Maybe you consider yourself a huge fan of motion pictures and can name famous actors by sight. Perhaps you’re looking for something new to fall in love with when it comes to popular movies.
Or maybe, you’d like to expand your understanding of films with an entirely different genre.
Whatever the reason for branching out, there is countless talent when it comes to talent in the UK.
If you’d like to get acquainted with a few of these brilliant actors, here’s a list of six actors you’ve probably never heard of.
Look up a movie or program and watch free tv. You’ll fall in love with the talent each of them holds.
Idris Elba
Born in 1972 in London, this gentleman is an only child with fantastic talent.
Having attended school in Canning Town, Idris first tried his hand in action, only to drop out shortly after.
In 1997, he landed his first role on the famous soap opera Family Affairs, which set his life on the big screen in motion. Since then, Idris has landed popular movies like Thor, Zootopia, The Jungle Book, and Finding Dory.
Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2016, he received Honours for his services to drama.
Judi Dench
Dame Judi Dench was born in 1934 in York, England. She attended Mount School in York and the Central School of Speech and Drama.
Judi is a ten-time BAFTA winner, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. She made her film debut in 1964 with The Third Secret. From there, she fell in love with the industry.
You’ll be able to find her in great films like Casino Royale, Goldeneye, Spectre, Quantum of Solace, and Cats.
Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970, a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1988, and in 2005, she became a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour.
Maggie Smith
When it comes to films and plays, Dame Margaret Natalie Smith knows a thing or two. She was born in 1934 in Essex, England.
She is the recipient of several accolades, including Primetime Emmy Awards, Academy Awards, a Tony Award, and three Golden Globes. Maggie began performing as a student at Oxford Playhouse, with a professional debut in New Faces of ’56.
Her television debut saw her in a Ned Sherrin program called Oxford Accents. From there, you’ll find her in films like Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Sister Act, Hook, and Downton Abbey.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Born in 1976 in London, Cumberbatch attended Brambletye School and Harrow School. While he was at Harrow, he followed his art scholarship and discovered acting simultaneously.
He returned from a year of volunteering in a Tibetan monastery and found himself studying drama.
Throughout his career, Cumberbatch worked in television, film, theatre, and radio. His big break was landing the role of Stephen Hawking in a television movie Hawking (2004).
Since then, Cumberbatch has starred in Sherlock, War Horse, 12 Years a Slave, and The Imitation Game.
Bill Nighy
Born in 1949 in Surrey, Nighy is an award-winning actor with serious talent. He fell in love with English Language and Literature during his studies, with Ernest Hemingway being his favourite.
Nighy trained at Guildford School of Dance and Drama in London and continues to work in television, film, and on stage. Best-known for his performance in Love Actually, he’s also made many appearances in cinema internationally.
You’ll find him in Astro Boy, Underworld, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Sir Daniel Day-Lewis was born in 1957 in London. He holds dual citizenship with England and Ireland, with numerous accolades for his acting.
These include four British Academy Film Awards for Best Actor, three Academy Awards for Best Actor, and a knighthood for services to drama.
Day-Lewis has always remained involved with the arts, excelling on stage at the National Youth Theatre. In the early 1980s, he shifted between theatre and film, playing Romeo Montague in Romeo and Juliet.
In 1984, he made his first film debut in The Bounty. Since then, you can find him in Gangs of New York, Nine, There Will Be Blood, and Phantom Thread.
