Lorraine Ashbourne

Lorraine Ashbourne—yeah, the name might ring a bell if you’ve ever caught yourself deep into a movie night binge. Born in Manchester back in ’61, she’s basically the queen of slipping into roles that stick with you. People might first think of King Kong (that wild 2005 remake—remember Jack Black running around New York?), but honestly, her filmography’s all over the place. She’s got this knack for diving into stories that’ll either gut-punch you or make you laugh, sometimes at the exact same moment. Take Breathe from 2017. That film’s heavy, dealing with love and resilience in the face of some brutal odds, and Ashbourne brings a realness that’s hard to fake. Then there’s Child 44, a grim Soviet-era thriller where she holds her own alongside some big Hollywood names—no small feat. What’s wild is, she never comes across as trying too hard; her performances just slide right into the story like they were always meant to be there. Oh, and she’s not just killing it on screen. She’s been married to Andy Serkis (yes, Gollum himself—try topping that at a dinner party) since 2002. Together they’ve got three kids, and you gotta imagine family movie nights are something else in that household. Between juggling family and a career that keeps pulling her in different directions, Lorraine’s got that low-key legend status. She’s not screaming for the spotlight, but somehow, she always ends up right in it.