Trivia: Tall, radiant, and sensual, British ingenue Emily Blunt caught the attention of the public and press when she starred (at age 20) opposite Natalie Press in Pawel Pawlikowski's gentle, finely told lesbian romance My Summer of Love (2004). In the eyes of many Americans, Blunt (who counted this as her first cinematic credit) seemed to arrive at the top instantaneously. In truth, Blunt -- a London native -- had established herself on British television (largely in BBC productions) several years prior. Summer, however, represented the actress' big global break. She plays a sexually experienced and playfully manipulative teen who seduces the younger and more impressionable Press into an impassioned love affair, while the latter's brother (Paddy Considine) becomes a born-again evangelical Christian and carries his faith to torturous, alienating extremes. The work garnered enthusiastic notices and performed well on the international festival circuit; it thus marked a fortuitous and brazenly intelligent cinematic bow for a young actress. Newsweek's David Ansen was not alone when he tagged Blunt (along with her co-star, Press) as a "major discovery." Variety's Derek Elley observed, "Blunt's perf as the mysterious, mixed-up Tamsin grows, adding a sense of menace which coincides with...Considine's loony Phil." After a supporting role in the U.S. miniseries Empire (about the Roman Empire), Blunt landed her second major break -- and culled even broader exposure -- with a supporting role in David Frankel's bittersweet drama The Devil Wears Prada. As Emily, the obnoxious (yet soft-hearted) assistant to fashion mogul Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), Blunt delivered a colorful and impressive performance. As a result, she received a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Although she lost out to Jennifer Hudson at that ceremony, Blunt won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television for her work opposite Bill Nighy in Gideon's Daughter.Blunt followed Prada up with planned supporting roles in such features as The Snow Goose (2006), The Girl in the Park (2007), Wind Chill (2007), The Great Buck Howard (2007), and The Jane Austen Book Club (2007).In 2009 Blunt scored her largest starring role to date as the title character in the costume drama The Young Victoria. In 2010 she married The Office star John Krasinski, and in that same year they co-starred together in Gulliver's Travels. The couple would also each appear in cameo roles in 2011's The Muppets, written and co-starring Jason Segel with whom Blunt would co-star in the 2012 romantic comedy The Five-Year Engagement and rounded out her 2012 with the Golden Globe nominated Salmon Fishing in Yemen, romantic dramedy Your Sister's Sister and the sci-fi action thriller Looper. In 2014, she starred opposite Tom Cruise in the action-thriller Edge of Tomorrow and showed off her singing skills as the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods. The following year, she appeared in the Oscar-nominated Sicario, and in 2016, tackled the Snow White sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War and starred in the highly-anticipated adaptation of The Girl on the Train.

Trivia: After studying at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts, Rupert Friend made his big-screen debut with the supporting role of Downs in the 2004 historical drama The Libertine. Art house films would prove to be a good niche for the actor, and he subsequently made waves with roles in The Moon and the Stars and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Friend then scored an even bigger break when he was cast as the title role in the 2009 Stephen Frears film Chéri. He followed that up as the male lead in the period piece The Young Victoria. He directed the short film Steve in 2010, and starred in the war drama 5 Days of War. Friend joined the Showtime hit Homeland in season 2, playing Peter Quinn, a CIA operative.

Trivia: A former Westminster Bridge busker who shot to fame in such stateside efforts as A Knight's Tale and A Beautiful Mind (both 2001), actor Paul Bettany's willingness to challenge himself by jumping genres has given him rare exposure on both sides of the Atlantic. Born in London, Bettany was raised in Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire from age nine. Introduced to acting by his father (a teacher and ex-actor who gave up the stage for the classroom) and fueled by a love of cinema (Casablanca [1942] and Brief Encounter [1945] provided Bettany with early inspiration), the aspiring actor would subsequently pursue studies at London's Drama Center. Though the popular misconception that he was raised in a "theater family" continues to shadow the actor, Bettany has publicly stated that, by the time he was around, his father was working as a teacher and his mother's days as a singer were long behind her. Following his stage debut in the West End production of An Inspector Calls, it wasn't long before Bettany made his television debut in the U.K. mystery series Wycliffe in 1994; and his feature debut in 1997's harrowing war drama Bent showed much promise. Alternating between film and television work with such efforts as The Land Girls (1997) and Coming Home (1998) in the following years, Bettany continued to climb the credits until his breakthrough performance in 2000's Gangster No. 1. Though Bettany would return to the role of supporting player for Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) (2000), that same year's depraved black comedy Dead Babies once again found him taking the lead. The following year would introduce the talented young actor to American audiences in the adventure comedy A Knight's Tale, as well as in the biopic A Beautiful Mind, in which he played the college roommate of troubled mathematician John Nash (Russell Crowe). In addition to providing him with an introduction to future wife Jennifer Connelly (the couple would wed in January of 2003), the film made an impact with American audiences. That same year Bettany appearred opposite Willem Dafoe in The Reckoning, and a supporting performance in director Lars von Trier's 2003 thriller Dogville kept audiences hungering for more. Later re-teaming with A Beautiful Mind co-star Crowe for director Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Bettany would next make his first foray into romantic comedy territory opposite Kirsten Dunst in Wimbledon. Action/adventure roles would prove to be a bread and butter for Bettany as the 2000's continued, with roles in Firewall, The Da Vinci Code, Inkheart, The Tourist, Priest, and even a turn as the voice of Jarvis in Iron Man (a role he would return to for subsuquent sequels, as well as The Avengers).

