Trivia: A native of Billingham, England, Jamie Bell is an example of endurance and dedication paying off if there ever was one. Though the aspiring young dancer was the object of frequent teasing by school classmates (who dubbed him "Poof" and "Ballerina Boy," among other unsavory monikers), he persevered and ultimately landed the lead in the affecting 2000 drama Billy Elliot. Bell's family has a rich history in the world of dance that dates back to his grandmother. Though at first shy about his ambitions, the boy quietly imitated the moves of his older sister as she practiced in the studio; by the time he was six, others began to recognize his natural talent and encouraged him to practice, though Bell tried to keep his extracurricular activities a secret from his classmates. He later enrolled in the Stagecoach Theater School in hopes of refining his acting skills. Practice in both arenas ultimately paid off when Bell was selected from more than 2,000 young hopefuls to fill the toeshoes of the titular character in Stephen Daldry's Billy Elliot. During the production of the film, the fresh-faced actor and veteran director developed a warm, father/son-like bond that helped Bell gain the confidence he needed to fully explore his talent. An unexpected hit that was embraced by critics and audiences around the world, Billy Elliot earned many prestigious nominations and awards, including BAFTAs for Best British Film and Best Actor for its young star, who was also named Best Newcomer at The British Independent Film Awards. Though he subsequently hung up his ballet shoes in favor of more acting roles, Bell continued to impress in such features as the horror-flavored war film Deathwatch and the Charles Dickens adaptation Nicholas Nickleby (both 2002). The following year, the busy young actor took the lead in no less than three films: Dear Wendy, Undertow and Who Goes There? -- all scheduled for release in 2004.Bell continued to work with the best directors, signing on with Peter Jackson for his remake of King Kong and playing a part for Clint Eastwood in Flags of Our Fathers. In 2008 he appeared in the World War II drama Defiance. Three years later he had an international hit of a sort when he provided the physical basis for the lead character in Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tin Tin, and appeared in the well-reviewed adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. In 2012, he had a supporting role in Man on a Ledge and was featured in Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac in 2013. Bell took the lead in the AMC Revolutionary War series Turn in 2014.

Trivia: Joined the home-school theater company Theatrix at age 10. Was the youngest person admitted into Juilliard's drama department at age 16. Made his stage debut in 1999 in Guthrie Theater's Summer and Smoke. Made his Broadway debut in 2010's The Merchant of Venice. Received the Outstanding Newcomer honor for his appearance in the 2013 London stage production of Sweet Bird of Youth.

Trivia: Got serious about acting in junior high school, when she and her twin sister, Christina Bennett Lind (who played Bianca Montgomery on ABC's All My Children from 2010 to '11), portrayed twin siblings Sebastian and Viola in an eighth-grade production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. In 2010, was still in graduate school in New York City when cast in Shakespeare in the Park productions of The Winter's Tale and The Merchant of Venice, the latter of which had her playing Jessica, the daughter of Shylock, who was played by Al Pacino. Made Broadway debut later in 2010 when The Merchant of Venice opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, reprising her role as the daughter of Al Pacino's Shylock, which earned her a Theatre World Award. When AMC's Turn began in 2014, was reunited with actor Seth Numrich, who also made his Broadway debut in 2010's The Merchant of Venice.

Trivia: Played several of the 72 characters in production of The Golden Ass at Sydney's Belvoir Street Downstairs Theatre in 2006; there were seven cast members in total. In 2007, began his TV career on the Australian series All Saints. Portrayed real-life serial killer John Bunting in his first feature film, Snowtown, in 2011. Cast as real-life revolutionary Caleb Brewster in AMC's Turn.

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

Trivia: Born in Los Angeles, California, where his father was a professor of linguistics at UCLA, the family moved back to their native London when he was 7. Went by the name BB Burn when he competed as a beatboxer. His big television breakthrough came in BBC's Bleak House, an adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel, in the role of William Guppy. Appeared in the 2009 West End revival of Oliver! as Bill Sikes, opposite Rowan Atkinson; he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in the Whatsonstage Theatre Awards for the role. He and his wife had a third child, a daughter, Rosa in 2014. The couple split up in 2017.

Trivia: Was born in Colorado, but moved to London with his parents when he was a baby. At age 17, backpacked around Tibet with his brother. Made his television debut in 1999's Heartbeat. Appeared in London's West End stage production of Ring Around the Moon in 2008.

Trivia: A product of Scotland, Angus MacFadyen possesses a burly build, deeply expressive eyes, and enviable charisma. He first made an impression on an international audience with his portrayal of Robert the Bruce in Braveheart (1995). Born in 1964, MacFadyen had a nomadic upbringing; thanks to his father's job with the World Health Organization, he spent his childhood and adolescence in places no less diverse than Africa, Australia, France, the Philippines, Singapore, and Denmark. He went on to attend the University of Edinburgh and received theatrical training at the Central School of Speech and Drama. MacFadyen got his professional start on the Edinburgh stage, appearing in a number of productions at the famed Fringe Festival. Breaking into television in the early '90s, MacFadyen appeared in a number of series for the BBC, including an acclaimed adaptation of David Leavitt's The Lost Language of Cranes (1992). Following the critical and commercial success of Braveheart, the actor got a rudimentary dose of recognition across the Atlantic, but remained largely unknown outside of the U.K. He starred with Gabriel Byrne and Bill Campbell in the World War II drama The Brylcreem Boys in 1996, playing a German pilot being held captive in neutral Ireland. Until 1998, when he portrayed Peter Lawford in the made-for-cable The Rat Pack, MacFadyen's other screen appearances tended to be in films that were widely ignored by audiences and critics alike. The sort of attention surrounding The Rat Pack paled in comparison to that surrounding MacFadyen's films the following year. In 1999, the actor could be seen in two highly publicized films, first playing Orson Welles in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock and then starring as Lucius, son of the title character in Julie Taymor's Titus, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. Before returning to the big screen in such efforts as Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Equilibrium (both 2002), MacFayden took a brief turn as Zues in the made-for-television Jason and the Argonauts (2000) and turned up in such low-budget efforts as Second Skin and A Woman's a Helluva Thing (both 2000).

