Gruffudd started his acting career at the age of twelve in a Welsh television film called Austin and then later moved on to the Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm (English: People of the Valley) from 1987 to 1994. At the age of eighteen, he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. He won his first major English language role a few years later in the 1996 TV remake of Poldark.

After playing Oscar Wilde's lover John Gray in 1997's Wilde he took his first international role as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the blockbuster film Titanic. He later landed his best-known role as Horatio Hornblower in Hornblower, the Meridian production of the C.S. Forester novels, shown on ITV1 and A&E. Gruffudd has said: "It was quite something for an unknown actor to get the lead. So I will always be grateful to Hornblower. ... I would love to play this character through every stage of his life. I think it would be unique to have an actor playing him from the very early days as a midshipman, through till he's an Admiral. So, I would love to play this character till he perishes." Since February 20, 2007, Gruffudd has been making plans to obtain rights to the Horatio Hornblower novels in order to produce a film for the big screen.

Gruffudd's TV work includes playing the character Pip in the BBC TV production of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations and architect Philip Bosinney in ITV's adaptation of The Forsyte Saga. As regards films, he has starred in 102 Dalmatians, Black Hawk Down and King Arthur. In 2007 he starred in the historical drama Amazing Grace as William Wilberforce, the British slavery abolitionist, receiving critical acclaim for the role. Gruffudd has also portrayed characters of both Marvel Comics and DC Comics, having appeared as Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in Marvel's Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and provided the voice of Mister Miracle in DC's Justice League Unlimited.

Apart from television and film work, he also starred in the music video of Westlife's version of "Uptown Girl" alongside Claudia Schiffer, and on 7 July 2007 he was a presenter at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London. Gruffudd is a native Welsh speaker. He was accepted into the Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain (the Bardic Order of Great Britain) at the highest rank in the National Eisteddfod at Meifod, Mid Wales, in 2003, with the bardic name "Ioan".

Alba had expressed interest in acting since the age of five. She took her first acting class at age twelve, and an acting agent signed her nine months later. Her first appearance on film was a small role in the 1994 feature Camp Nowhere as Gail. She was originally hired for two weeks but her role turned into a two-month job when the actress in one of the prominent roles dropped out.

Alba appeared in two national television commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney as a child. She was later featured in several independent films. She branched out into television in 1994 with a recurring role as the vain Jessica in three episodes of the Nickelodeon comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack. She then performed the role of Maya in the first two seasons of the television series Flipper. Under the tutelage of her lifeguard mother, Alba learned to swim before she could walk, and she was a PADI-certified scuba diver, skills which were put to use on the show, which was filmed in Australia.

In 1998, she appeared as Melissa Hauer in a first-season episode of the Steven Bochco crime-drama Brooklyn South, as Leanne in two episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and as Layla in an episode of The Love Boat: The Next Wave. In 1999, she appeared in the Randy Quaid comedy feature P.U.N.K.S.. After graduating from high school, Alba studied acting with William H. Macy and his wife, Felicity Huffman, at the Atlantic Theater Company, which was developed by Macy and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and film director, David Mamet.

Alba rose to greater prominence in Hollywood in 1999 after appearing as a member of a snobby high school clique in the Drew Barrymore romantic comedy Never Been Kissed, and as the female lead in the 1999 comedy-horror film Idle Hands, opposite Devon Sawa.

Her big break came when writer/director James Cameron picked Alba from a pool of 1,200 candidates for the role of the genetically-engineered super-soldier, Max Guevara, on the FOX sci-fi television series Dark Angel. Co-created by Cameron, the series starred Alba, and ran for two seasons until 2002, earning her critical acclaim as well as a Golden Globe nomination.

Alba's most notable film roles have included an aspiring dancer-choreographer in Honey, exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in Sin City and as the classic Marvel Comics character Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman in the Fantastic Four. Alba went on to host the 2006 MTV Movie Awards and performed sketches spoofing the movies King Kong, Mission Impossible 3, and The Da Vinci Code.

In 2008, Alba appeared in her first horror-film role in The Eye (a remake of the Hong Kong original), and will star in Sisters, alongside Eliska Amor and Paz Vega. On February 9, 2008, Alba hosted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's Science and Technical Awards.

After completing his junior year in high school, Evans traveled to New York where he interned at a casting agency and took a summer acting program. That same summer he met an agent that helped him get his start in acting after completing high school. Evans had small parts on television series such as Boston Public and The Fugitive and a role in the TV series Opposite Sex before landing his first notable role as Jake Wyler in Not Another Teen Movie. The film contained a somewhat notorious spoof of the Varsity Blues movie, where (to attract the attention of a girl) Evans entered the room wearing nothing more than whipped cream and cherries covering his nipples and crotch, and a banana sticking out of his buttocks.

