Trivia: Standing four feet five inches tall, actor Peter Dinklage has had a prolific career both on-stage and in film. After graduating from college in Vermont, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and the Welsh School of Music and Drama in Wales. He worked in several productions off-Broadway and wrote his own play entitled Frog. He made his film debut in Tom DiCillo's 1995 independent comedy Living in Oblivion as the dwarf in the dream sequence. He then appeared in Safe Men, Bullet, Never Again, and Just a Kiss before returning to independent comedies. In 2001 he had a substantial role in Michel Gondry's Human Nature, written by Charlie Kaufman. In 2002, he played Binky, the sidekick to the clown Bananas played by Steve Buscemi in Alexandre Rockwell's 13 Moons. His first starring film role was in Tom McCarthy's The Station Agent as Finbar McBride, a lonely misfit who shacks up in an abandoned railway depot. Also starring Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale, the film won festival acclaim at Sundance. In 2003, Dinklage can be seen in both the Lincoln Center production of Toulouse Lautrec and the Jon Favreau holiday comedy Elf starring Will Ferrell. After a supporting role in The Baxter found Dinklage appearing in one of the year's most off-beat romantic comedies, and the sci fi television series Threshold afforded him the opportunity to appear alongside Star Trek: The Next Generation star Brent Spiner, Dinklage would next share the screen with the most popular canine in film and television history in the 2006 family-oriented adventure Lassie. In 2005, Dinklage took on a starring role in Threshold, a short-lived science fiction series from CBS, and joined the cast of filmmaker Michael Showalter's comedy The Baxter, in which he played a wedding planner. The following year the actor would make waves in Ryan Murphy's highly sexed drama Nip/Tuck. After appearing in a variety of television roles (including a stint playing himself on HBO's popular series entourage) Dinklage once again teamed with HBO to join the cast of Game of Thrones. This proved a fateful decision on his part, as the adaptation of George R. R. Martin's popular series of novels would become wildly successful, in no small part due to Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister, the "imp" whose political savvy and brilliant mind allow him to thrive in a world that is less than kind to those it perceives as physically limited. The role led to an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2012.

Trivia: Parents operated a tavern in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Got her start in drama with the Ulster Youth Theatre. Made London stage debut in 1986. Played the killer in the Inspector Morse puzzler The Way Through the Woods, which aired on PBS's Mystery! in 1997. Made Broadway debut in The Weir in 1999. Earned a 2008 supporting-actress nomination for an Olivier (the British equivalent of the Tony Awards) for her role as Emilia in Othello. Played Hermione Granger's mother in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Parts 1 and 2).

Trivia: One of the latest in an illustrious line of British actresses to graduate from the English Rose School of Acting into the realm of full-bodied contemporary roles, Lena Headey first came to the attention of audiences in 1992, when she played the younger version of Jeremy Irons' wife in Waterland. Hailing from Yorkshire (though she was born in Bermuda in 1973), Headey originally intended to be a hairdresser. Fate intervened, however, when her performance in a one-off show in the company of six school friends at the National Theatre caught the interest of a casting agent, who contacted her drama teacher and subsequently cast Headey in Waterland.Headey's turn as a sexually adventurous schoolgirl in the film led to her being cast as a sexually adventurous maid in Merchant Ivory's The Remains of the Day in 1993. More period adventure followed that same year in The Summer House, in which Headey played a quiet young lass being forced into a 1950s marriage with an insufferable mama's boy. After another stint as a corseted virgin in The Jungle Book (1994), Headey finally got to take part in the latter half of the 20th century in the BBC miniseries Loved Up (1995), in which she played an Ecstasy-saturated raver. That same year, she took part in another BBC mini, Band of Gold, in which she further distanced herself from her period past by portraying a lesbian prostitute. Over the next several years, Headey would appear in several projects like Posession, The Brothers Grimm, and The Red Baron, as well as TV series like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Game of Thrones.The actress returned to period drama in Marleen Gorris' adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway (1997), which cast her as the younger version of the title character's best friend. More contemporary work subsequently came her way in Antonia Bird's Face (also 1997), a crime thriller in which she played the social worker girlfriend of Robert Carlyle's political idealist-turned-gangster. She also starred in the romantic fantasy The Man with Rain in His Shoes (1998) as one of the love interests (along with Penelope Cruz) of an out-of-work Scottish actor (Douglas Henshall).After supporting turns in the lavish made-for-TV Merlin (1998) and Onegin (1999), the latter of which featured her as Liv Tyler's sister, Headey crossed over into the realm of Hollywood teen-oriented offerings with Gossip (2000), a college-set drama that cast her as one of three students who start a nasty rumor about two of their classmates (Kate Hudson and Joshua Jackson). Although the film was a bomb, Headey's career looked bright with a number of projects on the horizon. Included amongst them was Aberdeen (2000), a road movie set in Norway and Scotland that also starred Ian Hart, Charlotte Rampling, and Stellan Skarsgård.