Trivia: Known for her vibrant, intelligent portrayals of women who run the gamut from cold-blooded killers to long-suffering wives, Miranda Richardson is one of the British cinema's foremost purveyors of elegant, energetic dysfunction. Born in Southport, Lancashire, on March 3, 1958, Richardson began acting in school plays and left school at the age of 17 to study drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatres School. Following her graduation, she acted in repertory theatre, becoming affiliated with Manchester's Liberty Theatre in 1979. Obtaining her Equity card, Richardson performed in a number of regional productions before moving on to the London stage in 1981. While performing on the stage, she also began acting on television and then in film. Her first big break came when she was cast as the real-life Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed for murder in Britain, in Mike Newell's Dance with a Stranger (1985). Her astonishing performance as a woman destroyed by her dependence on her loutish lover (played by a sulky Rupert Everett) earned wide critical acclaim, but Richardson remained fairly unknown outside of Britain.In 1987, having turned down the opportunity to play the role that went to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, the actress appeared in her first American outing, Steven Spielberg's adaptation of J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun. Richardson's portrayal of a doctor's wife interned in a Japanese prison camp provided what little sensual heat there was to be found in the film, but it was not until five years later that American audiences finally took notice of her.In 1992, Richardson had substantial roles in both Damage and The Crying Game. Playing the long-suffering wife of a philandering MP (Jeremy Irons) in the former and a murderous IRA operative in the latter, she impressed both critics and audiences with the spellbinding range and depth of her performances. Her work in both films received a number of honors, including a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her work in Damage and a BAFTA award in the same category for her portrayal of The Crying Game's Jude. In addition, Richardson won a Golden Globe for her work in another film that year, Mike Newell's Enchanted April, in which she played one of a group of British women who find liberation in the hills of Tuscany.Richardson received her second Oscar nomination and third BAFTA nomination two years later, for her vivid, full-blooded performance in Tom and Viv, in which she played the aristocratic, unstable wife of T.S. Eliot. She subsequently did starring work in films of widely varying quality, turning in particularly memorable performances in Robert Altman's Kansas City (1996) and Robert Duvall's The Apostle (1997). In the first, she demonstrated great wit as a politician's drug-addicted wife, while in the second, she made her small role as a radio station secretary one of the film's most memorable features.Following a turn in David Hare's The Designated Mourner (which was filmed in 1997 as the actors were also performing in its original production on the London stage) and a delightfully nasty stint as the evil queen in Merlin (1998), Richardson could be seen in a number of projects in 1999. Two of these were particularly high-profile, the first being Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, in which Richardson did time in a bodice and fright wig to portray a mysterious woman of questionable intention. The second, George Hickenlooper's The Big Brass Ring, was a political drama that featured the actress as the wife of a gubernatorial candidate (William Hurt) whose campaign is severely threatened by his past indiscretions.Richardson ushered in the new millenium with a role in the remake of the classic British crime-thriller Get Carter and by lending her voice to the claymation family film Chicken Run. In 2002, she wowed critics both with her performance in The Hours as well as in David Cronenberg's Spider, a film that had Richardson playing three different characters opposite Ralph Fiennes. After a handful of small films in 2003, the actress returned to the megaplexes as the Queen of Denmark in 2004's The Prince & Me.