Trivia: Originally went to college to become a teacher and tutored elementary students throughout high school and college. Married with two children. Crossed paths with Tony Soprano as a compulsive gambler in the pilot episode of The Sopranos. Made his Broadway debut in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, opposite Eddie Izzard, in 2003. Originally read for the role of Johnston Green for Jericho.

Trivia: Both parents are from southern Nigeria. Began playing piano and training in dance at the age of 6. At the age of 13, entered her first pageant; she eventually won the title of Miss New York Junior Teen. Was discovered by an agent at a fashion show and pushed toward the modeling industry, but decided to pursue acting. Studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Made her Broadway debut as the understudy for Cosette and a member of the ensemble in Les Misérables. In 2009, played the role of Freddie Joplin in the Roundabout Theatre Company's stage production of Tin Pan Alley Rag.

Trivia: Though best known for his work as radio station bigwig Jimmy James on the television series NewsRadio, Stephen Root is one of the busier character actors at work today, and a familiar face to television and movie audiences. Born in Sarasota, FL, on November 17, 1951, Root received a degree in acting and broadcasting from the University of Florida, and after graduating passed an audition to join the touring company of the National Shakespeare Company. After three years with the NSC, Root settled in New York City, where he began working in off-Broadway theater, making his debut in a revival of Journey's End. His first Broadway role, in So Long on Lonely Street, was a bust at the box office, but the 1987 revival of All My Sons was a big hit which generated plenty of enthusiastic press for Root. 1988 saw Root making his motion-picture debut in the George Romero horror opus Monkey Shines, and over the next several years Root worked steadily in feature films, episodic television, and made-for-TV movies, scoring recurring roles on L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Blossom; guest spots on Northern Exposure, Murphy Brown, and Quantum Leap; supporting parts in Ghost, Dave, and Robocop 3; and an acclaimed turn in A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story, as well as its sequel, Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, The Last Chapter. In 1993, Root was cast as R.O. on the television series Harts of the West; the show only lasted a season, but his next role on a series would last a bit longer; cast as Jimmy on the sitcom NewsRadio in 1995, Root would last with the show for five seasons, until the show was canceled after a disappointing final season following the death of co-star Phil Hartman. During hiatus from NewsRadio and after the series ended, Root continued his busy schedule, making memorable appearances in feature films (including Office Space and O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and guesting on other shows. Root also began doing voice work, speaking for Buck Strickland and Bill Dauterive on the animated series King of the Hill and the Sheriff on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.Root's small-screen voice-work would soon lead to his involvement in two popular big-screen animated features. In 2002's Ice Age, audiences could hear him along with Cedric the Entertainer as a pair of Rhinos. And the next year, Root lent his pipes to the blockbuster underwater adventure Finding Nemo. While his voice became more familiar to moviegoers, Root continued to become more of a presence in live-action films as well. Turning in no less than four supporting performances in high-profile films, Root spent 2004 reteaming with the Coen brothers for The Ladykillers, showing up in a prominent role in Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, and costarring in the broad comedies Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Mad Money, and Leatherheads.He remained one of the most respected and in-demand character actors of his generation appearing in a variety of projects including Mad Money, The Soloist, Everything Must Go, Red State, Cedar Rapids, and J. Edgar. He also provided numerous voices for the Oscar-winning animated feature Rango.

Trivia: When he initially surfaced as an on-camera presence during the 1990s and 2000s, supporting actor Aldis Hodge recalled a young Will Smith, with his looks, his relaxed charm, and easygoing manner; like Smith, Hodge made one of his first significant impressions on the small screen, yet he maintained a lower profile. Parts included guest starring appearances on such series programs as ER, CSI, NYPD Blue, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Around 2005, Hodge broke into big-screen features, first with small-scale roles, such as an appearance in the David Mamet-Stuart Gordon thriller Edmond, then in that same year's Snoop Dogg-headlined urban drama The Tenants. Hodge also provided one of the adorable penguins' voices in George Miller's animal picture Happy Feet (2006). One the small screen that year, Hodge could be seen in a recurring role on the critically acclaimed sports drama series Friday Night Lights as Ray "Voodoo" Tatum. He enjoyed a healthy run on the hit cable program Leverage as part of a group of criminals who take revenge against other scammers in order to help out those who have been victimized. Aldis Hodge is not to be confused with Al Hodge (Captain Video and His Video Rangers), a television actor from the '50s and '60s -- nor are they related.