Trivia: After a number of roles in his native Denmark, actor Nikolaj Waldau began appearing in U.S. films in the early 2000s with bit parts in Black Hawk Down and Wimbledon, to name a few. In 2007, he landed the lead role on Fox's New Amsterdam, a supernatural cop show from director Lasse Hallström.

Trivia: The embodiment of the line "when Irish eyes are smiling, they're up to something bad," Aidan Gillen oozed ruthless charisma and wicked sex appeal in his role as the sexually prolific Stuart Alan Jones in the 1999 British TV series Queer As Folk. Bringing wry humor and understatement to a potentially over-the-top role, Gillen earned a reputation as one of the U.K.'s most compulsively watchable new performers.Born in Dublin, Gillen got his professional start in the late '80s, appearing in minor film roles. He worked steadily through the 1990s, in film and on television, popping up in such diverse offerings as Circle of Friends (1995), Some Mother's Son (1996), and Jez Butterworth's Mojo (1997). His major breakthrough role was inarguably that of Queer As Folk's Stuart, an arrogant, vain, and thoroughly sexy PR executive who strips countless men of both their clothing and resistance. The success of the controversial miniseries ensured that it -- and its talented actors -- would be back for a second go-round, which followed in 2000. That same year, Gillen found accompanying acclaim on the big screen, in Jamie Thraves' acclaimed directorial debut The Low Down, in which he starred as an amiable but frustrated commercial artist whose life changes when he meets a radiant, ambitious woman. He appeared in both My Kingdom and Lorna Doone, as well as the action comedy Shanghai Knights before joining the cast of the revered HBO series The Wire in that show's third season. When his time on that program came to a close he was in the action film 12 Rounds, and then was cast in the series Identity.

Trivia: Descended from a viscount who served as Britain's Secretary of War at the turn of the 19th century, and is a nephew of a baronet; the family is listed in Burke's Peerage. Originally planned to be a journalist before deciding on acting. Starred in the World War I stage drama War Horse in London immediately after graduating from drama school. Made his TV debut in Game of Thrones. Named the face of Jimmy Choo in 2015. Played the title role in Doctor Faustus at the Duke of York Theatre in the West End in 2016.

Trivia: Joined a youth drama group at age 11 and was soon cast in a film (as a rape victim in the 2000 drama Complicity); and appeared in a children's TV series (My Barmy Aunt Boomerang) at age 13. Was bullied in secondary school because of his childhood acting experience. Starred in a Globe Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet in London and on a UK tour while still a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Has also appeared on stage with the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Costarred in Hope Springs, a 2009 BBC comedy-drama series about women ex-cons; and Sirens, a 2011 BBC comedy series about paramedics. Won the 2009 Scottish Style Award for Most Stylish Male and was named one of Scotland's "most eligible men" by the Scotsman newspaper in 2010.

