British actors who made it big in the US

British actors who made it big in the US - UK actors have always done the country proud. From Charlie Chaplin to Helen Mirren, British actors have made a huge impact on the world’s stage. However, the UK doesn’t always root for its homegrown stars. There’s plenty of actors that didn’t make an impression in their home country, that is, until they booked a flight to America and took on Hollywood.

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Benedict Cumberbatch - He used to be known for starring in the BBC series, Sherlock, and for some it might be difficult to imagine him in a radically different role. However, he has recently found fame in the US for his role as Dr Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Daisy Ridley - Daisy is one of two British actors that recently made it big in America thanks to ‘Star Wars’.

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Daisy Ridley - Before she appeared in ‘The Force Awakens’ back in 2015, Ridley had only managed to score roles in the odd TV show and short film.

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John Boyega - John Boyega’s career also skyrocketed thanks to ‘Star Wars’.

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John Boyega - Before starring as the rebellious Finn, Boyega had a hit performance in UK sci-fi ‘Attack the Block’. However, he was not the world-famous actor he is today.

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Emilia Clarke - Emilia Clarke was a little-known name before she won audiences over in ‘Game of Thrones’.

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Emilia Clarke - Clarke had previously starred in medical soap opera ‘Doctors’, as well as short films ‘Drop the Dog’ and ‘Shackled’.

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Hayley Atwell - Hayley Atwell is both British and American. She has found fame thanks to her performance as Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Hayley Atwell - Atwell began her career in smaller films, such as ‘How About You’ and ‘The Duchess’.

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Andrew Garfield - That’s right, the ‘Spiderman’ star is British-American. Garfield was born in L.A., but was raised in Epsom, Surrey.

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Andrew Garfield - Garfield got his start with British films like ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’. However, Andrew made it big in Hollywood after appearing as Eduardo Saverin in ‘The Social Network’.

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Rosamund Pike - Essex girl Rosamund Pike got her start in plays such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Skylight’. Pike acted on stage while studying at Wadham College in Oxford.

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Rosamund Pike - Early in her career, she starred in plenty of British films, like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Made In Dagenham’. However, Pike arguably became a bigger name over in America. After starring in ‘Gone Girl’, Pike was nominated for an Oscar and went on to star in films like ‘Hostiles’ and ‘Beirut’.

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Cary Grant - Born in Bristol, Cary Grant went on to become a icon of cinema. Grant’s humble beginnings were at Bristol theatres, where he worked backstage after school. He even got to tour in America, performing with a troupe on the vaudeville circuit.

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Cary Grant - Grant became a star in America, appearing in Hollywood classics like ‘Charade’, ‘To Catch a Thief’ and ‘North By Northwest’.

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Andrew Lincoln - Lincoln studied at the revered Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He began his career with British dramas like ‘Boston Kickout’ and ‘Human Traffic’. He even showed up in ‘Love Actually’, as Mark.

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Andrew Lincoln - However, it was Andrew’s appearance in ‘The Walking Dead’ that made him a household name. The American drama follows Rick Grimes (Lincoln) as he navigates a world overrun by zombies.

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Kim Cattrall - Best known as Samantha in ‘Sex In the City’, Kim Cattrall is actually a Scouser. That’s right, she was born in Liverpool, but raised in Canada and England.

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Kim Cattrall - Cattrall made her film debut in ‘Rosebud’, starring alongside British icons Peter O’Toole and Richard Attenborough. Eventually, Cattrall got her break in ‘Sex In the City’, even winning a Golden Globe for her performance as Samantha Jones.

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Dominic West - Despite being a big name stateside, Dominic West was born in Sheffield. The actor began his career with roles in British film, including ‘Spice World’.

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Dominic West - However, West earned his breakout roles in 2002. He starred in Oscar-winning musical ‘Chicago’, as well as hit HBO show ‘The Wire’.

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw - Mbatha-Raw is a rising star in Hollywood. She recently acted in two blockbusters, ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw - Born in Oxford, she began her career in TV shows like ‘Holby City’, ‘Spooks’ and ‘Doctor Who’. After appearing in a hit episode of ‘Black Mirror’, Mbatha-Raw later bagged bigger roles in films such as ‘Irreplaceable You’ and ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’.

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Thandie Newton - Thandie Newton is an accomplished actress with hit roles in both American and British films.

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Thandie Newton - After appearing in 2004 drama ‘Crash’, Newton became a name to be reckoned with. The film won Best Picture at the Oscars, with Thandie taking home many other awards for her performance as Christine.

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Thandie Newton - These days, she’s best known for her role in ‘Westworld’, an American sci-fi series on HBO. Earlier this year she starred in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor - Ejiofor started his career on stage, enrolling in the British National Youth Theatre in 1995. After that, he starred in Shakespearean plays like ‘Othello’ and ‘Macbeth’.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor - Ejiofor’s talent didn’t go unrecognised. Steven Spielberg gave him his big screen debut in 1997, casting the actor in period drama ‘Amistad’.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor - Ejiofor went on to act in American films like ‘American Gangster’ and ‘Children of Men’. He got his big break in ‘12 Years a Slave’, winning the BAFTA award for Best Actor.

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Idris Elba - Some may consider Idris Elba a national treasure, and he was even at the recent royal wedding. However, things weren’t always that way.

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Idris Elba - The actor starred in British TV shows and films, but didn’t find great success in either. That all changed in 2002, when Elba starred in hit crime drama, ‘The Wire’. After that, he’s appeared in huge films like ‘Thor’, ‘Pacific Rim’ and ‘The Jungle Book’.

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