Kelly Macdonald

Born: February 23 1976
Where: Glasgow, Scotland, UK

The actress shot to fame after being cast from an open audition for the part of Diane in Danny Boyle's Trainspotting.

Career highlights include the role of Mary Maceachran in the BAFTA-winning Gosford Park and Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett.

After Trainspotting she played Stella in Stella Does Tricks and was Hortense Hulot in the dark comedy Cousin Bette with Jessica Lange.

After Elizabeth she starred in Entropy and Mike Figgis' The Loss of Sexual Innocence as well as the Hugh Hudson comedy My Life So Far with Colin Firth.

Roles followed in the low-budget comedy House!, the grim comedy drama Some Voices with Daniel Craig and the Scottish thriller Strictly Sinatra.

After her keynote performance in Gosford Park, Macdonald appeared in Intermission alongside Colin Farrell.