BY ACTOR: B

The eldest of the clan of American actors, Baldwin began his career with smart cameos in 'Married to the Mo' and 'Working Girl' (both 1988) before becoming a star with 'The Hunt for Red October' (1990). His elevation to elder statesman has seen him become politically outspoken, display brilliant comic timing – particularly in '30 Rock' – and turn in fine performances for the likes of Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen.

A intense actor, a favourite of Christopher Nolan's, who began his career as the star of Steven Spielberg's 'Empire of the Sun' (1987) and is renowned for his physical and psychological immersion into characters. Critically acclaimed, he is also a bankable star.

Donatas Banionis was a popular Lithuanian actor known for his role in Andrei Tarkovsky's 'Solaris' (1972). He was born in 1924 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

British actor who excels at wordplay, she has appeared in British costume dramas and large-scale Hollywood blockbusters but her best work has been with American auteur Whit Stillman in 'The Last Days of Disco' (1998) and 'Love and Friendship' (2016).

Argentine actress Bérénice Bejo made her American film acting debut in ‘A Knights Tale’ (2001), however she has predominantly remained in foreign language roles for her career since. Bejo’s fame rose in 2011 when she starred in the Best Picture winning film ‘The Artist’ (2011), and her acting skills were rewarded at the 2013 Cannes film festival for her performance in ‘The Past’ (2013). She has most recently starred in ‘The Search’ (2014) and ‘The Last Diamond’ (2015).

Hailing from a family of dancers, Jamie Bell was born in Billingham, England in 1986. He won the BAFTA for Best Actor for his debut role in ‘Billy Elliot’ (2000), which mirrored his own life experiences. This paved the way for a successful acting career, with roles in ‘King Kong’ (2005), ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ (2011), and ‘Nymphomaniac: Vol. I & II’ (2014).

Breaking into the big time with a stunning performance in 'The Grifters', Annette Benning excels at strong female roles - from Kevin Spacey's unfulfilled wife in 'American Beauty' (1999) to a homesteader in Kevin Costner's western 'Open Range' (2003).

The Mexican actor became an international sensation through his performance in the first section of Alejandro Gonzáles Iñáritu's 'Amores Perros' (2000) and has since forged a career in Hollywood, whilst championing Latin American cinema and a new generation of directors.

Born in 1964 in Paris, Juliette Binoche was only 23 when she first attracted the attention of international film critics with Philip Kaufman's 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' (1988). Her filmography ranges from independent hits to high-budget productions, including roles in Kieslowski's masterpiece 'Three Colours: Blue', and an Oscar winning performance in Anthony Minghella's 'The English Patient' (1996).

Harrison Ford's daughter in the two Tom Clancy Jack Ryan adaptations, she is best known for her performances in 'American Beauty' (1999) and 'Ghost World' (2001).

A critically acclaimed, two-time Oscar winning actor, she achieved fame with her stunning portrayal of the Virgin Queen in 'Elizabeth' (1998). As at ease in blockbusters such as Peter Jackson's Tolkein adaptations as she is in intimate dramas such as 'Carol' (2015), she is one of the finest actors of her generation.

Acclaimed for her performance in Pawel Pawilkowski’s 'My Summer of Love' (2004), Emily Blunt became a household name thanks to her scene-stealing performance in 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006), playing Meryl Streep’s put-upon assistant. It’s a deft balance of mania and comic timing. She impressed in 'Dan in Real Life' and 'Charlie Wilson’s War' (both 2007), and was a fine double act with Amy Adams in 'Sunshine Cleaning' (2008). 'The Young Victoria' (2009) cemented her star persona. 2011 then proved to be a key year. 'The Adjustment Bureau' (2011) is a little-remembered Philip K. Dick adaptation, but her first encounter scene with Matt Damon’s politician recalls the great scenes between stars in Hollywood’s golden age. The repartee, their chemistry and charisma elevate the film. That star status was firmly established with 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen', a silly but amiable romantic drama. And Blunt had her first great role since 'My Summer of Love' with Lynn Shelton’s 'Your Sister’s Sister'. 'Looper' (2012) and 'Edge of Tomorrow' (2014) took her into blockbuster territory and she added warmth and intelligence to each. 'Sicario' (2015) offered up another great role and performance, arguably richer and more nuanced than 'The Huntsman: Inter War' and 'The Girl on a Train' (both 2016), but the latter is now her biggest hit as a star.

If she was originally labelled the queen of the British costume drama, the actor's versatility has shone through, whether its her roles in Tim Burton's films or her wonderfully cynical performance in David Fincher's 'Fight Club' (1999) or Bellatrix in the later Harry Potter films.

Born in Lincolnshire, UK in 1949, Jim Broadbent is increasingly renowned as the finest British character actor of his generation. His roots in experimental theatre contributed to his massive range, including a pitch-perfect reincarnation of real-life historical figures, a grotesque caricature for Terry Gilliam.

He started young, playing the brash older brother to one of the adventurous kids in 'The Goonies' (1985). The next two decades saw him take backseat roles and he built a successful career as a stock trader. Then three roles in 2007 changed his fortunes. He was a demented doctor in Robert Rodriguez’s segment of 'Grindhouse' ('Planet Terror'), a supporting character in Paul Haggis’ 'In the Valley of Elah' and superb in the Coen’s 'No Country for Old Men'. That latter role found him at ease with his age and physicality. He is an impressive President Bush in Oliver Stone’s 'W.' and a troubled Dan White in Gus Van Sant’s 'Milk' (both 2008), wasted in 'Jonah Hex' (2010), smartly cast by the Coens again in their version of 'True Grit' (2010) and a strong presence in the otherwise poor 'Labor Day' (2013). His imposing physicality is a major factor in convincing us of character Matt Graver in 'Sicario' and Beck Weathers in 'Everest' (both 2015), but it is also used to great comic effect in 'Inherent Vice' (2014) and another collaboration with the Coens' 'Hail Caesar!' (2016). And he is likely to be one of the more memorable villains in 'Marvel Lore', having already played Thanos in cameo roles in 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014) and 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015), and taking centre stage in 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018).

Born in 1957, Steve Buscemi worked as a New York firefighter before his breakout film role in Quentin Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs' (1992) as the criminal Mr. Pink. With his thin, weedy frame and bulging eyes, he often plays sleazy or mentally unstable characters, and thus became a favourite choice for many directors such as the Coen brothers and Jim Jarmusch. Buscemi's directorial debut was in 1996 with 'Trees Lounge'.

Handsome, with a deep, lugubrious voice, Gabriel Byrne first made an impression as Uther Pendragon in John Boorman’s mystical 'Excalibur' (1981). He impressed as a journalist caught up in a government espionage scandal in 'Defence of the Realm' (1986) before taking on a series of significant roles in 'Gothic' (1986), 'Julia and Julia' (1987), 'Siesta' (1987) and 'A Soldier’s Tale' (1989). His conniving go-between in the Coens' 'Miller’s Crossing' (1990) remains one of his finest performances. He may or may not be Keyser Söze in 'The Usual Suspects' (1995) and ended the 1990s dabbling in blockbusters like 'Enemy of the State' (1998) and 'End of Days' (1999). Another excellent performance in 'Jindabyne' (2006) showed that Byrne is at his best playing morally compromised characters, further evinced by his excellent turn as the therapist Dr. Paul Weston in the TV series 'In Treatment' (2008-10). More recently, he is moving as the bereaved father in Joachim Trier’s 'Louder Than Bombs'.