20 famous British actors: From Tom Holland to Sam Claflin

The United Kingdom has given the world some amazing actors. These actors not only steal the spotlight but also leave a lasting impact on their craft. British actors are cherished by audiences and fans for their humor, wit, charming accents, and often, their traditional manners.

Many British actors start their careers in theater and the West End, which gives them a unique edge. It makes them more skilled in their roles and more willing to take risks. Watching an experienced British actor bring a script to life is always a treat.

From the legendary Sir Laurence Olivier to today’s brilliant Daniel Day-Lewis, these actors have left their mark on the global stage. This list is selective, including heavyweights like Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland, Jim Broadbent, Sam Claflin, and more, all for their outstanding performances.

The list aims to stay up-to-date. Without further delay, here are the top 25 most popular British actors.

1. Nicholas Hoult

• Birth name: Nicholas Caradoc Hoult
• Date of Birth: December 7, 1989
• Age: 33 years
• Place of birth: Wokingham, Berkshire, England, UK
• Profession: Model, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1996

Nicholas Hoult is a well-known actor famous for playing Hank McCoy in the X-Men movies. He started acting as a kid and appeared in shows like About a Boy, Holby City, and more.

His recent roles include Skins, Wallander, the X-Men series, Clash of the Titans, A Single Man, Tolkien, The Great, and Those Who Wish Me Dead. Hoult has also been nominated for awards like the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and SAG awards.

Nicholas Hoult Popular Movies List:

• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Favourite
• Renfield
• About a Boy
• Warm Bodies

 

2. Jim Broadbent

• Birth name: James Alan Broadbent
• Date of Birth: May 24, 1949
• Age: 74 years
• Place of birth: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, UK
• Profession: Screenwriter, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1971

Jim Broadbent, a renowned actor, is best remembered as Professor Slughorn in Harry Potter. He’s not just about comedy; he’s won Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs for his dramatic talent. In the early 80s, Brits knew him from Only Fools and Horses.

He’s been in many great films like Time Bandits, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Hot Fuzz. He’s also played serious roles in movies like The Gathering Storm and The Iron Lady. He’s a versatile actor loved by audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Jim Broadbent Popular Movies List:

• Brazil
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Cloud Atlas
• Gangs of New York
• Moulin Rouge! (2001)

 

3. Kit Harington

• Birth name: Christopher Catesby Harington
• Date of Birth: December 26, 1986
• Age: 36 years
• Place of birth: London, England, UK
• Profession: Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2012

Kit Harington, whose full name is Christopher Catesby Kit Harington, is an actor. His parents are Deborah Jane Catesby and Sir David Harington, who hold the title of the 15th Baronet of Ridlington. He got into acting through theater and West End plays. Then, he appeared in TV shows and movies in smaller roles.

But what really made him famous was when he played Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. He also had important roles in other things like How To Train Your Dragon, Gunpowder, Testament of Youth, Pompeii, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Eternals.

In his personal life, Kit Harington married Rose Leslie, who he met while working on Game of Thrones. They dated, got married, and recently became parents to their first child.

Kit Harington Popular Movies List:

• Gunpowder
• Testament of Youth
• Pompeii
• Game of Thrones
• Eternals

 

4. Paul Bettany

• Birth name: Paul Bettany
• Date of Birth: May 27, 1971
• Age: 52 years
• Place of birth: Harlesden, London, England, UK
• Profession: Director, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1994

Paul Bettany became famous for his roles as J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision in the Iron Man and Avengers movies. He’s acted in a wide range of films, from comedies to suspense, and even sci-fi. You might recognize him from movies like A Knight’s Tale, The Tourist, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. He’s also been in TV shows like WandaVision.

Paul Bettany is known for his sarcastic humor and his straightforward way of talking. He’s set to appear in two new projects called The Harvest Moon and The Collaboration.

Paul Bettany Popular Movies List:

• 8 Iron Man 3
• 7 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• 6 Avengers: Infinity War
• 5 Margin Call
• 4 Captain America: Civil War

 

5. John Boyega

• Birth name: John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega
• Date of Birth: March 17, 1992
• Age: 31 years
• Place of birth: Peckham, London, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2005

John Boyega, a famous actor and producer, is recognized as one of the top 100 influential black artists by New African magazine. He first became well-known in Britain for his role in the movie Attack the Block, which was a mix of sci-fi, comedy, and horror.