After filming wrapped on Not Another Teen Movie, Evans landed several more lead roles in The Perfect Score and Cellular. He also starred in a few independent films where audiences got to see a different side to Evans. In London, Evans played a strung out drug user with relationship problems. He was then chosen to play the Human Torch in the 2005 comic book adaptation Fantastic Four. Evans has worked opposite some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Kim Basinger, Diane Lane, Scarlett Johansson, William H. Macy and Donald Sutherland. He was named Male Superstar of Tomorrow at the 2005 Young Hollywood Awards. Recently, Evans reprised the role of Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in the sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and as the engineer Mace in Danny Boyle's sci-fi film Sunshine.

Next up for Evans is the role of Diskant in Street Kings, co-starring Keanu Reeves, and Jimmy in The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, co-starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Ellen Burstyn and David Strathairn. The latter is based on a play created by Tennessee Williams. Evans is also working on a supernatural thriller, Push, along with Dakota Fanning and Camilla Belle.

After graduation, Chiklis moved to New York City with high ambitions, but he struggled for several years before being cast the role of John Belushi in the controversial biopic Wired in 1989. The film was panned in general and flopped at the box office, but Chiklis received good reviews for his performance. He also guest starred in several popular television series such as Miami Vice, L.A. Law, Murphy Brown, and Seinfeld alongside bit parts in films like Nixon.

The Commish was Chiklis's first acclaimed and successful role. In the family-friendly police comedy/drama, Chiklis played Anthony "Tony" J. Scali, a police commissioner in a small city in upstate New York. A stern but lovable father figure, Chiklis's character had an easygoing style, smart wit, and an unorthodox approach to parenthood and police work. After The Commish, Chiklis starred in the short-lived and critically-panned NBC sitcom Daddio. After playing Curly Howard in a television movie about the Three Stooges, Chiklis decided to reinvent his image. With his wife's help, he spent six months on an extensive workout regimen and shaved his head. He turned up to audition for The Shield looking nothing like the pudgy, friendly character of The Commish.

Winning over the creator Shawn Ryan, Chiklis nabbed the leading role of the show's tough, edgy, detective Vic Mackey. Although The Shield has been controversial because of its violent content, Chiklis's acting has been highly praised, and he has won several awards for his role. Playing the role of the bulked up and brutal cop has also helped Chiklis break out from typecasting, shedding the overweight and friendly image that had defined his career in the past. It was noted by Charlie Brooker that in many shots he bore a strong resemblance to Ross Kemp. Since 2000, he is also taken up a number of voice roles, voicing Chihiro's father, Akio, in the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and Roman/King Webster in the direct-to-video feature The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina. He has also performed in several episodes of Family Guy and had a voice role in Heavy Gear: The Animated Series.

In 2005, he starred in Fantastic Four as The Thing and for its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. A fan of the comic series, Chiklis was often praised for his performance in a film that otherwise earned mixed reviews. Chiklis's first major recognition came in 2003, as he won the 2002 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series for his role as Detective Vic Mackey on The Shield. He received a Golden Globe that same year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series-Drama as well. Between 2004 and 2005, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series but did not win.

In addition to a career as a fashion model, including a jeans commercial for Levi Strauss, McMahon began an acting career on Australian soap Home and Away, playing the soldier Ben Lucini. McMahon was one of several Home and Away cast-members to star in a stage musical about the soap, which toured the UK in 1991. Adam Willits, Sharyn Hodgson (who played his on-screen wife, Carly), Mouche Phillips and Justine Clarke also starred.

He then appeared in the film Wet and Wild Summer! (a.k.a. Exchange Lifeguards) in 1992, and following this he appeared in his then soon-to-be wife Dannii Minogue's music videos for her 1993 hits "This Is It" and "This Is The Way". His first role on American television was on the daytime soap opera Another World, playing Ian Rain from 1993 to 1995. He also went on to play Dr. Michael Walsh in the movie Magenta in 1996, Sheriff Hayes in In Quiet Night (a.k.a. You Belong to Me Forever) in 1998, George Simian in the psychological thriller Chasing Sleep in 2000, and David Cameron in the made for TV movie Another Day in 2001.

From 1996 to 2000, he starred in all four seasons of the NBC drama Profiler as Agent John Grant. Following this, McMahon joined the cast of the WB's supernatural hit show Charmed, playing the demonic Cole Turner from 2000 to 2003. The character was killed off in the 100th episode of the series, but returned for a one-off guest appearance in the 150th episode in 2005.

Following Charmed, McMahon's next role was playboy plastic surgeon Christian Troy on the FX series Nip/Tuck. He was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama in 2005 for his performance. Throughout this series, McMahon appeared nude in a large number of episodes.

During this time, McMahon also portrayed supervillain Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four, the 2005 film adaptation of the comic book series of the same name. The film was a box office success, and McMahon reprised his role as Doom in the sequel in 2007. McMahon was also allegedly one of the names being considered for the role of James Bond in the film Casino Royale, though the part ultimately went to Daniel Craig. He also appeared alongside Sandra Bullock in the 2007 supernatural thriller Premonition.

