Shoreham Beach was the home of the British film industry in the early 1900s, with many movies and TV programmes filmed in Sussex since.
Sussex can also claim a number of stars of screen and stage – and here are some of them.
1. Kate Winslet
This 47 year old actress who lives in West Wittering, made her name in Titanic but has since gone on to star in a wide range of films such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Reader and The Holiday. Photo: C Flanigan/Getty Images
2. Dame Maggie Smith
Dame Maggie Smith lives in the Pulbrough area and in 2015 the Harry Potter and Downton Abbey star said she sometimes shopped at Storrington's Waitrose Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI
3. Dame Julie Walters
Fellow Harry Potter star Dame Julie Walters also lives in the Pulborough area. She has won a host of awards and has twice been nominated for Oscars. Photo: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
4. Hugh Bonneville
The 59 year old actor who lives in West Sussex is best known for his lead role in Downton Abbey, as well as starring in films such as Notting Hill and Paddington. In 2019, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex. Photo: Getty Images