Early-life: Born Don Williams in Trinidad on May 23, 1951. He has an older brother. His father, Basil Kydd, died suddenly in Trinidad at the age of 48 in 1958 when Don was six. His mother, Shirley, decided to make a new life for herself in England while Don and his brother were looked after back in Trinidad by his grandmother. Shirley settled in Newcastle with a job at a metal factory and returned to Trinidad to collect her two sons. When Don was 12, his mother left for America to retrain as a nurse. Don and his brother were then looked after in England by his Auntie Lena. Don was 17 when he landed his first job as an assistant stage manager at Newcastle's Flora Robson Playhouse. He moved to London to train at the Drama Centre and then landed the role that made him famous.

Early-life: Orla was born in Dublin on March 28, 1961 to Patrick and Catherine. At the age of 25, she relocated to Paris to study at the L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier, securing a place at the Ecole Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris. She began her acting career with Balloonatics Theatre Company. She then returned to Dublin to perform at the Gate Theatre. Her first work in England was in Blinded by the Sun at the Royal National Theatre.