Trivia: Tall, sandy-haired British actor Charles Dance trained for a career in graphic design at Plymouth College of Art and Leicester College of Art. Dance developed a taste for the theatre by listening to the reminiscences of two elderly actors who ran a pub in his Dover neighborhood. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at the age of 29, and made his first film, the James Bond picture For Your Eyes Only, six years later. Dance's widest professional exposure came in 1984 when he appeared in "The Jewel in the Crown," a 14-part British TV production seen in the U.S. on Masterpiece Theatre. Charles Dance's best-remembered performances have been as D.W. Griffith in Good Morning Babylon (1987); the role of Meryl Streep's husband in Plenty (1985); the title part in the 1990 TV adaptation of Phantom of the Opera; and the displaced "imaginary" villain in Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Last Action Hero (1993).

Trivia: Got her first acting job in HBO's Game of Thrones as Arya Stark. Studied dance at the Susan Hill School of Dancing and Bath Dance College. Credits her dancing experience for her ability to sword fight. Is naturally right-handed, but attempts to do things left-handed in the series because it is mentioned in the George R.R. Martin books that her character is left-handed. Won two 2012 Portal Awards (for best Supporting Actress/TV and Best Young Actor).

Trivia: Began studying drama at Playbox Theatre in Warwick, England, when she was 3 years old; first role in front of a camera is Sansa in Game of Thrones. A natural blonde, her hair is dyed red to play the immature, polarizing Sansa, which helps her remain relatively anonymous in public. Studies ballet.

Trivia: Began acting at age 7. Appeared in Batman Begins in 2005. Cast in HBO's Game of Thrones as evil king Joffrey Baratheon. Says his inspiration for his Game of Thrones role was Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator. Was named an academic scholar at Trinity College in 2012. Involved in puppet-theater production in Dublin.

Trivia: Had a small role, with sister Lily Allen, in Oscar-nominated Elizabeth (1998), on which their mother, Alison Owen, was a producer. Is the subject of "Alfie," a song on Lily's debut album, Alright, Still (2006). Claims to be one of the first children in the United Kingdom to be given Ritalin after being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD). In 2008, succeeded Daniel Radcliffe in the role of troubled teen Alan Strang of Peter Shaffer's Equus for a revival tour of the 1973 play.

Trivia: Was brought up in Wembley, London, where his parents ran a shop selling school uniforms. Excelled in sports at school and initially wanted to be a sprinter before pursuing the arts. Took a two-year course at the Harrow School of Art at age 16, achieving distinction. Took a year out from his university course to work on a kibbutz in Israel, where he met his future wife, Orly. Worked as a scene painter at the National Theatre in Tel Aviv after graduating from university. Despite supporting Arsenal Football Club, Kaye worked as an in-house graphic designer for their rival team, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Got his major break with the creation of the character Dennis Pennis, a parody celebrity interviewer who would torment major stars on the red carpet. Originated the role of Mr. Wormwood in the West End musical Matilda, in 2011.

Trivia: British actor Mackenzie Crook rose to fame at the hands of U.K. comedy giants Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, when the pair cast him as Gareth Keenan, the snide, obnoxious, and mirthless servant of office manager David Brent (Gervais) on the immensely popular BBC sitcom The Office (2001-2004). Crook then moved into films, where his unusual manner and appearance -- gaunt and wide-eyed, with stark features and a thick Cockney accent -- were put to excellent use in a variety of roles, often farcically. Among other accomplishments, Crook played Ragetti, a washed-up, bug-eyed member of a zany two-person pirate team (used for comic relief and as a deus ex machina) in Jerry Bruckheimer's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise; evoked a bit of Shakespearean drollery as Launcelot Gobbo in the Michael Radford-directed Merchant of Venice (2004); and landed a small supporting role in the British sex farce I Want Candy (2007). Crook also signed for a supporting role in Michael J. Bassett's period adventure Solomon Kane.

Trivia: Auditioned for and was accepted by three different acting academies, but chose the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts because they offered him a scholarship. Left RADA early when he was cast as the lead in Billy Budd with the Sheffield Crucible Company. Gained critical attention for his performance as Northern Irish snooker player Alex Higgins in Hurricane, winning The Stage Best Actor award in 2003; he also wrote the play, winning the BBC Stewart Parker Award for New Writing. In 2004, won the Irish Times Best Actor Award for his role in Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, written by Frank McGuinness. Is known for his work in film, stage and television. Wrote the plays The Half and Gentleman's Tea Drinking Society which were produced by the Ransom Theatre Company in Belfast. His play, Drum Belly, premiered in Dublin's Abbey Theatre in 2013. Has provided voices for more than 20 BBC Radio 4 plays, documentaries and adverts for programmes.

