The invasion of Hollywood’s “it” list by British actors is at an all time high.
From Superman to Spiderman, Harry Potter to The Hobbit, these addictive films and series have captured the world with their epic dramas and scandalous storylines. Normally big Hollywood names would take centre stage in these famous franchises but more recently we have witnessed a serious invasion of British talent.
Flying the flag for the UK are Henry Cavill, Andrew Garfield, Emma Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, Eddie Redmayne and James McAvoy to name but a few. We give you a rundown on the talented Brits taking Tinseltown by storm.
Tom Hardy
Gorgeous Brit actor Tom Hardy has been thrust into the attention of mainstream audiences with roles in Inception, Batman and Bronson. The actor has been steadily working on both stage and screen for over 15 years since his television debut in the mini-series Band of Brothers. His big Hollywood break came in Ridley Scott‘s blockbuster army film Black Hawk Down and as the villain Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002. However the role that really catapulted him to the Hollywood A List was Bane in Batman flick The Dark Knight Rises with his menacing physique and scrambled voice he had audiences terrified. Although not as big a hit as Batman, his gripping performance of Charles Bronson in the autobiographic tale of the hardened career criminal has got to be one of the actors best films to date.
Tom was born in Hammersmith, West London to British parents and studied at the prestigious Reed’s School in Surrey. He won The Big Breakfast´s “Find me a Supermodel” competition aged 21 and had a brief contract with agency Models One. His life has not always been rosy as Tom has admitted having an alcohol dependency problem that he battled for five years before seeking help. He also has a son called Louis with his ex wife Rachel Speed and recently got married to long term girlfriend Charlotte Riley. He resides in London and has indicated that he always will, preferring the normality of Britain to the craziness of LA.
Henry Cavill
Smoulderingly good looking with a chiseled body to match, Henry Cavill was a natural choice for producers to take the lead role in Superman hit Man of Steel. Born and raised in Jersey in the Channel Islands, Henry was born the fourth of five boys and attended the prestigious Stowe School in Buckinghamshire. He got a lucky break in the hit film Stardust and then went on take the lead role in Immortals and Cold Light of Day alongside Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver. His stock is set to rise even higher, with the follow-up film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice due for release next year. Pundits are already tipping this to be the hit film of 2016.
What most people don´t know is that Henry´s talents go beyond the silver screen, with producing and directing also on his impressive resume. In 2014 he set up Promethean Productions with his brother Charlie and producer Rex Glensy. The UK based company´s first feature film Stratton is an action thriller based on the true story of Royal Marine, Duncan Falconer. Marbella Rocks journalist Jo Ward was lucky to enough to interview Henry on a recent trip to Gibraltar where he was training with the marines. She told us he is even more gorgeous in the flesh and struggled to concentrate on her interview questions because she was so flabbergasted by him! Glamour readers agreed as he topped their poll as the World´s Sexiest Man in 2012.
Emma Watson
Actress, humanitarian, graduate and ambassador – Emma Watson is an incredibly accomplished and versatile young lady. First appearing on our screens as dorky, bushy-haired, know-it-all Hermione Granger, to being cast as the pristine, gorgeous princess Belle – Watson’s career has definitely blossomed. The British beauty has acquired some strong fans thanks to her stint in the Harry Potter franchise, with a staggering 16.1 million followers on Twitter. Away from the big screen, Watson has proved she is more than just a pretty face. Taking a break from acting, the accomplished star graduated from the prestigious Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. As if that wasn’t enough, she has also become a huge name with regard to the promotion of gender equality and was subsequently announced as the Ambassador for UN Women Goodwill. She intends to dedicate her time towards the empowerment of young women and is in the midst of her HeForShe campaign. With her numerous endeavours and acting ventures, Watson has certainly carved an untouchable and successful career for herself. We cannot wait to see this multi-talented princess come to life in the live action movie Beauty and the Beast.
Dan Stevens
He first set pulses racing as the dapper suitor of Lady Mary in Downton Abbey. After much courting, the two lovebirds walked down the aisle and had a beautiful baby boy quite soon after. So it was all the more devastating when Julian Fellowes tragically killed off the beloved Matthew Crawley on a Christmas Day Special! However, it seems as if this risky gamble by Stevens has paid off. Since his departure from Downton, he has been a hot commodity in Hollywood, having appeared in several box office films, The Guest and The Fifth Estate to name a few. However, no one was happier than his co-star, Watson, when Stevens was cast as the rugged yet tortured Beast in the upcoming Beauty and the Beast. She first teased fans by re-tweeting an image posted by Stevens himself that read ‘Beast Mode’. She then confirmed it with a tweet accompanied by an image of Stevens – “Could not be more happy... Welcome aboard #beautyandthebeast”. We cannot wait to see Stevens’ transition from the ever so gentlemanly Matthew Crawley into the tormented, iconic Beast.
Lily James
Lily James has made quite the name for herself thanks to her endearing character on Downton Abbey. In recent episodes her character, Lady Rose MacClare, has dominated the storylines due to her controversial marriage to Atticus Aldridge. With Downton’s strong following, it’s difficult to see James playing anything else but the loveable, cheeky Lady Rose. However, her career has definitely catapulted into a new league with the British beauty being cast as Ella in the live action film Cinderella. James has been travelling the world to promote the much-anticipated movie directed by Kenneth Branagh and is captivating audiences with her natural, down-to-earth, giggly personality. Ironically, the stunning actress initially read lines for Anastasia, one of the wicked stepsisters. However, thanks to her luscious blonde locks and uncanny resemblance to the legendary princess, James was asked to read lines for the beautiful protagonist, Cinderella.
