Career: Wood's first film was Back to the Future Part II in 1989, and he quickly gained larger roles in the likes of Avalon, Forever Young, The Adventures of Huck Finn and The Good Son. North was a huge flop in 1994, and Flipper didn't fare much better, but 1997's The Ice Storm enabled him to prove he could make the transition from child roles to more mature projects. Deep Impact and The Faculty followed, but it was The Lord of the Rings trilogy that turned him into a global superstar. Since then he's appeared in such acclaimed productions as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Everything Is Illuminated and Sin City. He appeared in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as Frodo Baggins in 2012. From 2011 to 2014, he starred in FX TV comedy Wilfred.

Career: Williams started out as a stand-up comedian, making his TV debut in 1977 on The Richard Pryor Show. His big break came playing the alien Mork in Happy Days, and its hugely successful spin-off Mork and Mindy. Movie success was difficult to come by, despite starring roles in Popeye and The World According to Garp. His first box-office hit was 1987's Good Morning Vietnam. Success in Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, Awakenings and Mrs Doubtfire followed. He was also the voice of the genie in Disney's popular animated film Aladdin. He went on to win an Academy Award for Good Will Hunting in 1997. He followed that up with critically acclaimed fare such as Insomnia and One Hour Photo, and a one-man Broadway show. His other film credits include the Night at the Museum franchise. He returned to TV in 2013 in the sitcom The Crazy Ones. After a long battle with depression, he took his own life on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63.

Career: A few bit parts in comedy series were to be Hank's first roles, but it was his voice that earned him the attention of The Simpsons' bosses; he has provided his vocal talents for the iconic show since its launch in 1989. Azaria's comedy credentials earned him roles in Pretty Woman and Point Blank. He would give a memorable performance in Robin Williams' The Birdcage, playing a Guatemalan cleaner named Agador Spartacus. He also had a small cameo in Along Came Polly in 2004, guested on Friends and was seen in British comedy Run Fat Boy Run, as well as Mystery Men, Godzilla and Night at the Museum 2. Azaria has four Emmys to his name and a reputation as being one of the most talented and versatile actors in the business.

Career: Early roles came in Dallas, Growing Pains, Head Of The Class and several TV movies. Pitt's big break was playing young stud JD in Thelma And Louise. Hits include True Romance, Se7en, Interview With The Vampire, Snatch, Fight Club, Ocean's Eleven and Spy Game. Keen to stretch himself, he turned down a role in Apollo 13 to make Twelve Monkeys, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Since then his films include Mr & Mrs Smith, two sequels to Ocean's Eleven, Babel, Burn After Reading and The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. He received an Oscar nomination for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button in 2008. His recent work includes Inglourious Basterds, Moneyball, World War Z, 12 Years a Slave and Fury.

Career: Damon dropped out of Harvard to concentrate on acting. He struggled to get roles and made his film debut in 1988's Mystic Pizza. Playing a troubled soldier in 1996's Courage Under Fire got him noticed. A year later, Good Will Hunting, based on a story by Damon and Affleck, became a major success and won them Best Screenplay Oscars. Since then, Damon has appeared in several hits, including Saving Private Ryan, Dogma, The Talented Mr Ripley, Stuck On You, The Departed, True Grit, Invictus and the Ocean's Eleven and Bourne franchises. He is now among the world's most bankable stars.

Career: Weaving's first major roles came in TV series Bodyline and The Dirtwater Dynasty. He also starred opposite Nicole Kidman and Denholm Elliott in 1989's mini-drama The Bangkok Hilton. More film parts followed, but the actor's big break came in 1994 with Australian movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Five years later he was cast as the cunning Agent Smith in The Matrix. Two sequels followed, as did another three-part epic, The Lord of the Rings, in which Weaving appeared as Elvish elder, Lord Elrond (he reprised the role in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies). Weaving's other films include V for Vendetta, Oranges and Sunshine, and Captain America.