Trivia: European-born actress Natalia Tena launched her career as a supporting actress in features produced on her native continent, initially placing her heaviest emphasis on films from the U.K. She took one of her earliest bows with a supporting role as a boarding-school student in John Irvin's erotically tinged psychodrama The Fine Art of Love (2005), then joined the cast of Stephen Frears' period piece Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005). For her Hollywood debut, Tena essayed the role of Nymphadora Tonks in two of the Harry Potter installments -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2008).

Trivia: A veteran of the theater in Scotland, Ireland, Broadway, and London's West End, actor Conleth Hill began supplementing his impressive stage career with on-screen acting in the late '80s. He started by making minor appearances on British television, eventually working his way up to more substantial parts, like his recurring role of Jared on the comedy series The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle in 2007. In 2009, Hill was cast as Brockman in the Woody Allen comedy Whatever Works, opposite Larry David.

Trivia: Began performing as a child, putting on impromptu scenes for family by cobbling together costumes and props from around the house. Had to request a day off from drama school rehearsals in order to travel to London for an audition on the HBO television series Game of Thrones. Is an avid music fan and an amateur drummer.

Trivia: Graduated from drama school in 2005. Worked at an interiors boutique in Brighton, England. Modeled for noted photographer Polly Borland. Performed in stage productions of Dr. Faustus and Shakespeare's Cymbeline. Stands 6-foot-3.

Trivia: Scottish-born Clive Russell is six and a half feet of bone and sinew. Add to his imposing stage presence his impressive acting skill and you have a colossal acting machine that can cry, bend steel, and recite Shakespeare. Russell has used his attributes to play Helfdane the Large in The Thirteenth Warrior, Ajax the Great in Troilus and Cressida, and blacksmith Joe Gargery in Great Expectations. For his portrayal of a gigantic but gentle ex-coal miner in the acclaimed Margaret's Museum, Russell earned a Canadian Academy Award nomination for best actor. Russell's appetite for acting is as big as he is. Between 1997 and 2001, he completed 24 films in addition to TV and other projects, including such high-profile productions as The Mists of Avalon (TV miniseries), Oliver Twist (TV miniseries), and Oscar and Lucinda. No, he probably won't replace Sean Connery as Scotland's most famous actor. But he certainly deserves recognition as one of Scotland's best actors -- right up there among Connery, Ewan McGregor, Dougray Scott, and Robert Carlyle.Russell first performed before an audience in 1960 on the Shari Lewis Show. But it was not until 1980 that he got his first real acting job -- performing on the London stage as the superintendent in Nobel Prize-winner Dario Fo's satire The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, about police corruption in Italy. The reviews were good, and he reprised that role for television in 1983. After further honing his skills in various British TV productions and a handful of films -- including Jute City, The Power of One, The Hawk, and Seconds Out -- Russell received exposure before international audiences as Caleb Garth in the celebrated BBC miniseries Middlemarch, based on the George Eliot novel of the same name. A year later, he fell in love on the movie screen with Helena Bonham Carter in Margaret's Museum, earning laudatory reviews worldwide. Clive Russell had arrived. After more TV roles and another film, Russell played Ralph Fiennes' father in another critically acclaimed film, Oscar and Lucinda. Growing recognition of his acting skills then brought him plum roles in four major TV miniseries: Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Railway Children, and The Mists of Avalon. In the same year that he made Mists, Russell also performed in The Emperor's New Clothes, starring Ian Holm as Napoleon. In 2002, his career reached new heights when he took on a role in a BBC/Columbia Tristar production about a mountain-rescue team in Scotland.

