Our county boasts a wealth of acting talent from award winners to national treasures.

And they all have one thing in common - they started out in Essex.

How many of these famous faces did you know hailed from our county?

Dame Helen Mirren

Gazette:

Helen, who was brought up in Leigh on Sea, has starred in films including Calendar Girls, The Queen and Hitchcock.

She is well known for her role as Jane Tennison in the ITV drama Prime Suspect in which she appeared in all seven series.

Stephen Moyer

The actor, who is best known for his role in True Blood, was born in Brentwood. He became Brentwood Theatre's first patron in October 2007.

Vicki Michelle MBE

The actress, who is best known for ‘Allo ‘Allo, was born in Chigwell in Essex in 1950. She has also had roles in Emmerdale and appeared on reality shows including Celebrity Masterchef and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Rupert Grint

The Harry Potter star hails from Harlow. The 31-year-old left school at 16 to focus on his acting career.

Juliet Stevenson CBE

The actress has starred in Truly, Madly, Deeply, Emma, Bend It Like Beckham and Diana.

She was born in Kelvedon in 1956 but moved around the country due to her father’s career in the army.

Joe Thomas

Best known as Simon from The Inbetweeners or Kingsley from Fresh Meat, this actor is a household name for anyone who has teenagers in the late 00s.

The 36-year-old actor who was born in Chelmsford went on to study at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Charlotte Rampling OBE

Gazette:

The actress began her career as a model and would go on to star in film and television.

In recent years Charlotte, who was born in Sturmer, has appeared in Dexter and Broadchurch.

Tom Payne

The Chelmsford actor first appeared in BBC's Waterloo Road, playing sixth former Brett Aspinall.

He is fan favourite in The Walking Dead series for his role as Paul 'Jesus' Rovia.

Now he is part of the main cast of the Fox production Prodigal Son.

Lara Pulver

The actress who has played Erin Watts in the BBC spy drama Spooks, and Irene Adler on BBC's TV adaptation Sherlock was born in Southend.

Russell Tovey

Gazette:

The brilliant south Essex actor has just been on our screens with thriller The Sister.

Tovey, from Billericay, has also starred in dramas such as BBC’s Being Human and Years And Years, and ITV’s Flesh And Blood.