Career: The US success of Mad Max 2 led to Gibson being offered mainstream Hollywood roles, including The Bounty, Mrs Soffel, and The River, before Lethal Weapon turned him into an A-list star in 1987. His directorial debut was 1993's The Man Without a Face, and his follow-up in front and behind the camera, Braveheart, won several Oscars. His company, Icon, has backed a string of hit-and-miss movies in recent years, including Kevin and Perry Go Large, and What Women Want. Gibson has also starred in Signs, and The Patriot, and wrote and directed controversial drama The Passion of the Christ, which Gibson himself funded. After taking a break from acting, he returned with Edge of Darkness and The Beaver.

Career: She moved into comedy with a starring role in Absolutely Fabulous in 1992, and followed up this near-iconic role with parts in Martin Chuzzlewit, Kenneth Branagh's movie In the Bleak Midwinter and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. In 2000, she had the major vocal role in Nick Park's animated caper Chicken Run, and she landed another significant part when she became the female lead in Jonathan Creek. Since then, she has favoured classic roles, winning rave reviews in Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford.

Career: Earned her Equity card at Manchester's Library Theatre in 1979. Two years later, she made her TV debut in sitcom Agony, while her first movie was Underworld in 1985. Her big break came later that year, playing Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in Britain, in Dance with A Stranger, but it was the role of Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder that made her a household name. She turned down the Glenn Close role in Fatal Attraction, and has since played numerous tough or unusual women in projects such as The Crying Game and Sleepy Hollow. Miranda provided the voice of Mrs Tweedy in Chicken Run, and gained Oscar nominations for Tom & Viv and Damage. She appeared in the acclaimed, Oscar-nominated movie The Hours, while recent offerings include The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle and Made in Dagenham. TV successes include thriller Rubicon.

Career: After graduating, Horrocks spent a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but left to make the film Life is Sweet with acclaimed director Mike Leigh. Her TV debut came in 1987's Road, by Jim Cartwright. He heard her impersonating Edith Piaf, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey and was so impressed he wrote The Rise and Fall of Little Voice for her, which was turned into the 1998 movie Little Voice. Other projects include The Witches, Absolutely Fabulous, Hunting Venus and Chicken Run. She also had a one-off sketch show, Never Mind the Horrocks, in 1996, sang on Robbie Williams' Swing When You're Winning album and has released her own album. Other work includes Gracie!, The Road to Coronation Street, Trollied, True Love and Sunshine on Leith.

Career: After graduating, she spent the next six years working in repertory companies across the UK, proving her versatility in a wide variety of parts. Her big break came when she gained a place with the National Theatre company in 1982. Staunton quickly landed increasingly larger roles and won numerous awards in the process. Her TV debut was in 1986's The Singing Detective, while her first film, Comrades, was made a year later. Since then, she's appeared in such acclaimed projects as Much Ado About Nothing, Sense and Sensibility, and Shakespeare in Love. She was Oscar-nominated for Vera Drake, and also appeared in period drama Fingersmith and the movie Nanny McPhee, before earning millions of new fans in the guise of Dolores Umbridge as part of the Harry Potter franchise.

Career: Spall appeared on stage with Birmingham Rep and the Royal Shakespeare Company before his movie debut in 1979's Quadrophenia. His big break came playing Barry in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet in 1983. He received Bafta TV nominations for Our Mutual Friend, Shooting The Past and Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise. Other memorable projects include Secrets and Lies, Life Is Sweet, Topsy-Turvy, Vanilla Sky, Still Crazy, Frank Stubbs Promotes and several of the Harry Potter movies. He received an OBE in 1999. Always in demand, more recent work includes Pierrepoint, The Street, Enchanted, Oliver Twist, The Damned United, The Fattest Man in Britain, The King's Speech, The Syndicate, and Mr Turner.

Career: Daniels appeared in Scum and Zulu Dawn, but his biggest break came in 1979 when he landed the lead role in cult film Quadrophenia. He continued to work steadily in TV, film and theatre before a slightly lean patch hit in the early 1990s. However, in 1994 he reached a new audience by narrating Blur's hit song Parklife; he was also in demand as an actor with roles in Holding On, Still Crazy, The Long Firm and Outlaws. In 2006, he joined the cast of EastEnders as Kevin Wicks and stayed for two years. Since leaving Walford, he has competed in Strictly Come Dancing, played Granddad in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips, and written his autobiography.