Trivia: A graduate of England's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, actor Tobias Menzies started his onscreen career with guest roles on a number of BBC programs before landing the part of the infamous assassin Brutus on the BBC/HBO co-production Rome. In 2006, between seasons of Rome, Menzies could be seen in a supporting role in the hit James Bond film Casino Royale. And following the second and final season of Rome, he was cast in a made-for-television adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Trivia: Born September 5, 1976, in the Netherlands, actress Carice van Houten worked steadily in her native country on both the small and big screens, garnering a number of nominations for her work. She first started to acquire international fame as the star of Paul Verhoeven's Black Book, portraying Rachel Stein, a Jewish woman who disguises herself and uses her allure and beauty in order to manipulate the Nazis in charge of the occupation of Holland. The exposure from her work in that film served as a springboard for van Houten, and she was soon appearing prominantly in high-profile Hollywood pictures, such as Bryan Singer's WWII drama Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise; the sci-fi film Repossession Mambo, as the wife of Jude Law's character; and the biographical drama Vivaldi, starring Joseph Fiennes as the classical composer. In 2012, she joined Game of Thrones, playing Melisandre, though she still found time to return to the big screen, including The Fifth Estate in 2013 and the Jesse James biopic Race (2016), playing German film director/propagandist Leni Riefenstahl.

Trivia: As his grandmother and parents were both actors, his school gave him the lead role in Hamlet when he was 16 without an audition. Began acting at Oslo's National Theatre when he was 19. Appeared in Vera Henriksen's play The Sword in 2011. Shaved his trademark beard for a role in M. Night Shyamalan's After Earth (2013).

Trivia: Her parents moved from Turkey to West Germany before she was born. Trained as a public administrator and worked for two years at a municipal waste office. After she was nominated for several awards for her work in Head-On (2004), the German press uncovered that she had previously worked in the adult film industry; during one of her acceptance speeches, she publicly complained about the situation. Supports women's rights and volunteers with Terre des Femmes, which fights to end domestic violence against women.

Trivia: Her father, Sebastian, is the 14th Laird of Warthill and the Aberdeenshire Chieftain of Clan Leslie. Grew up in Lickleyhead Castle, the family's 15th century ancestral seat; her family also owns the 12th century Warthill Castle in Aberdeenshire. Won a Scottish BAFTA award for New Talent for her professional acting debut in the TV movie New Town (2009). Appeared in Bedlam at the Globe Theatre in 2010. Had to take an archery course after she was cast as Ygritte in Game of Thrones in 2012.

Trivia: Began acting in school drama productions at the age of 17. First discovered at a National Eisteddfod of Wales (a Welsh festival of literature, music and performance). Can speak Welsh fluently. Plays the piano, guitar and bass guitar. Is dyslexic. Was the lead singer in The Convictions before deciding to pursue a career in acting. Won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical at the 2010 Olivier Awards for his role as Moritz Stiefel in the rock-musical Spring Awakening. Has released three solo EPs in 2010, 2011 and 2013 respectively. His first album, Dinard, was released in April 2015, the title of which refers to the French town where he met his girlfriend Zoe Grisedale.

Trivia: Attended Terenure College, where he began acting in the school's theater program. Returned to Ireland after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to begin his career as a theatre actor before moving into television and film. Was part of the original cast of the play The Seafarer when it premiered on the West End in 2006; when the play transferred to Broadway, his role was recast with Sean Mahon. Appeared in the play The Night Alive at the Donmar Warehouse in 2013, opposite Ciarán Hines and Jim Norton. Joined Game of Thrones during the show's second season, as the recurring character Roose Bolton; was promoted to a series regular for season six.

