Career: Hopkins's first professional work was on stage. He later joined Laurence Olivier's National Theatre, but left to make acclaimed movie The Lion in Winter. A steady stream of TV and film work followed (as well as some theatre appearances), including War and Peace, The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, The Bunker, A Bridge Too Far, The Elephant Man, and Across the Lake. But Hopkins didn't become a major Hollywood star until after giving up alcohol. He won an Oscar for 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, and since then has starred in such hits as The Remains of the Day, Howards End, Hannibal, Shadowlands, Thor and Hitchcock.

Career: Helena's professional debut came at 16 in a TV commercial, swiftly followed by small-screen movie Pattern of Roses. The film Lady Jane followed, but it was 1985's A Room with a View which made her a star. Roles in Hamlet, Howards End and Frankenstein followed, and she was Oscar-nominated for 1997's The Wings of the Dove. The actress went on to prove she could do more than just period drama in projects such as Fight Club, Planet of the Apes, Big Fish, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and lent her voice to animated movies Corpse Bride and Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. She made her musical debut in the big-screen version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. She's since appeared in Dark Shadows, Les Miserables and Burton & Taylor, and played Bellatrix Lestrange in several of the Harry Potter movies.

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.

Career: Her first major film role came in Nicholas Nickleby (2002) and a year later, she landed the lead in I Capture the Castle (2003). Her film credits also include Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Vanity Fair (2004), Scoop (2006), Angel (2007), Atonement (2007) and One Day (2011). She received Golden Globe nominations for both TV miniseries Emma and TV drama The Hour.

Career: Spiro's breakthrough part was playing Barbara Windsor in Terry Johnson's comedy play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick at the National Theatre. She reprised the role in the TV movie Cor, Blimey! A prolific stage performer, Spiro's theatre credits include Teechers, Jumpers, A Little Night Music, Funny Girl, Chicken Soup with Barley and Guys and Dolls. She won Olivier awards for Merrily We Roll Along and Hello Dolly. On the small screen, Spiro has appeared in MIT: Murder Investigation Team, After You've Gone, Grandma's House, Bad Education, The Wrong Mans, London Spy and Tracey Ullman's Show. She won a British Comedy Award for Grandma's House. Her Radio 4 drama credits include Waiting for Di and Pride and Prejudice.