Trivia: Her mother was born in India, the daughter of a British Indian Army soldier. She is badly scarred on her left arm as a result of an accident with boiling soup when she was 15 months old. Her trauma was so severe that she was pronounced clinically dead at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Sussex. Played Cruella DeVil in the Children's Party at the Palace for the Queen's 80th birthday in June 2006. Founded the Artists Theatre School in Ealing, West London, England for children from 5 to 18. Was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2012. Won Best Actress award at the New York Festivals International TV and Film Awards for her role in The Trials of Jimmy Rose in 2016. Became a patron of Brighton Open Air Theatre in 2018.

Trivia: Thanks in part to Alun Armstrong, the works of Charles Dickens enjoyed widespread exposure before television and theater audiences in the late 20th century. A longtime fan of Dickens, Armstrong performed in two highly acclaimed TV productions of Dickens: David Copperfield as Dan Pegotty and Oliver Twist as Mr. Fleming. In addition, he played the cruel schoolmaster Squeers in the Royal Shakespeare Company's stage adaptation of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. The production won four 1982 Tony Awards, including the award for Best Play, after it moved from London to New York. Armstrong also played Squeers in a 1982 TV production of Nickleby that won an Emmy and was nominated for a British Academy Award. Such is Armstrong's passion for Dickens that he turned down a role in a high-profile Clint Eastwood film to do the David Copperfield production. However, he has gratefully accepted challenging roles in many other high-profile motion pictures. For example, he played Mornay in Braveheart, Owens in Patriot Games, Corporal Davies in A Bridge Too Far, Lacourbe in The Duellists, and Keith in Get Carter.Theatergoers who have never seen Armstrong on the stage have been missing performances of the first rank. He was nominated for the coveted Laurence Olivier Award six times for work in such plays as Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, and Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. He won the Olivier Award as Best Actor for his performance in Cameron Mackintosh's musical production of the Christopher Bond play Sweeney Todd. In film productions, Armstrong helped Jonathan Tammuz win a 1989 Oscar in the category of Best Live Action Short for his role as Stefano in The Childeater. And in TV productions, he earned a Best Actor nomination from the Royal Television Society for his performance in This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Armstrong was born on July 17, 1946, in County Durham, England. Though his face may have once been handsome, it is now a relief map of crevasses that make him ideal for roles as Dickens characters. Such a countenance works well, too, for Shakespeare characters whose visages are etched with the hardships of living. Armstrong put his wrinkles to work in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter's Tale, Troilus and Cressida, As You Like It, and Measure for Measure. Although never regarded as a famous actor, Armstrong has certainly been one of the hardest-working. Between 1999 and 2002, he performed in 17 productions, including two major films -- Sleepy Hollow and The Mummy Returns -- and a hit TV miniseries, The Aristocrats.

Trivia: British lead actor, former juvenile, onscreen from the late '50s.

Trivia: Supporting actor Bolam was onscreen from 1961.

Trivia: A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, husky-voiced British actress Samantha Bond has an all-too-fitting surname for her onscreen career. She is most known stateside for her repeat performance as Miss Moneypenny, associate to Pierce Brosnan's James Bond. Her first appearance was in GoldenEye 1995, and she repeated the role for Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. She is the fourth actress to play the small yet established super-secretary role, most notably played by Lois Maxwell. Bond's acting credits are predominately on the stage, however, ranging from touring companies to Broadway to London's West End. She has shared the stage and screen with veterans like Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith, and David Suchet, although she has gained more high-profile roles in her television career. Mostly appearing in British murder mysteries and thrillers, she gained a starring role as Detective Sergeant Maureen Picasso for the BBC series NCS: Manhunt. Bond appeared opposite Dame Judi Dench in the award-winning play Amy's View, and also shared a bill with her for Die Another Day in 2002.

Trivia: Made his television debut in a 1992 episode of 'Prime Suspect 2'. In 1996, appeared in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of 'Macbeth'. In 2005, appeared in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of 'Julius Caesar'. As of 2019, has starred as Mr. Penge in period drama 'Victoria' since its 2016 debut. In 2018, appeared as Aethelhelm in the third season of 'The Last Kingdom'.

Trivia: Supporting actor, onscreen from the '80s.

Trivia: Made her television debut in comedy series Five Alive, shown on Channel 4 between 1987 and 1988. Got her first big break in 1990 after Scottish director Armando Iannucci spotted her in a pub and gave her a role in The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Her own BBC Radio show, Doon Your Way, was broadcast in 1996. Swam the English Channel in 1998 with a team of six people, two of whom carried their dogs. Competed in a Comic Relief version of Fame Academy for charity in 2003. Portrayed Cherie Blair in the Channel 4 satirical drama A Very Social Secretary. Won the Fringe First Award for her one-woman show Prima Doona at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010. Member of a team of celebrities who attempted to sail around an area of the UK in only five days as part of the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas in 2016.