famous english actors and actresses
43 Famous English Actors and Actresses
The film industry has been blessed with many English artistes. This Buzzle article will list the most famous English actors and actresses, along with their most notable performances.
Did You Know?
Veteran actor Christopher Lee served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and was nearly killed when he stepped over a live bomb.
England has always been known for producing some of the best talent in the entertainment business. Whether it is Academy Award-winning blockbusters like Titanic and The Queen, or the trademark comic films of Charlie Chaplin, the film industry will never be the same without these powerhouse performers. Young or old, every movie buff has at some point been an ardent devotee of some English film star. If one goes through the biography of any one of these legends, one common aspect of their lives is that, most of them began their acting careers with theater. It was in this arena that their talent blossomed, before they were offered a movie role. Also, many English movie artistes are alumni of celebrated British arts academies.
While the erstwhile English actors had carved out a remarkable niche for themselves, the newer lot too is not to be left behind. Actors like Daniel Radcliffe, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Hardy have built formidable reputations based on sheer talent and hard work, and are giving stiff competition to Hollywood A-listers. Senior actors, rather than retire when age catches up with them, have only pushed themselves harder to ascend even higher pinnacles of success. They are an inspiration for all generations to come. While listing England's every contribution to cinema will make a very long list, the most famous of the lot have been showcased here, in no particular order.
Michael Caine
Born
14 March 1933
Active Between
1954 - present
Famous Performances
The Italian Job (1969)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Zulu (1964)Christian Bale
Born
30 January 1974
Active Between
1983 - present
Famous Performances
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
3:10 to Yuma (2007)Ralph Fiennes
Born
22 December 1962
Active Between
1990 - present
Famous Performances
Schindler's List (1993)
The English Patient (1996)
The Reader (2008)Sir Roger Moore
Born
14 October 1927
Active Between
1945 - present
Famous Performances
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Live and Let Die (1973)
Moonraker (1979)Kate Winslet
Born
5 October 1975
Active Between
1991 - present
Famous Performances
Titanic (1997)
The Reader (2008)
Little Children (2006)Tom Hardy
Born
15 September 1977
Active Between
2001 - present
Famous Performances
Inception (2010)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Warrior (2011)Daniel Craig
Born
2 March 1968
Active Between
1992 - present
Famous Performances
Layercake (2004)
Casino Royale (2006)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Chiwetel Ejiofor
Born
10 July 1977
Active Between
1996 - present
Famous Performances
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Children of Men (2006)
American Gangster (2007)Keira Knightley
Born
26 March 1985
Active Between
1993 - present
Famous Performances
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead man's Chest (2006)
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl (2003)Clive Owen
Born
3 October 1964
Active Between
1988 - present
Famous Performances
Closer (2004)
Inside Man (2006)
Children of Men (2006)Gary Oldman
Born
21 March 1958
Active Between
1979 - present
Famous Performances
Sid and Nancy (1986)
The Fifth Element (1997)
Leon: The Professional (1994)Alan Rickman
Born
21 February 1946
Active Between
1978 - present
Famous Performances
Die Hard (1988)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)Hugh Laurie
Born
11 June 1959
Active Between
1981 - present
Famous Performances
Stuart Little (1999)
Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)
Peter's Friends (1992)Elizabeth Hurley
Born
10 June 1965
Active Between
1987 - present
Famous Performances
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Bedazzled (2000)
Permanent Midnight (1998)Daniel Day-Lewis
Born
29 April 1957
Active Between
1971 - 2012 (break)
Famous Performances
Lincoln (2012)
Gangs of New York (2002)
There Will Be Blood (2007)Toby Stephens
Born
21 April 1969
Active Between
1992 - present
Famous Performances
Die Another Day (2002)
Jane Eyre (2011)
