Movie Cast
Daniel Radcliffe
Acting was almost inevitable for English-born Radcliffe, with a casting director mother and a father who works as a literary agent. Although he failed to get the lead role in the telefilm Oliver Twist he soon landed the part of young David Copperfield in the telefilm, David Copperfield.
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Rupert Grint
Rupert Michael Grint was born in Hertfordshire, England. From a very young age, he knew he wanted to be an actor, and took part in after school drama classes. He appeared in roles in several school plays, including Rooster in the musical Annie, Rumplestiltskin in Grimm Tales, and a role in Peter Pan.
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Emma Watson
Prior to landing the role of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson had only appeared in school plays. She had also taken first place in a school poetry recital at age seven, but had never acted professionally. Emma was up against stiff competition for the much-coveted role, as literally thousands of young actresses, many with much more experience, auditioned for the part. After 11 auditions, she finally won the role.
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Helena Bonham Carter
Born and raised in London, Bonham Carter was educated at one of that city's foremost schools, Westminster. Befitting her double-barreled family name, Bonham Carter is a descendant of the British aristocracy -- both social and cinematic -- the great-granddaughter of Prime Minister Lord Herbert Asquith and the grandniece of director Anthony Asquith.
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Jim Broadbent
This Lincolnshire, England son is one of Britain's most versatile character actors, with a long list of credits ranging from screwball comedy to weighty drama. He began his acting career late when he snagged a small part in the 1978 horror flick The Shout. Jim has worked in all three acting fields—film, television and theater. His theatrical credits include Sam Mendes' production of Habeas Corpus, as well as Kafka's Dick, The Government Inspector and Goosepimples.
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Robbie Coltrane
Stocky Scottish comic actor Robbie Coltrane was trained for his craft in Glasgow and Edinburgh. During the 1970s, he toured with the San Quentin Theatre Workshop and rose to prominence as an improvisational nightclub comedian, usually working in ensemble (one of his partners was actress Emma Thompson). In 1973, he produced the documentary Young Mental Health.
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Michael Gambon
This Dublin, Ireland native moved to London, England with his family when he was five years old. Ten years later he left school and worked in a factory sweeping floors and serving tea to the workers before being bitten by the acting bug. By the time Gambon was 21, he was a fully qualified Vickers engineer, but he turned to the stage and started training at the Edwards/MacLiammoir Gate Theatre in Dublin.
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Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman was born to Irish and Welsh parents in Hammersmith, London, England. His father, who was a painter and decorator, died of cancer when the actor was eight, leaving behind Rickman, his mother, and three siblings. Initially, Rickman wanted to become a graphic artist, so he attended the Royal College of Art. When he was 26, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and it was there that he began acting.
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Maggie Smith
Stage and screen actress Maggie Smith was born in Essex, England, but moved with her family, including twin older brothers, to Oxford when she was five. She attended Oxford Playhouse School after leaving high school at age 16. The experience led her to become assistant stage manager as well as an actor at the playhouse. She later acted for the Oxford University Dramatic Society and participated in the Edinburgh Theatre Festival.
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Julie Walters
Born in Birmingham, England, Walters was an obedient daughter who trained to be a nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital to please her mother. Her desire to become an actress, however, overtook her and she left home to study drama at Manchester Poly.
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David Thewlis
Born in Blackpool, England, Thewlis leapt into the big time with his multi award-winning performance as the vagabond with verbal diarrhea in Naked (1993).
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