Born Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadete Staunton in January 1956, she is one of London's finest stage actresses, having received the prestigious Laurence Olivier Theatre Award twice (for the 1985 and 1990 seasons).

Imelda's breathtaking work in Vera Drake has won her critical acclaim worldwide, and the role of the crusading, illegal abortionist won her the Coppa Volpi award at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. Vera Drake also won the Gold Lion at Venice.

Recently, the actress and her film further added to their trophy tally by winning at the BAFTA awards.

Says Imelda, 'You know you can be very famous without being a great actress, and that's not good for me.'

Amen.