Backstage at the BAFTAs

Vanessa Kirby
Great Expectations

When I was filming Great Expectations I often ended up in make-up with Gillian Anderson. We both had to wear wigs so we'd be sitting there with pop socks on our heads before they fixed the wigs on and Douglas [Booth, who played Pip] would mutter, 'Attractive, girls, attractive,' from the corner. I could be in make-up for up to four hours to get the look they wanted for Estella, which was unusual and gypsy-like, rather than glamorous siren.

Because the book is so well-loved people have very clear views on how Estella should look. I tried not to worry about what people were saying because you'd drive yourself mad. I think some of the best roles are the ones in which you don't look a million dollars, such as Charlize Theron in Monster. I'd much rather go down that route.

I'm about to move in with Downton's Jessica Brown-Findlay. We lived together in South Africa when we were filming Labyrinth. She pulls off ethereal beauty very well and gave me some good beauty tips, including how to apply base foundation.

It's nice to have my make-up done for this evening. I'm wearing a nude-coloured Mulberry dress so for once I'm going to be warm on the red carpet because the dress is long and quite heavy. But it requires massive heels so I'm going to be teetering about. I like my make-up to be vintage-inspired with an emphasis on the eyes, so I asked for a feline curve, which they've done using Lancôme's Hypnôse Doll Eyes mascara and Ink Artliner.

Melissa George
The Slap, Home and Away

I'm a little sore today because I jumped an 11ft fence last night shooting a new spy drama called Nemesis. I did manage to get a full night's sleep, though, which was a nice change. The night before I was partying into the early hours with Harvey Weinstein and Steve McQueen. I've had to get in shape for filming; I've been learning the Keysi Fighting Method, which is what they do in The Bourne Supremacy. It means I've developed muscles on my forearms, so the Victoria Beckham dress I'm wearing tonight didn't slip on as easily as I'd hoped. Victoria chose the dress for me; my role is to carry it down the carpet.

The look I'm aiming for tonight is siren. I wanted an androgynous style for my hair and it had to be up to elongate the neck and show how covered up my back is, and striking eyes, using Lancôme's Hypnôse Drama mascara and Cils Booster XL, which have added extra volume and length
to my lashes.

When I appeared in Home and Away I was a bloated 15-year-old, but I've still got a loyal following 20 years on. Most recently I played Rosie in The Slap, a BBC Four drama, and had to repeatedly breast-feed my on-screen five-year-old son. You get away with a lot as an actor - when you have to do a love scene, or breast-feed a five-year-old, you can hide behind the character and so all your inhibitions disappear. It's only when you get in the car to go home that you think, 'Oh my God, I can't believe I just did that.'

Joanne Froggatt
Downton Abbey

I usually make it on to the red carpet
at the very last minute because I'm always late, but today I arrived in plenty of time. I had an idea of the look I wanted: I even came with a picture of Lauren Bacall as inspiration. I was aiming for Hollywood glam, so we've used Lancôme's Rouge in Love lipstick and Le Crayon Khôl for dark, dramatic eyes. And I wanted to get that Hollywood wave in my hair.

The most stressful thing was choosing what to wear. I only decided on a black, floor-length Victoria Beckham dress a couple of days ago. I'm a size six so it's hard finding dresses that were made for 6ft models that fit me.

Away from the red carpet my beauty routine is quite simple. I swear by Crème de la Mer eye cream. My secret is Papaw Ointment, which you can use on anything from burns to dry lips.
And I try to eat lots of vegetables.

I've got to be restrained tonight because it's the first day back at Downton tomorrow. I'll be filming in the prison with Mr Bates, so all this Hollywood glam will have to go. I feel like Cinderella just thinking about it.