Career: Myers was snapped up by Toronto's Second City comedy ensemble on the day of his final high school exam in 1981. He later moved to the UK, where he did stand-up and had a regular slot on The Wide Awake Club. In 1989 he began a six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, where he created Wayne's World. Two hit film versions followed, but it was the three Austin Powers movies which really made him a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, although his magic touch deserted him in The Love Guru, a film that was panned by critics and struggled at the box office. On a more positive note, he lent his voice to Shrek in all four hugely successful Shrek movies.

Career: Over the next three years, she honed her acting skills in such low-budget independent films as The Last Supper, Feeling Minnesota, and Head Above Water. She returned to mainstream films in My Best Friend's Wedding, in which she held her own against veteran actress Julia Roberts. She earned full-fledged star status in 1998 for her performance in the box office smash There's Something About Mary. Since then she's had top billing in such smashes as Charlie's Angels, Gangs of New York and Knight and Day, provided the voice of Princess Fiona in the Shrek movies and TV specials and gained critical acclaim for her performance in Being John Malkovich. She reunited with former boyfriend Justin Timberlake on the big screen in 2011 in Bad Teacher.

Career: In 1980, Murphy became a regular on comedy show Saturday Night Live, and was a huge hit with viewers. At 21, he received his first major film role in box-office smash 48 Hours, followed by the equally successful Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop and its sequels, and Coming to America. However, his 1989 directorial debut, Harlem Nights, was a flop. His popularity received a big boost thanks to The Nutty Professor in 1996. Murphy has since appeared in that film's sequel, two Dr Dolittle movies, Bowfinger, The Haunted Mansion, Dreamgirls and lent his voice to Donkey in four Shrek films - becoming an unlikely family-friendly star along the way. He's also appeared in several flops, including The Adventures of Pluto Nash and Norbit.

Career: Royal Variety and pantomime performances made Andrews a famous name in the UK. In 1954, she was offered the lead in The Boy Friend on Broadway. That led to her being cast in the first production of My Fair Lady in 1956, but she lost out on the movie role to Audrey Hepburn. Instead, she won an Oscar for Mary Poppins - her first film. The Sound of Music was a massive hit in 1965, but a string of flops dogged her through the late 1960s and mid-1970s; even her award-winning variety-style TV show The Julie Andrews Hour, was cancelled after one season. Movies since include 10, SOB, Victor/Victoria, The Princess Diaries and its sequel, and three Shrek movies. She writes children's books under her married name of Julie Edwards, and won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2010. Andrews returned to the London stage for a one-off concert later that year.

Career: Cleese's showbiz break came with The Frost Report. By 1969, he and Chapman were working alongside Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam on Monty Python's Flying Circus, which made them household names. He left the group in 1972, although they reunited for several films. In 1975, Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth wrote and starred in Fawlty Towers, which was a worldwide hit. Projects since include A Fish Called Wanda, which he co-wrote, two Bond movies, and two Harry Potter films. He has also appeared in 3rd Rock from the Sun and Will & Grace. His stand-up show, The Alimony Tour, proved hugely popular in 2010; his most recent film, God Loves Caviar, was released in 2012.

Career: In 1992, Banderas made his Hollywood debut with The Mambo Kings. Because he didn't then speak English, his dialogue was taught to him phonetically. He shot to international fame with his sensitive performance as Tom Hanks' lover in Philadelphia, then played opposite Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire in 1994. He established himself as one of Hollywood's leading men after co-starring with Madonna in Evita in 1996. In 1998 he won acclaim for his performance in Zorro, opposite Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and later returned to the role in The Legend of Zorro. In 1999 he made his directorial debut in Crazy in Alabama and showed his comic ability as the voice of Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise and its spin-off. He is a hugely busy actor.

Career: Everett made his TV debut in The Manhood of Edward Robinson; his first film role came a year later in A Shocking Accident. Following the success of Another Country (both on stage and on film) and Dance with a Stranger in the 1980s, Everett took the potentially risky decision to openly declare his homosexuality. He enjoyed a successful stint as a model and published two novels before playing Julia Roberts' gay confidant in 1997's My Best Friend's Wedding, which helped revitalise his career. Since then he's appeared in such movies as Shakespeare in Love, An Ideal Husband, Stardust, St Trinians and Wild Target.

Career: Appearances in The Young Ones, Girls on Top and Happy Families followed, but it was the sketch show French and Saunders that propelled her to fame. One short skit in the series became the basis for Absolutely Fabulous. The sitcom's phenomenal global success opened new doors, and helped land Jennifer roles in the movies In the Bleak Midwinter, Spice World and Fanny and Elvis. She also voiced a not-so-good fairy godmother in hit animation Shrek 2 and stars in the BBC's Blandings. As well as the film and TV work, she has long been an active participant in the charity Comic Relief, alongside her on-screen partner Dawn French, and regularly takes part in the telethon events. We've also seen her reunited with her old pal in Jam & Jerusalem, which she wrote.

Career: In 1987, Ross and his friend Alan Marke devised a format inspired by Late Night with David Letterman, and after struggling to find a suitable host, Ross stepped in. The resulting show, The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross, made him a star. Other major projects include his chat shows Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and The Jonathan Ross Show, and his stint as the reviewer of the BBC's Film programme. He's also a massive comic book fan; his first foray into the genre, Turf, was published in 2010. But he's also hit the headlines for various controversies over the years, including the notorious Sachsgate, which involved a prank call made by him and Russell Brand to actor Andrew Sachs in 2008.