Space Cowboys (2000)Dame Judi Dench
Born
9 December 1934
Active Between
1957 - present
Famous Performances
Chocolat (2000)
Golden Eye (1995)
Her Majesty Mrs Brown (1997)Kiefer Sutherland
Born
21 December 1966
Active Between
1983 - present
Famous Performances
24 (2001)
The Lost Boys (1987)
Stand By Me (1986)Kate Beckinsale
Born
26 July 1973
Active Between
1991 - present
Famous Performances
Total Recall (2012)
Underworld (2003)
Underworld: Evolution (2006)Colin Firth
Born
10 September 1960
Active Between
1983 - present
Famous Performances
The King's Speech (2010)
A Christmas Carol (2009)
Mamma Mia! (2008)Daniel Radcliffe
Born
23 July 1989
Active Between
1999 - present
Famous Performances
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part I (2010)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)Emma Watson
Born
15 April 1990
Active Between
1999 - present
Famous Performances
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
The Perks of being a Wallflower (2012)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)Robert Pattinson
Born
13 May 1986
Active Between
2003 - present
Famous Performances
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Twilight (2008)Christopher Lee
Born
27 May 1922
Active Between
1948 - present
Famous Performances
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)
The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003)Emily Blunt
Born
23 February 1983
Active Between
2002 - present
Famous Performances
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)Jude Law
Born
29 December 1972
Active Between
1987 - present
Famous Performances
Cold Mountain (2003)
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Road to Perdition (2002)Julie Andrews
Born
1 October 1935
Active Between
1945 - present
Famous Performances
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)Emma Thompson
Born
15 April 1959
Active Between
1983 - present
Famous Performances
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Howards End (1992)
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)Sir Ian McKellen
Born
25 May 1939
Active Between
1959 - present
Famous Performances
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003)
X2 (2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)Helena Bonham Carter
Born
26 May 1966
Active Between
1983 - present
Famous Performances
A Room With a View (1985)
The King's Speech (2010)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber (2007)Nicollette Sheridan
Born
21 November 1963
Active Between
1984 - present
Famous Performances
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
The Sure Thing (1985)
Lost Treasure (2003)Vanessa Redgrave
Born
30 January 1937
Active Between
1958 - present
Famous Performances
Howards End (1992)
Julia (1977)
Blow-Up (1966)Hugh Grant
Born
9 September 1960
Active Between
1982 - present
Famous Performances
Love Actually (2003)
Notting Hill (1999)
Bridget Jones Diary (2001)Charlie Chaplin
Lived
16 April 1889 - 25 December 1977
Active Between
1899 - 1967
Famous Performances
The Great Dictator (1940)
The Gold Rush (1925)
City Lights (1931)Helen Mirren
Born
26 July 1945
Active Between
1965 - present
Famous Performances
O Lucky Man! (1973)
The Queen (2006)
The Long Good Friday (1980)Jason Statham
Born
26 July 1967
Active Between
1998 - present
Famous Performances
Crank (2006)
The Transporter (2002)
Snatch (2000)Audrey Hepburn
Lived
4 May 1929 - 20 January 1993
Active Between
1948 - 1989
Famous Performances
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Charade (1963)
Sabrina (1954)Maggie Smith
Born
28 December 1934
Active Between
1952 - present
Famous Performances
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)
Hook (1991)Denholm Elliott
Lived
31 May 1922 - 6 October 1992
Active Between
1949 - 1992
Famous Performances
Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989)
Maurice (1987)Josh Bowman
Born
4 March 1988
Active Between
2007 - present
Famous Performances
Revenge (2011)
So Undercover (2012)
Prowl (2010)Nigel Hawthorne
Lived
5 April 1929 - 26 December 2001
Active Between
1950 - 1999
Famous Performances
Demolition Man (1993)
Amistad (1997)
Tarzan (1999)Dame Elizabeth Taylor
Lived
27 February 1932 - 23 March 2011
Active Between
1942 - 2003
Famous Performances
National Velvet (1944)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)Jeremy Irons
Born
19 September 1948
Active Between
1969 - present
Famous Performances
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)