01. Delroy Lindo

Lindo is almost impossible to ignore. His first major film role, his portrayal of numbers boss Archie in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) attracted the industry's attention to his considerable talents. The son of Jamaican parents, he was born and raised in Lewisham, London England before moving to Canada and later  the U.S. He's a graduate of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. His first film role was in 1979's More American Graffitti (1979), his next movie Malcom X with director Spike Lee provided the boost Lindo's career needed. Lee was impressed enough to cast him again in Crooklyn (1994). 1996 proved a big year, he landed supporting roles in six features including Get Shorty alongside John Travolta and Danny Divito, Clockers, and Feeling Minnesota. He also played alongside Hollywood icon Gene Hackman Heist, Robert Redford The Last Castle, Mel Gibson Ransom and even voiced an episode of the Simpsons. The versatile Lindo has shown he's a quality actor. 

  02. Marianne Jean-Baptiste

If as widely reported Marianne Jean-Baptiste became a star overnight following the international success of the social drama Secrets & Lies (1996), it must have been a very long night. She did however become the very first Black British actress to be nominated for an OSCAR. She's worked with director Mike Leigh on stage and screen and composed the musical score for Leigh's 1997 film Career Girls (1997). She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, she is also an accomplished writer/composer. On the big screen, Robert Redford, Bradd Pitt starred alongside her, Spy Game and Jennifer Lopez in The Cell. She can however be seen in the police drama Without A Trace on the small screen in the US and on Channel 5 in Britain. She is quoted as saying: "The old men running the industry just have not got a clue...Britain is no longer totally a white place where people ride horses, wear long frocks and drink tea."

  03. Adrian Lester

Adrian Lester is an established actor on both sides on of the pond and has performed to critical acclaim in film, TV and doing Shakespeare at the National Theatre. His movie credits include The Day After Tomorrow, Primary Colors alongside John Travolta, Emma Thompson and Billy Bob Thorton, Born Romantic and Loves Labours Lost. Most recently he has been seen on the BBC drama Storm Damage and Hustle. He's soon to feature in the long awaited Spider-man 3 but has a number of other projects in post-production.

  04. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje 

Born in London, England, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje spent his youth between the UK and Nigeria. Despite having a Masters from King's College University, he stumbled into acting when  director Frank Marshall cast him in Congo. This led to appearances in the films Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Legionnaire alongside Jean-Claude Van-Dame, the HBO movie Deadly Voyage, television series Cracker. Adewale alsostarred in Get Rich or Die Tryin', in which he plays opposite 50 Cent. But it was as the evil  prisoner Adebisi in the HBO television series Oz that led to critical acclaim. He left Oz to focus on his film career going on to star in blockbusters opposite Brendan Frasier in The Mummy Returns and with Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity. he now features as Mr Eko in the popular Channel 4 series LOST

  05. Colin Salmon

Colin Salmon is just one reason to watch the most recent batch of 007 James Bond films. As government operative Charles Robinson he adds an element of class to the long running movie franchise. He was even tipped to become James Bond when Pierce Brosnan quit the role in 2005. Born in Luton, Salmon first came to notice in Linda LePlante's Prime Suspect 2  (1992) also featuring Helen Mirran. Salmon does do action too and starred in AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and the shoot-em-up actionflick Resident Evil (2002). Since 1992 his credits have been a balanced mix of television and movies. More recently he's appeared in the ITV1 drama series Bad Girls

  06. Chiwetel Ejiofor

Born of Nigerian parents in Forest Gate, East London, Chiwetel,
pronounced "chew-it-tell" is one Britain's best exports. He's enjoyed a slow but steady rise up the actor ladder having first attracting attention in Steven Spielberg's Amistad (1997) where he starred alongside Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins and Djimon Hounsou. He attended Dulwich College, London but lost his doctor father in a car accident when he was eleven. He survived. Most recently he starred in the British comedy success Kinky Boots as the cross-dressing, all-singing all-dancing Lola and alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee's heist flick Inside Man (2006). Chiwetel's memorable performance in Dirty Pretty Things as the illegal immigrant the doctor/hotel porter Okwe and in Love Actual sees him en route to becoming a household name and a major star, but make sure your pronounce his name right. He says: "I remember getting cast in Amistad and getting this very strong feeling that I had overshot myself. It made me realize that this is not a profession you can predict