Trivia: Look up "statuesque" in the dictionary and you just might find a picture of British actress Diana Rigg. Born in a Yorkshire industrial town, Rigg was two years old when her father, a railroad constructionist, moved the family to India. Six years later, she was back in Yorkshire, suffering through the discipline and rigors of private school until one of her teachers introduced her to the world of the theatre. After graduation, Rigg was accepted by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; she went on to the Royal Shakespeare Company, where her deeply distinctive voice, auburn red hair, and towering height (5'8") assured her such dynamic roles as Viola in Twelfth Night and Cordelia in King Lear. Though never lacking in prestige, the Royal Shakespeare paid starvation wages, compelling Rigg to moonlight in the more lucrative world of movies and TV. In 1965, she was selected to replace Honor Blackman on the popular tongue-in-cheek TV-adventure series "The Avengers," and for the next two years captivated little boys of all ages with her energetic portrayal of coolheaded, leather-clad karate expert Mrs. Emma Peel. Film stardom followed in short order with plum roles in The Assassination Bureau (1968) and the James Bond flick On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Though she was always welcome in films and television (she headlined a brief American sitcom, "Diana," in 1973), Rigg preferred to think of herself as a "theatre animal," and continued to star in the classics on stage, still frequently accepting a miniscule salary in order to satisfy her muse. In the last decade, Rigg published the hilarious book No Turn Unstoned, in which she gathered together the worst reviews ever received by the world's best actors (including her own bad notices); in the early 1990s, she replaced Vincent Price as the host of PBS' "Mystery" anthology.

Trivia: Her parents both worked at Bristol University, her father as a professor and her mother as a research technician. Was a member of the Bristol Old Vic Young Company. Auditioned for Skins to gain experience and was given the role of Cassie for two series. Made her stage debut in the West End play That Face in 2008. Had a small part in the film Bruges in 2008, but her scene was cut from the final version of the film. Won a Bafta Award in 2009 for her performance in Skins. Has played the role of Gilly in Game of Thrones since 2012. Played the lead in the play Martine at the Finborough Theatre in 2014, earning an Off West End Award nomination for Best Female Performance. Won the Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015 for her role in Bridgend.

Trivia: Changed his name from Terrence to Finn to avoid confusion with the Monty Python actor. Made his TV debut in a spinoff of the UK soap opera Hollyoaks, called Hollyoaks Later. Originally auditioned for the role of Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, but was cast as Loras Tyrell instead. Assisted with a 2015 Oxfam fundraiser to support Syrian refugees by singing Christmas carols. A vocal supporter of social causes, including gay rights, and racial and gender equality.

Trivia: British actor Thomas Sangster caught audience's attention in 2003's Love Actually when he was 13. He would go on to appear in films like Nanny McPhee, Tristan and Isolde, and Bright Star, as well as provide the voice of Ferb on the animated TV series Phineas and Ferb.

Trivia: Attended an all-girls school and frequently played male roles in their theatre productions, including the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver! Former member of the National Youth Theatre. Made her stage debut in 2009, as Juliet in a Shakespeare's Globe production of Romeo and Juliet. Wrote a play, titled Silly Girl, that was adapted into a short film directed by Hope Dickson Leach. Works with The Arts Emergency charity, which seeks to provide mentoring and networking for underprivileged budding artists.

Trivia: While attending university she began performing in neo-burlesque and cabaret shows. Modeled for luxury lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur and sang on their cabaret themed album Peep Show. Has posed for painters Christian Furr and Peregrine Heathcote. Became the spokesmodel for lingerie label The Modern Courtesan in 2008. Her character on Game of Thrones, Ros, was only supposed to appear in the pilot episode, but she was so well-received she stayed on the show for three seasons. Had a pair of shoes named after her by designer Terry de Havilland. In an interview in 2019, spoke of being a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of a former boyfriend and how she still suffers from night terrors and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

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: Had no interest in acting until he joined a drama club to get out of playing soccer on cold Saturday mornings during the winter. Began acting in commercials. Studied acting at the Kent Youth Theatre in Canterbury, England. Screen debut was in the 2011 horror flick The Awakening. Big break came when he was cast as Bran Stark on Game of Thrones. Plays piano and drums.

Trivia: The daughter of a theatrical sound engineer, began acting at age 3 after attending a stage production of Show Boat that her father worked on. Appeared in secondary-school productions of West Side Story and Twelfth Night. Made British-TV debut in a 2009 episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors; made U.S. TV debut in the 2010 SyFy movie Triassic Attack.

