From the historic walls of Arundel Castle to the chalk cliffs of Seven Sisters, Sussex landmarks are no stranger to appearing on the big screen.
However, you might not know that several film and television stars also trace their roots back to the area, with multiple famous faces from Hollywood blockbusters and streaming hits calling Sussex home.
Here are five film and television stars who you may not have known have links to Sussex.
Connor Swindells
Connor Swindells at the Toronto International Film Festival (Image: John Sears)
Swindells, who was born in Lewes, is well-known for his role as Adam Groff in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education.
The actor later lived in Billingshurst and attended Steyning Grammar School.
Swindells has since received recognition for his role in BBC One drama SAS: Rogue Heroes and starred alongside fellow Sex Education stars Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey in the smash hit Barbie movie in 2023.
Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville attending the National Theatre Next Chapter Gala (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)
Actress Lesley Manville, who was born in Brighton in 1956, has had a career spanning decades on both stage and screen.
She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, in Netflix series The Crown, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
On stage, Manville has won the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress on two occasions, for Ghosts in 2014, and Oedipus, in 2025.
In more recent years she has starred in the BBC Anthony Horowitz murder-mystery series Magpie Murders and portrayed Amy Winehouse’s grandmother Cynthia in the 2024 biopic Back to Black.
Gwendoline Christie
Gwendoline Christie attending the Bafta Gala 2026 (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)
Born in Worthing in 1978, Gwendoline Christie became a household name when she garnered acclaim for her performance as Brienne of Tarth in the HBO fantasy-drama series Game of Thrones.
The actress, who attended Henfield Primary School and later Varndean College in Brighton, is also well-known for her role in the Star Wars franchise, portraying stormtrooper commander Captain Phasma.
Among her other starring roles are parts in the Netflix shows The Sandman and Wednesday, alongside Apple TV’s sci-fi thriller series Severance, for which she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
Peter Gadiot
Peter Gadiot (Image: EmmaRosePictures)
Known for his role as Shanks in the Netflix series One Piece, Peter Gadiot was raised in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
He has also featured in Queen of the South, Yellowjackets, Quantum Leap and the award-winning Channel 4 comedy drama Fresh Meat.
More recently, Gadiot appeared in the BBC’s murder-mystery production Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue.
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Erin Doherty
Erin Doherty attending the 79th British Academy Film Awards, (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)
Achieving global recognition for her role in hit show Adolescence, Erin Doherty also played a young Princess Anne in the third and fourth seasons of the Netflix drama The Crown.
The actress hails from West Green, a neighbourhood in the town of Crawley, and attended the nearby Hazelwick School before beginning her formal acting training.
Doherty, who won a golden globe in January for her role in Adolescence, now lives in Brighton.