But what really made him a household name was his role as Finn in the Star Wars series. You might remember him from The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rise of the Skywalker.

Apart from Star Wars, he’s been in other cool movies like Imperial Dreams, Pacific Rim: Uprising, and Detroit. He’s also been part of TV shows like 24: Live Another Day and Small Axe.

John Boyega Popular Movies List:

• Watership Down
• Breaking
• Detroit
• Attack the Block
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi

 

6. Jason Statham

• Birth name: Jason Statham
• Date of Birth: July 26, 1967
• Age: 56 years
• Place of birth: Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1998

Jason Statham, the action star, started training in karate, Chinese martial arts, and kickboxing when he was young. He’s not just tough; he’s also a skilled diver and footballer. In 1990, he even represented England in the Commonwealth Games as a diver.

After that, he got into modeling and worked for big brands like French Connection, Tommy Hilfiger, and Levi’s. But his big break came in the movies with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

You’ve probably seen him in action-packed films like the Transporter series, The Bank Job, The Italian Job, Spy, The Expendables series, Hobbs & Shaw, 13, Crank, The Mechanic, and many more.

Jason Statham Popular Movies List:

• The Fate of the Furious
• The Mechanic
• Snatch
• Parker
• The Transporter

 

7. Orlando Bloom

• Birth name: Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Copeland Bloom
• Date of Birth: January 13, 1977
• Age: 46 years
• Place of birth: Canterbury, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1994

Orlando Bloom is famous for playing Legolas in Lord of the Rings and reprising the role in The Hobbit. He’s also known as Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean.

In addition to these, he acted as Balian of Ibelin in the Kingdom of Heaven, Prince Paris in Troy, and in shows like Carnival Row, The Outpost, and Extras.

He also appeared in TV series like The Good Doctor, Midsomer Murders, The Prince, and movies like Needle in The Timestack.

Orlando Bloom Popular Movies List:

• Kingdom of Heaven
• Troy
• Elizabethtown
• Black Hawk Down
• The Good Doctor

 

8. Sean Bean

• Birth name: Shaun Mark Bean
• Date of Birth: April 17, 1959
• Age: 64 years
• Place of birth: Handsworth, Sheffield, U K
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1984

Sean Bean is known for playing characters who often meet unfortunate ends. He was Boromir in The Lord of The Rings and met his end in the first movie. He also portrayed Ned Stark in Game of Thrones, the head of the Stark family, but he didn’t last long in the show.

Aside from those roles, Sean Bean has been in many other notable projects. These include Troy, Sharpe, Silent Hill, Snowpiercer, National Treasure, Patriot Games, The Martian, Goldeneye, Curfew, World on Fire, Medici, Black Death, Time, Wolf Walker, Hitman 3, The Oath, Hitman 2, and more.

Sean Bean Popular Movies List:

• National Treasure
• The Island
• Patriot Games
• Black Death
• The Hitcher

 

9. Martin Freeman

• Birth name: Martin John Christopher Freeman
• Date of Birth: September 8, 1971
• Age: 51 years
• Place of birth: Aldershot, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1997

Martin Freeman, known for his role as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, also starred as Dr. Watson in the TV series Sherlock. He gained fame in roles like a British agent in Avengers: Civil War and Black Panther. Freeman’s diverse career includes TV series like Fargo and The Office (UK version), as well as movies like Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy and Shaun of the Dead. He’s been part of Ali G, Inda House, and The Responders too.

Martin Freeman Popular Movies List:

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• Black Panther
• The Office
• Breeders
• Hot Fuzz

 

10. Daniel Radcliffe

• Birth name: Daniel Jacob Radcliffe
• Date of Birth: July 23, 1989
• Age: 34 years
• Place of birth: London, U K
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1999

Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who portrayed Harry Potter as a child, remains recognizable for this role even after the series concluded. Besides Harry Potter, he’s taken up roles in various smaller movies like Horns, The Lost City, Guns Akimbo, Jungle, Swiss Army Man, and more. Some other notable works include Kill Your Darlings, Escape From Pretoria, and Miracle Workers. He’s also been part of The Woman in Black, Extras, and A Young Doctor’s Notebook & Other Stories.

