an Oliver Award in 1980 for his performance in the title role of Hamlet. His breakthrough on the big screen came in 1985 when he starred in Terry Gilliam's Brazil. After making the move into musicals, Pryce won an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for his role as the Engineer in Miss Saigon. He would go on to star in stage revivals of Oliver! and My Fair Lady. His film credits include Jumpin' Jack Flash, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Glengarry Glen Ross, Carrington, Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.