Richard Madden
If you have never heard of Robb Stark, or the Starks in general, then you must have been living under a rock! If you really haven’t heard of him, then read no further as it contains some spoilers. Richard Madden played the noble and beloved Robb Stark, King of Winterfell in the much-admired series Game of Thrones. After we witnessed the brutal beheading of his father, Eddard Stark, in season one, we should have expected the Lannisters to recreate a similar and untimely death for his first-born son. The penultimate episode in season three, ‘The Red Wedding’, has definitely gone down in TV history as one of the most tragic and heartbreaking of all time. He certainly wasn’t a ruthless King, which made his death all the more unfortunate, and justified why no one in Game of Thrones should ever attend a wedding – ever! However, it seems Madden has landed on his feet by being cast as the ever– so-handsome Prince Charming. His acclaimed performance as the Prince is something every woman will want to watch. The movie was released on 13th March – Prince Charming has finally been unveiled.
Andrew Garfield
Born in LA but raised in the UK from the age of 3, Andrew Garfield is the quirky actor that has taken the Amazing Spiderman franchise to the highest heights. While not a muscly superhero like fellow Brit actor Cavill his reprisal of Peter Parker has made him top of the list of “It” actors in Hollywood. He has also earned a lead role in the new Michael Scorcese flick Silence, due for release next year. Garfield made his feature film debut in the 2007 ensemble drama Lions for Lambs alongside George Clooney. He first came to international attention in 2010 with supporting roles in the smash film The Social Network, for which he received both Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, and Never Let Me Go, for which he received a Saturn Award. He resides in LA but regularly visits his friends and family in Epsom, Surrey.
Luke Evans
Luke Evans has already appeared in his fair share of blockbusters. Being no stranger to the world of fantasy, Evans played Bard in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies as well as starring in Universal’s Dracula Untold. It is no wonder the Welsh hunk was cast as Gaston in the upcoming live action film Beauty and the Beast. This multi-faceted actor will play the handsome, yet arrogant antagonist who tries to steal Belle’s heart. 2016 might seem like a long way off, but it will certainly be worth the wait to see Evans in this challenging role with such a talented ensemble.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch has appeared in his fair share of blockbusters. From 12 Years a Slave to The Hobbit, War Horse and The Imitation Game, there isn’t a role he hasn’t conquered. One of his biggest acting works to date has to be Sherlock. He has been part of this longstanding journey since 2010, along with his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson played by fellow Brit actor Martin Freeman. Although his acting career courts much attention, his wedding to Sophie Turner in February certainly attracted the press and fans. The smitten lovebirds wed on Valentine’s Day in the Isle of Wight and are expecting their first child together. However, it doesn’t seem that the Oscar-nominee will have time to take a break, as he already has six projects lined up between now and 2016!
Rosamund Pike
Deviating significantly from the magical world of Disney into a much darker territory, Rosamund Pike’s most recent role was a challenging character to capture. That may be an understatement. Her acclaimed performance as psychotic, manipulative Amy Dunne in the hit thriller Gone Girl was definitely an Oscar worthy performance, even though Julianne Moore stole that crown – understandably! Even so, her portrayal of Amy was so accurate and chilling, something every woman would hate to be compared to, unfortunately for Kim Kardashian that’s exactly what her brother Rob did – poor Kim! Well lucky for Pike, she seems a far cry from Amy Dunne. She gave birth only a few months ago, but there’s no stopping this mega-talented actress, as she already has some exciting projects in the pipeline – The Mountain Between Us, The Bends, The Deep Blue Good-By, Thunderbirds Are Go! and Return to Sender.
Eddie Redmayne
Prior to the Oscars, Eddie Redmayne was tipped as the favourite to be awarded the prestigious Academy Award. His acutely accurate portrayal of the legendary Stephen Hawking blew his fellow nominees out of the water. The actor appeared on several American chat shows before his big win and won over the crowds with his humbling and quirky persona. Unlike a lot of actors, Redmayne was keen to pursue his studies and after leaving Eton (Prince William was a fellow pupil) he studied History of Art at Cambridge. Alongside his studies he also modeled! He recently married his childhood sweetheart, Hannah Bagshawe, at Babington House in Somerset with a winter wonderland–themed ceremony. Sorry ladies, he is officially off the market!
James McAvoy
James has been part of one of the biggest movie franchises to date, the X-Men series. Lucky for McAvoy he was joined by an absolutely stellar, and very good looking, cast including Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult and Peter Dinklage. However, the X-Men days are far from over with their newest film, X-Men Apocalypse premiering in 2016. The ever so talented McAvoy will reprise his role as Charles Xavier in this hotly anticipated sci-fi adventure.
Spiderman, Superman, Cinderella, X-Men, Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones – all our favourite Brits have appeared in these mega worldwide franchises. It’s safe to say they all have credible résumés – imagine if they collaborated in an epic movie all together! Watch this space…