Trivia: A handsome supporting player whose occasional leap into the lead has resulted in some interestingly varied performances, actor Iain Glen has appeared in everything from low-budget indies to high-profile Hollywood blockbusters -- frequently holding his own opposite such screen heavies as Harvey Keitel (The Young Americans) and Billy Connolly (Gabriel & Me). A native of Edinburgh, Scotland, who studied at Edinburgh Academy and the University of Aberdeen before honing his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, the talented Shakespearian actor would go on to impress audiences in such stage works as Macbeth and Henry V. In 1985, the ascending stage talent made a successful transition to the screen with a small role in an episode of the popular U.K. mystery series Taggart, and after making the leap to the big screen with a supporting role in the 1987 feature Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Glen returned to television the next year for a role in the series The Fear. In the years that followed, Glen's big-screen career gained notable momentum thanks to solid performances in Gorillas in the Mist (1988) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990), with his early years coming to a peak when he took home a Best Actor award from the Berlin International Film Festival for his turn as a convicted killer in the 1990 film Silent Scream. That same year, Glen also received accolades for his portrayal of real-life explorer Lt. John Hanning Speke in Mountains of the Moon, though the remainder of the decade would find him sticking mainly to U.K. television (occasionally taking the lead, as in 1992's Frankie's House). Following an endearing turn as a sports reporter whose one-night fling leads him to come to terms with his tragic past in Glasgow Kiss, Glen received notable international exposure with a high-profile role opposite Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Though Glen's shattering performance as a father suffering terminal lung cancer in the drama Gabriel & Me (screenwriter Lee Hall's follow-up to Billy Elliot) ultimately failed to gel with audiences, Glen's horrific turn as a seemingly possessed father in Darkness offered the talented actor at his manic best. By this point, Glen seemed to be growing increasingly comfortable alternating between more independent-minded features and more large-scale productions, taking the role of noted psychiatrist Carl Jung in the 2003 romantic drama The Soul Keeper before taking a more epic turn as an anthropologist who hunts and captures pygmies in order to study them and prove a link between man and ape in 2005's Man to Man. He appeared in Ridley Scott's epic Kingdom of Heaven, as well as Resident Evil: Extinction. In 2008 he had a major part in a retelling of The Diary of Anne Frank for the BBC, and followed that up with a part in the Michael Caine vehicle Harry Brown. In 2011 he acted in the Oscar winning biopic The Iron Lady.

Trivia: Worked as a lumberjack and bridge painter prior to acting. First gained notice by appearing in a Scottish breakfast-cereal commercial. Won a Scottish BAFTA Award for his role in the 2002 TV series The Book Group. Is an avid outdoorsman and experienced mountaineer; got to put his climbing skills to good use in the TV series Rockface. Plays the piano.

Trivia: Has been a vegetarian since he was 18; is a patron of the Vegetarian Society. In 1995, released a cover version of "Unchained Melody" with his Soldier Soldier co-star Robson Green; it sold more than a million copies and was the best-selling single of the year. Robson and Jerome donated £27,000 to Greenpeace from the proceeds of their singles. Before his appearance on Game of Thrones in 2011, had not been on screen for 10 years. Is a patron of The Forces-Helpline, a website that helps address any bullying issues in the Navy, Army or Royal Air Force.

Trivia: Enjoyed acting at school and attended an acting workshop for children in Nottingham twice a week after school free of charge. Is a keen supporter of Nottingham Forest football team. Has voiced Clearasil adverts in the United Kingdom. Big break was playing tragic teen Chris in E4 drama Skins, in which he appeared completely naked in his opening scene. Dyed his hair black and hit the gym to build muscle for his role as Gendry in Game Of Thrones. Originally auditioned for the roles of Jon Snow, Pypar and Grenn in Game Of Thrones. Has said his social life has doubled since moving to London because most of the actors in Game of Thrones live there. Admires actors who set themselves challenges, such as Daniel Day-Lewis who transforms himself time and again. Being half Scottish, he is a fan of the Scotland national football team.