The Rose: The daughter of a barrister, 27-year-old Blunt knew exactly where she wanted her life to go when she signed up for a sixth form college with a renowned arts programme. The hard work paid off, and Blunt is now answering international calls from Hollywood – not bad for a born-and-bred Londoner.

The Awesome: Not many actresses can attest to holding their own against Meryl Streep, but Blunt’s anorexic, snippy assistant in The Devil Wears Prada near did just that. Meanwhile, The Young Victoria showed she’s got leading lady bravada.

American Equivalent: Mate Amy Adams played her sister in Sunshine Cleaning, and it’s not hard to see why. Both possess the ability to funnel their pale, ethereal beauty into ice queens or characters as timid as a winter sun.