Daniel Radcliffe Popular Movies List:

• The Woman in Black
• Swiss Army Man
• Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• The F Word

 

11. Tom Holland

• Birth name: Thomas Stanley Holland
• Date of Birth: June 1, 1996
• Age: 27 years
• Place of birth: Kingston upon Thames, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2010

Tom Holland started ballet classes, and his teacher suggested he try out for a role in Billy Elliot: The Musical. He loved acting and played that role until 2010. Later, he acted in movies like The Impossible, In The Heart of The Sea, and How I Live Now.

In 2016, he became Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. He played Spider-Man in five movies, breaking Tobey Maguire’s record. After Marvel, he starred in Chaos Walking, The Devil All The Time, Cherry, and Uncharted, among others.

Tom Holland Popular Movies List:

• Spider-Man: Homecoming
• Spider-Man: Far From Home
• Onward
• Cherry
• Uncharted

 

12. Michael Caine

• Birth name: Sir Michael Caine
• Date of Birth: March 14, 1933
• Age: 90 years
• Place of birth: Rotherhithe, London, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1946

Michael Caine, the legendary British actor, has been in the movie business for over 70 years and acted in a whopping 160 films. He’s won two Academy Awards and a bunch of other important awards like Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG Awards. He’s special because he got nominated for an Oscar in five different decades.

Some of his best movies include Zulu, Alfie, The Italian Job, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dressed to Kill, Educating Rita, Hannah And Her Sisters, Secondhand Lions, The Cider House Rules, The Quiet American, Quills, and the famous Dark Knight trilogy.

Michael Caine Popular Movies List:

• The Prestige
• Get Carter
• The Dark Knight
• Zulu
• Batman Begins

 

13. Jamie Dornan

• Birth name: James Peter Maxwell Dornan
• Date of Birth: May 1, 1982
• Age: 41 years
• Place of birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
• Profession: Model, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2006

Jamie Dornan first became famous as a model, working for big names like Hugo Boss, Dior Homme, and Calvin Klein. Vogue even ranked him among the top 25 male models ever.

Afterward, he moved into acting, starting with a role in the movie Marie Antoinette. He also appeared in TV shows like Once Upon A Time and The Fall.

But his big break came when he starred as Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades trilogy. Even though he’s done great work in other movies like Anthropoid, The Siege of Jadotville, A Private War, and Belfast, he’s still most famous for his role as Christian Grey.

Jamie Dornan Popular Movies List:

• Fifty Shades Darker
• Anthropoid
• Wild Mountain Thyme
• A Private War
• Fifty Shades of Grey

 

14. Simon Pegg

• Birth name: Simon John Pegg
• Date of Birth: February 14, 1970
• Age: 53 years
• Place of birth: Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England, UK
• Profession: Writer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1995

Simon Pegg, a British comedian, and actor, is known for his hilarious and iconic roles. You might recognize his voice as Buck in Ice Age, and he’s also been in Mission Impossible as Benji Dunn and in Star Trek as Scotty, the engineer.

As an actor and writer, he’s been part of great films like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Star Trek Beyond, The World’s End, Paul, and more. He’s even appeared in Run Fatboy Run. Simon Pegg is a true talent in the world of comedy and movies.

Simon Pegg Popular Movies List:

• The Adventures of Tintin
• Ready Player One
• Paul
• The ‘Star Trek’ Trilogy
• The ‘Mission Impossible’ Franchise

 

15. Sam Claflin

• Birth name: Samuel George Claflin
• Date of Birth: June 27, 1986
• Age: 37 years
• Place of birth: Ipswich, Suffolk, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2010

Sam Claflin is a British actor. He’s known for his roles in The Hunger Games and Me Before You. Claflin was born on June 27, 1986, in Ipswich, England. He studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. His breakthrough came in 2011 when he played Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games series. He’s also starred in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Snow White and the Huntsman. Claflin’s versatility and talent have made him a respected actor in Hollywood. Off-screen, he’s known for his philanthropic efforts, supporting various charitable causes.

