Emma Thompson

When it came to turning her children's book into a movie, Thompson says, P.L. Travers was patronizing, demeaning, rude, and "reminded me of Margaret Thatcher." Thompson plays the acerbic author in Saving Mr. Banks.

British actress and comedienne Emma Thompson. She's best known here for the double role she played in "Dead Again," as a woman with amnesia and a past life. (she played opposite her husband, Kenneth Branagh). She also played a dippy Duchess in "Impromptu," and Jeff Goldlum's girlfriend in "The Tall Guy." In England she had her own show, "Thompson," which featured her in a series of comedy sketches. She's now appearing in "Howards End," a Merchant-Ivory production based on the E.M. Forster novel.

Film director Ang Lee. He grew up in Taiwan, but studied theater and film production in the United States. His second feature film, "The Wedding Banquet," was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, as was his next film, "Eat Drink Man Woman." Lee's films often portray family relationships with poignancy, respect, and a light comic touch. His latest film is "Sense and Sensibility," the film based on the novel by Jane Austen.