Trivia: One of England's most versatile character actors, Jim Broadbent has been giving reliably excellent performances on the stage and screen for years. Particularly known for his numerous collaborations with director Mike Leigh, Broadbent was shown to superlative effect in Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, winning the Venice Film Festival's Volpi Cup for his portrayal of British lyricist and playwright W.S. Gilbert.Born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1949, Broadbent trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Following his 1972 graduation, he began his professional career on the stage, performing with the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and as part of the National Theatre of Brent, a two-man troupe he co-founded that performed reduced histories. In addition to his theatrical work, Broadbent did steady work on television, acting for such directors as Mike Newell and Stephen Frears. Broadbent made his film debut in 1978 with a small part in Jerzy Skolimowski's The Shout. He went on to work with such directors as Stephen Frears (The Hit, 1984) and Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits [1981], Brazil [1985]), but it was through his collaboration with Leigh that Broadbent first became known to an international film audience. In 1991, he starred in Leigh's Life Is Sweet, a domestic comedy that cast him as a good-natured cook who dreams of running his own business. Broadbent gained further visibility the following year with substantial roles in Neil Jordan's The Crying Game and Newell's Enchanted April, and he could subsequently be seen in such diverse fare as Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Widows' Peak (1994), Richard Loncraine's highly acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard III (1996), and Little Voice (1998), the last of which cast him as a seedy nightclub owner. Appearing primarily as a character actor in these films, Broadbent took center stage for Leigh's Topsy-Turvy (1999), imbuing the mercurial W.S. Gilbert with emotional complexity and comic poignancy. Roles in Bridget Jones's Diary, Moulin Rogue, and Iris made 2001 quite a marquee year for Broadbent; the actor earned both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his affecting turn in Iris.He remained one of the most respected actors of his generation and continued to work steadily for directors all over the world. In 2002 he was cast in Martin Scorsese's epic historical drama Gangs of New York. In 2003 he took a cameo part in Bright Young Things. In 2004 he returned for the Bridget Jones sequel, and took a bit part in Mike Leigh's Vera Drake. He worked in a number o animated films including Doogal, Valiant, and Robots. In 2007 he had the title role in Longford, a historical drama about the infamous Moor Murders, and the next year he was part of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls.As the 2010's continued, Broadbent would remain a vital, respected, and beloved force on screen, appearing most memorably in projects like The Young Victoria and The Iron Lady.

Trivia: With a handsome visage, but also slightly gaunt and stark features that could suggest menace or intensity at the drop of a hat, raven-haired Englishman Mark Strong essayed a long and surprisingly diverse list of character roles throughout the 1990s and 2000s; many played perfectly off of these physical attributes. Early in his career, Strong remained almost exclusively in Britain, for such efforts as Captives (1994) , Sharpe's Mission (1996), Emma (1997), and Fever Pitch (1997). In time, however, the actor went transcontinental, turning up in fare as diverse as the István Szabó epic drama Sunshine (1999) and American indie helmer Mike Figgis' 2001 Hotel -- thus showcasing his own versatility. Strong's role choice during this period also suggested a strong predilection for cinematizations of classics, from Henry VIII (2003) to Tristan & Isolde (2005). He gained heightened recognition among U.S. audiences (particularly young viewers) in 2007, when he played Septimus, the one of the many heirs to the throne of Stormhold, in Matthew Vaughn's wondrous fantasy Stardust.

Trivia: Her uncle is Hammer Horror legend Sir Christopher Lee. Was made an associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1987, and has worked with them consistently throughout her career. Is a patron of the charities Shakespeare Schools Festival and Prisoners Abroad. Is the great-great-great-granddaughter of John Walter, founder of The Times. Has published three books, including Other People's Shoes and Facing It. Was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to drama in 2011. Her partner of eight years, actor Peter Blythe, died from lung cancer in 2004. Married American stage actor Guy Schuessler (stage name Guy Paul) in 2011. Dropped her trademark "cut glass" accent in favour of a grittier estuary English accent for her recurring role in Law And Order UK.

Trivia: Originally trained as an Olympic swimmer, German actor Thomas Kretschmann began his career in the theater as part of the Schiller Ensemble in Berlin. In 1989, he started working steadily in German-language theater productions, television, and film. He moved to Vienna, Austria, in 1991 and won the Max Ophül prize for Best Young Actor. He broke into international feature films with the German war drama Stalingrad and the Italian thriller The Stendhal Syndrome. At this point, he was developing a knack for playing authority figures and other tough guys in action-packed situations. In addition to his numerous other appearances in European films, he gained pivotal roles in Coppia Omicida, Tease, and the American film Total Reality. In 2000, Hollywood was introduced to Kretschmann with the submarine adventure U-571 and the action thriller Blade II. Though he relocated to Hollywood, he continued working in international features for the historical epic I cavalieri che fecero l'impresa as well as Roman Polanski's The Pianist. Other projects for 2004 included a starring role in the romance Head in the Clouds and a return to submarine action for In Enemy Hands.

Trivia: Trained at RADA, spindly British actor Julian Glover made his film bow as Lt. Matherton in the Oscar-winning Tom Jones (1963). Glover has since proven equally adept at chop-licking villainy and eccentric comedy relief. His movie roles include Shrdlu in The Adding Machine (1968), Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only (1977), General Veers in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), King Richard in the made-for-TV Ivanhoe (1982), Walter Donahue in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Dr. Livesey in the Charlton Heston version of Treasure Island (1989) and King Gustav in King Ralph (1992). Julian Glover also appeared as megalomanic heavy Dr. Stefan Kilkis in the campy TV series QED (1982).

