Career: Billy Elliot was a huge hit, garnering Jamie vast critical praise. He went on to star in numerous independent movies such as Undertow, Dear Wendy, The Chumscrubber and Hallam Foe. He also took the lead role in the 2002 horror film Deathwatch, played Smike in an adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby that same year and Jimmy in Peter Jackson's remake of adventure classic King Kong in 2005. He has also played real-life figures in two war films; US Marine Ralph Ignatowski in 2006's Flags of Our Fathers and Asael Bielski in 2008's Defiance. He appeared alongside Hayden Christensen in sci-fi drama Jumper that same year. His recent work includes Man on a Ledge, Snowpiercer and Nymphomaniac.

Career: Serkis honed his skills at the Dukes Playhouse, Lancaster, in the mid-1980s, before touring with well-known companies, and appearing at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Success on London stages in the early 1990s coincided with his breakthrough in TV and film. He has starred in an eclectic mix of projects, such as Stella Does Tricks (1996), Among Giants (1998), Topsy-Turvy (1999) and 24 Hour Party People (2002). He achieved global recognition for playing Gollum in Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. He worked with the filmmaker again on his King Kong (2005) remake. Other film work includes Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2009), Burke and Hare (2010), Brighton Rock (2011), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). He is also set to appear in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015).

Career: Craig started out on stage, eventually making his film debut in 1992's The Power of One. TV series Our Friends in the North and TV movie The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders made him a star in 1996. The movies Elizabeth (1998), Love is the Devil (1998), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), The Mother (2003), Sylvia (2003), Enduring Love (2004), Layer Cake (2004) and Munich (2005) followed. He was controversially cast in a five-film deal as James Bond, but proved doubters wrong with an outstanding performance in Casino Royale (2006). He's since followed it up with Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012). He's also appeared in Cowboys & Aliens (2011), and the US remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).

Career: Frost's starring role in Spaced led to other roles, most notably a one-off episode of Acorn Antiques. In 2002, Frost presented the show Danger! 50,000 Volts! as well as co-writing and starring in the radio comedy Sofa of Time. Two years later, Frost and Pegg teamed up for the smash "rom-zom-com" Shaun of the Dead (2004). Their next big-screen foray, Hot Fuzz (2007), went down equally well with audiences. The third film in their trilogy, The World's End, was released in 2013. Frost has also starred in TV comedies Hyperdrive and Mr Sloane, and the films Penelope (2006), Paul (2011), Attack the Block (2011) and Cuban Fury (2014).

Career: Pegg quickly gained a fanbase and performed his acclaimed one-man show at major venues in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. His first TV appearance was in 1995's Six Pairs of Pants, followed by Saturday Live and a two-year stint in ITV sitcom Faith in the Future. Other early projects include Big Train and Is It Bill Bailey? He co-wrote cult, award-winning sitcom Spaced with friend Jessica Stevenson. He has since reinforced his standing as one of Britain's leading performers with appearances in Band of Brothers, 24 Hour Party People (2002), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011), Hot Fuzz (2007), Run Fatboy Run (2007), Star Trek (2009) and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Paul (2011) and The World's End (2013).

Career: Jones' TV credits include Cadfael, Midsomer Murders, The Last Detective, Doctor Who, Poirot and the miniseries Titanic. On the big screen, the in-demand actor has starred in Infamous (2006), St Trinian's (2007), Frost/Nixon (2008), W (2008), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), My Week with Marilyn (2011), The Hunger Games films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Serena (2014). More recently, he has starred on TV in Agent Carter, Wayward Pines, Capital, Detectorists and The Secret Agent. He plays Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army (2016). He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Alfred Hitchcock in the TV movie The Girl.

Career: Crook began his career as a stand-up comedian alongside Iain Lee; they worked together for about eight years. His first major TV role was as a comedy sketch contributor on Channel 4's The Eleven O'Clock Show in 1998 - which was fronted by Lee. His big break came when he was cast as Gareth in The Office. He then appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the two sequels, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. He also appeared as Launcelot Gobbo in Michael Radford's film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Other projects include The Gathering, Sex Lives of the Potato Men, Churchill: The Hollywood Years, The Brothers Grimm, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Game of Thrones and his self-penned sitcom Detectorists.

Career: Spielberg's 1971 thriller Duel paved the way for feature film The Sugarland Express, a modest hit. In 1975, Jaws started a long run of successes, including the Indiana Jones films, ET, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. He also co-founded studio Dreamworks SKG, which has backed various hits, including Shrek, American Beauty and Gladiator. Spielberg's recent films include The Terminal, Munich and War of the Worlds. He has also worked as the producer on a string of hit films, including The Goonies, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the Back to the Future trilogy, the Transformers trilogy, and True Grit. His recent work includes The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, War Horse and Lincoln. He won an Oscar for Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List and an honorary award in 1987.