Trivia: Born in London on September 6, 1972, and raised in the Hackney borough, Elba pursued acting as a high school student at the behest of a drama teacher. Elba paid his dues with many supporting roles on British television, including such series as Bramwell, The Bill, Degrees of Error, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, and The Governor. The actor grew deeply frustrated, however, over the seemingly irrepressible tendency of British casting directors to peg him in supporting roles. "Back in London," he later recalled, "I was always just going to be the best friend, or the crook or the detective on the side." When Elba could take no more of this, he immigrated to the United States. Within a few years, Elba landed a starring role on what would come to be known as one of the best TV series of all time, The Wire.Elba's performance as pusher "Stringer" Bell attained widespread popularity with viewers and helped put Elba on the map. Elba then transitioned into big-screen roles in movies like The Gospel, The Reaping, Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, 28 Weeks Later, and the Alien prequel Prometheus. Elba also enjoyed more stateside TV success on shows like The Office and Luther.

Trivia: British actress Ruth Wilson took her on-camera bow in her early twenties. Wilson first participated in a comedy series on Channel 5 entitled Suburban Shootout, then -- almost immediately after drama school -- signed for a role that netted her significant acclaim and a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress: a portrayal of Jane Eyre in director Susanna White's 2006 BBC miniseries adaptation of the seminal Charlotte Brontë novel. After Eyre, Wilson acted under the aegis of the legendary director-cum-playwright Stephen Poliakoff -- opposite Maggie Smith and others -- in Poliakoff's 2007 telemovie A Real Summer.

Trivia: Paul McGann is the second oldest child of five, with three other siblings also actors. Raised in a Roman Catholic family, Paul studied his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He is married with two children.

Trivia: Performed in school plays but didn't become interested in acting until his 20s. Is a former World Thai Boxing champion. A friend he was training with as a boxer got him interested in acting, helping him find work as an extra. Has starred in a number of stage plays, including the comedy Speedating at the Comedy Store in London. Played the role of Tom in a BBC Radio 4 production of I'm the Boss.

Trivia: Starred in a production of Conor McPherson's The Weir that ran in Dublin, London and Los Angeles. Auditioned for the role of the seventh Doctor on the BBC series Doctor Who in 1987, but the part went to Sylvester McCoy. Often appeared on the BBC Radio series Mind's Eye. Has narrated several audio books, including Morris West's The Shoes of the Fisherman and Barbara Vine's Gallowglass. Starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in the McCarter Theatre's 28th annual production of A Christmas Carol in 2008.

Trivia: Though it's a typical trend for models to attempt acting careers in Hollywood, a close look at the career of British model-turned-actress Sienna Guillory reveals that she is anything but the "typical" case. Despite the fact that it was likely her role as a Hugo Boss girl that first got the talented and attractive blonde beauty noticed on U.S. shores, she had actually been acting long before embarking on a career as a model, and in fact, simply stumbled onto a career on the catwalks quite by accident. More content to be labeled an "actor" than a "star," the down-to-earth starlet no doubt possesses the kind of selflessness displayed by Charlize Theron in Monster that would allow her talent to take precedence over her physical appearance when the role demands it. The daughter of Cuban-born guitarist Isaac Guillory, Sienna was born in London in May of 1975; her childhood was marked by the kind of bohemian upbringing that encouraged creativity and artistic experimentation. It wasn't long before the ambitious youngster was considering a career as an actress, and in 1993, at the age of 16, Guillory landed her first role with a bit part in the cheeky, equestrian-themed U.K. miniseries Riders. Those who caught a brief glimpse of the up-and-coming talent no doubt agreed that the camera took a special shine to her, and a bit part in the U.K. period drama The Buccaneers following in short order. Guillory's appearance in The Buccaneers prompted her to study her craft more closely, but her course was somewhat altered when, at the age of 21, she accompanied a friend to the Select modeling agency and was immediately signed by the powerhouse. Though a stint as the Hugo Boss girl (not to mention campaigns for Armani and Dolce & Gabbana, to name only a few) did offer Guillory notable exposure, it did little to sway her dedication to acting, and she was soon honing her skills at the New World School of Dramatic Arts and later the Paris Conservatoire. By the time Guillory returned to the screen with a substantial role in the 2000 thriller Sorted, she had began to develop a unique style that would continue to impress in such features as Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) and Late Night Shopping. A winning-turn as the virginal heroine of Kingsley Amis' novel A Girl Like You got Guillory positive critical notice when the television adaptation was aired in the U.K. in 2001, and it wasn't long before she had set her sights on Hollywood. If Guillory's turn as the romantic interest of lead Guy Pearce's character in the 2002 sci-fi adventure The Time Machine did little to further her career when the film generally failed to live up to expectations at the box office, she could at least take comfort in the fact that she would soon be portraying one of the most legendary beauties of all in the made-for-television adventure Helen of Troy. That film, too, was met with a somewhat lukewarm response, and though she would remain decidedly loyal to British television with roles in such efforts as 2004's Beauty, it was obvious by parts in such movies as Love Actually and Resident Evil: Apocalypse that she was eager to expand her horizons beyond typical costume drama fare and into mainstream Hollywood territory. In 2004, Guillory began preparation for roles in the fraternity-themed horror film Victims and director Keoni Waxman's Poolhall Prophets.

Trivia: Born in Nigeria, her father's home country, but was raised in the U.K. and Antigua by her mother. Aspired to be a professional dancer, but a back injury led her to pursue acting as a career. Performed in numerous productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest and The Servant of Two Masters. Met her husband, fellow actor Geoffrey Streatfeild, while on tour with the RSC in Japan. Played the role of Viola in a stage production of Twelfth Night with Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company, a role that earned her an Ian Charleson award nomination in 2004. Starred as Eurydice in Moira Buffini's Welcome to Thebes at the Royal National Theatre in 2010.

Trivia: Best known for his role as Tyres O'Flaherty the bicycle riding raver in the sitcom Spaced. Before finding fame, his previous jobs included cycle courier and club DJ. Shared an flat with Spaced co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the 1990s. Began doing stand-up in 1993, after accepting a bet at an open-mic night. He then became a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Has two children with his second wife, English journalist and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer. Won Best Supporting Actor at the 2011 British Independent Film Awards for his role in Kill List.