Sam Claflin Popular Movies List:

• Me Before You
• Adrift
• Enola Holmes
• Every Breath You Take
• Love Wedding Repeat

 

16. Ewan McGregor

• Birth name: Ewan Gordon McGregor
• Date of Birth: March 31, 1971
• Age: 52 years
• Place of birth: Perth, Perthshire, Scotland, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1993

Ewan McGregor, a Scottish actor, gained fame in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting. He became Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels in 1999, a role that soared in popularity. McGregor’s talents shone in the Oscar-nominated Moulin Rouge in 2001. He starred in hits like Robots, Big Fish, and Doctor Sleep. Notable roles include Beauty and The Beast, The Ghost Writer, and Christopher Robin. He also reprised Obi-Wan Kenobi and impressed in Fargo. McGregor’s diverse filmography includes Salmon Fishing in Yemen and Black Mass. With a successful career spanning decades, he remains a prominent figure in Hollywood.

Ewan McGregor Popular Movies List:

• Trainspotting
• Moulin Rouge
• Big Fish
• Black Hawk Down
• Beginners

 

17. Hugo Weaving

• Birth name: Hugo Wallace Weaving
• Date of Birth: April 4, 1960
• Age: 63 years
• Place of birth: Ibadan, Nigeria
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British-Australian
• Years active: 1980

Hugo Wallace Weaving, born in colonial Nigeria and raised in Australia, gained early recognition as Douglas Jardin in the cricket film Bodyline. However, it was 1999 that catapulted him to stardom. That year, he assumed the iconic role of Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy.

Around the same time, he also portrayed the Tolkien elf, Elrond, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a role he reprised in the 2014 Hobbit trilogy. Weaving’s versatility shone through in various hits like Priscilla: The Queen of the Desert, V for Vendetta, and Captain America: The First Avenger.

His compelling performances, including his distinctive portrayal of Agent Smith’s menace and Elrond’s regal wisdom, earned him a solid place in Hollywood. Hugo Weaving’s career is a testament to his acting prowess and adaptability across diverse genres.

Hugo Weaving Popular Movies List:

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
• Proof 
• V for Vendetta
• The Matrix

 

18. Tom Hardy

• Birth name: Edward Thomas Hardy
• Date of Birth: September 15, 1977
• Age: 45 years
• Place of birth: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2001

Tom Hardy began his career as a model, winning a contract with Model One Agency. Later, he shifted to acting. He was featured in notable works like Black Hawk Down, Band of Brothers, and Star Trek Nemesis. His roles in Marie Antoinette, RocknRolla, and Bronson also garnered attention.

Hardy’s breakthrough came as Bane in Dark Knight Rises, along with roles in Inception, This Means War, and Lawless. He gained further fame in Mad Max Fury Road. In 2015, he starred in the Oscar-nominated movie The Revenant. His portfolio expanded with Venom, Dunkirk, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and appearances in Peaky Blinders.

Tom Hardy Popular Movies List:

• Locke
• The Dark Knight Rises
• Venom
• Inception
• Dunkirk

 

19. Sacha Baron Cohen

• Birth name: Sacha Noam Baron Cohen
• Date of Birth: October 13, 1971
• Age: 51 years
• Place of birth: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 1995

Sacha Baron Cohen is a British comedian, actor, and writer. He’s famous for creating unique characters like Ali G, Borat, and Bruno. These characters often interact with real people, bringing humor and satire to social and political issues. Cohen’s work pushes boundaries and challenges norms. Borat, his notable character, got a film adaptation in 2006 and a sequel in 2020. His performances aim to expose societal absurdities and prejudices. Beyond characters, Cohen has acted in serious roles too, earning acclaim. He’s won Golden Globe awards and been an Oscar nominee. Cohen’s impact on comedy and culture is significant. His fearless approach continues to provoke thought and laughter.

Sacha Baron Cohen Popular Movies List:

• Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• Bruno
• The Spy
• The Trial of The Chicago
• Les Miserables

 

20. Tom Hiddleston

• Birth name: John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega
• Date of Birth: February 9, 1981
• Age: 42 years
• Place of birth: Westminster, London, England, UK
• Profession: Producer, Actor
• Nationality: British
• Years active: 2001

Tom Hiddleston is famous for playing Loki in the Thor and Avengers movies. He started his career in British theater, even winning an award for a play called Cymbeline.

He’s been in many films like I Saw The Light, Kong: Skull Island, The Deep Blue Sea, and more. One of his standout roles was in a show called The Night Manager.

But what really made him a big deal was when he got his own show called Loki, where he played the lead character for the first time. A lot of people became his fans because of that.

Tom Hiddleston Popular Movies List:

• Kong: Skull Island
• Thor
• Midnight in Paris
• War Horse
• Only Lovers Left Alive