Washington made her screen debut in the ABC telefilm Magical Make-Over. She was in the cast of the 1996 PBS sketch comedy-style educational series Standard Deviants, and she appeared in the short 3D and the feature film Our Song in 2000. She went on to roles in several movies, including Save the Last Dance, The Human Stain, Spike Lee's She Hate Me, Ray, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, I Think I Love My Wife, Little Man, and, in a departure, an accented, period role as a wife of 1970s Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the UK historical drama The Last King of Scotland. Washington has also appeared in the recurring role Chelina Hall on the ABC television series Boston Legal, and in several episodes of the A&E cable-TV series 100 Centre Street.

She is the new spokeperson for L'Oreal starring in commercials and ads alongside fellow actresses Scarlett Johansson and Eva Longoria, and model Doutzen Kroes. She also co-directed and appeared in the music video for hip-hop artist Common's song, "I Want You", The fourth single off of his album Finding Forever.

Although known mostly for his work under prosthetic makeup, such as the floppy zombie 'Billy' in the Halloween film Hocus Pocus, or the lead Spy Morlock in the 2002 remake of The Time Machine, he has also performed without prosthetics in such acclaimed films as Adaptation, Mystery Men and Batman Returns, and indie projects such as Stefan Haves' Stalled, Phil Donlon's A Series of Small Things, and as 'Cesare' in David Fisher's 2005 remake of the 1919 silent classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. His performance as Abe Sapien in Hellboy, which stormed to the top of the U.S. box office in the spring of 2004, brought him an even higher profile and much praise from audiences and critics alike. Working in rubber suits and prosthetics is always a challenge but a part of the job description as he notes "I have to make that a part of my being and my physicality and again, acting is a full body experience and that's a part of it when you're doing a costumed character."

In 2005, he renewed his association with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro when he starred in the title role of the Faun in del Toro's multi-Oscar-winning Spanish language fantasy/horror project El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth). He also has a secondary role in the film as 'The Pale Man', a gruesome creature with a penchant for eating children. Working once more under heavy prosthetics in both roles, he was also required to learn huge chunks of dialogue in Spanish (though ultimately Jones' voice was redubbed).

The year also brought success for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the film reaping three awards at the Screamfest Horror Festival in Los Angeles, including the coveted Audience Choice Award. 2006 was also a hectic year for the actor, with roles in The Benchwarmers and Lady in the Water. Jones has continued his collaboration with del Toro into 2006, as he reprised his role as Abe Sapien by voicing the character in the new Hellboy Animated television project, recording two 75-minute animated films.

On December 18, 2006, he finished filming his role as the Silver Surfer in the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which was released to cinemas in June 2007. He is also reprising his role as Abe Sapien in the sequel to Hellboy, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, currently filming in Budapest and once more under the direction of Guillermo del Toro. He will also be playing two other roles in the film: the Angel of Death and The Chamberlain, both under heavy prosthetics.

Recently, his likeness was used for an Nvidia tech demo. Jones has an abiding interest in independent film production and is also a singer-songwriter. He is married and lives in California. He is also a Christian, speaking at many youth gatherings and festivals concerning spirituality and creativity.

Fishburne started acting at age twelve getting his first gig in 1973 portraying Joshua Hall on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live. He was initially cast in the hit television series Good Times, but the role was eventually given to Ralph Carter. Fishburne's most memorable childhood role was in Cornbread, Earl and Me in which he played a young boy who witnessed the police shooting of a popular high school basketball star. Fishburne later earned a supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, in which he played a 17-year-old sailor nicknamed 'Mr. Clean'. When production began in March 1976 he was just fourteen, apparently lying about his age to get the part. Filming took so long that he was already seventeen upon its completion.

Fishburne spent much of the 1980s in and out of television and periodically on stage. Fishburne had a recurring role as Cowboy Curtis with Paul Reubens' character, Pee Wee Herman in the CBS children's television show, Pee-Wee's Playhouse. He also appeared in the M*A*S*H episode, "The Tooth Shall Set You Free", as Corporal Dorsey. His stage work during the 1980s included Short Eyes in 1984 , and Loose Ends in 1987 . Both were produced at Second Stage Theatre in New York City.

Fishburne reprised his role as Morpheus in the Matrix sequels, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. He has appeared with Tom Cruise as Theodore Brassell, IMF superior of Cruise's character in Mission: Impossible III. In 2006 he appeared on stage with Angela Bassett in a Pasadena production of the August Wilson masterpiece, Fences. Most recently, he provided the voice of the narrator in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) movie, released 23 March 2007. The same year, he provided the voice of the Silver Surfer in 2007 film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

On February 24, 2007, Fishburne was honored with the Harvard Foundation's Artist of the Year Award at the annual show Cultural Rhythms. He received this honor for his prowess as an actor and entertainer and for his humanitarian pursuits. Fishburne is a UNICEF ambassador. The mayor of the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Mayor Kenneth Reeves awarded him the key to the city and declared the twenty-fourth of February, Laurence Fishburne Day in the city of Cambridge.

In April 2008, Fishburne will return to the stage in the Broadway production of Thurgood, a new play by George Stevens, Jr., directed by Leonard Foglia. Thurgood will open at the Booth Theatre on April 30, 2008 with previews starting on April 12, 2008.