Trivia: Her great uncle, Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling was the founder of the S.A.S. (Special Air Service) Studied with the Birmingham Royal Ballet in preparation for her role in Riot At The Rite, 2005. Nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role two years in a row, in 2010 and 2011, for her roles in The Priory and An Ideal Husband, respectively. Works closely with charities including The Butterfly School, an organisation that teaches literacy to children in deprived areas of London, and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Appeared as a guest on the BBC1 cookery programme Saturday Kitchen Live in 2014. Appeared on University Challenge in 2016 as a member of a team comprising graduates of Edinburgh University. Can speak Russian and is a skilled horsewoman. Her father is Laird of the Keir Estate in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, by whom she descends from Charles II Stuart, King of England and Scotland. Is a distant relative of Sir Winston Churchill and Rupert Everett.

Trivia: As a child, knew that she wanted to become a performer and sang and danced a lot at home. At the age of 10, emigrated from Dublin to Adelaide with her family. Moved from Adelaide to Sydney at the age of twenty to study at the NIDA. Was one of the subjects of a TV documentary on the NIDA and its students titled Drama School (2000). Cast as the understudy for Gale Edwards' New York production of The White Devil a week after graduating from NIDA in 2000. Made her TV debut in fantasy series BeastMaster in 2001. First film role was as Officer Wirtz in The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Moved to London to pursue acting opportunities in 2005. Profile raised with her lead role as Kate in TV series The Time of Your Life (2007). Played Princess Diana in the 2007 docudrama Diana: Last Days of a Princess.

Trivia: Skied from the age of 5 during family holidays at Aviemore, and worked as a ski instructor before starting college. Left school at the age of 15. Attended the Drama Centre in King's Cross, London, where she trained in method acting. Played the role of Juliet in a 2006 production of Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In 2010, played the role of Sheila Birling in the BBC Radio 4 play An Inspector Calls. Despite starring in Twenty Twelve, a mockumentary about the 2012 Summer Olympics, she had no plans to stay in London and watch the Games. In 2015, made her Scottish stage debut playing Lise in the National Theatre of Scotland's adaptation of The Driver's Seat.

Trivia: Actor and musician who plays guitar, sings and writes his own music. Performed with the Netherlands band Fontane. Released a solo album, Serene Stories, in Dutch, in 2005.

Trivia: Received a TMA award for Best Supporting Performance in a Play for The Long and the Short and the Tall in 2006. Performed in Jez Butterworth's comedic play Jerusalem at both the Royal Court Theatre in 2009 and the Apollo in London's West End in 2010. Co-starred in National Theatre production of The Kitchen in 2011. Cast as Edgar in the National Theatre production of King Lear directed by Sam Mendes at the Olivier Theatre in London in 2014.

Trivia: Started acting at the age of 11 in her school production of The Sound of Music. Joined the Oldham Theatre Workshop in her teens. At 17, started working at British Aerospace on a Youth Training Scheme. Has worked as an air hostess. Studied acting in her twenties when she joined the Questors Theatre in Ealing, London. Made her film debut in Dead Man's Shoes in 2004.

Trivia: Was 'roped in' to act in plays at school, found he was good enough and decided to focus on acting as a career. Gained attention for his role in the 1976 BBC production of I, Claudius, starring as Germanicus. For over twenty years, has volunteered for the Samaritans, a charity providing support to vulnerable people in emotional distress, or at risk of suicide. Ran in the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for leukaemia research. Appeared in a Scottish production of Lay of the Last Minstrel opposite his wife, Briony McRoberts, and Joanna Lumley in 2013. His late wife suffered from anorexia and depression; she committed suicide in 2013 by jumping in front of a train in London. Was classicly trained as an actor and finds theatre acting keeps his feet on the ground, although he likes the fast pace of screen acting.

Trivia: Actor-turned-director Richard Quine, born in Detroit, began his professional life in vaudeville before turning the the legitimate stage and then movies (his films as an actor include Counselor-At-Law, perhaps John Barrymore's best movie, from 1933), first as an actor and, from 1948 onward, as a director. The best of his films, My Sister Eileen (1955), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), Operation Mad Ball (1957), Bell, Book and Candle (1958), and It Happened to Jane (1958), all date from the middle and late '50s, and are all comedies. Sex and the Single Girl (1964) and How to Murder Your Wife (1965) were the last of his genuine hits, after which changing attitudes left his movies ever further from the public's taste.

Trivia: Worked as an Assistant Photographer in the fashion and car industries. Played Pete Tyler in the BBC's Doctor Who revival from 2005 to 2006. Served on the Red Rock Film Festival international jury in 2009 and 2010. Appeared in, and directed, the 2011 Paper Crows music video "Fingertip". In 2013, played Woodes Rogers in video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.