More and more, we’re seeing British-born actors snap up lead and accompanying roles in massive US movies and TV shows. It’s not surprising, and certainly isn’t a new phenomenon, but British talents have certainly become a force across the pond.

Among the many Brits starring in popular productions, there’s a clutch of London-born stars who’ve stolen the limelight to lead the way in major TV shows. Not only have they been the face of these shows in recent years, but they’re also going to continue to do so into 2023. Here’s a look at those smash-hit stars from London.

Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

If there’s one show that you can point to as the catalyst for the still ongoing fascination with zombies in entertainment, it’s The Walking Dead. In its 11th season, the show concluded, releasing a slot for casino gambling at Paddy Power alongside the final episodes. The Walking Dead: Cash Collect brings together a bunch of the show’s main characters, including Carol, Daryl, Michonne, and Negan to hunt down zombies and pick up the wins that get left behind.

The slot’s release was perfectly timed for fans of The Walking Dead, but due to his absence, it doesn’t include the face of the show. In the middle of Season 9, the man with whom the story began, Rick Grimes, found himself detached from the central group, with Andrew Lincoln stepping away for a spell. He came back for the finale, and better still, the showrunners are intent on concluding his iconic character’s story.

At the time of his departure from the core series – which has many spin-offs on the way – Lincoln and AMC confirmed that a Rick Grimes movie was in the works. Instead, Lincoln and Grimes will stay on the small screen. He and Danai Gurira (who plays Michonne) will return in their own six-episode series so that fans can finally see if they get to reunite with their family. Digital Spy says that filming begins in January, so Lincoln may be back before the end of 2023.

Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon)

A triumphant return to the lands of Westeros only a couple of hundred of years before the events of Game of Thrones and with a distinctly different time-hopping story, the first season of House of the Dragon was a rousing success. While the production was supreme and the writing got back on track from the end of its predecessor, what really brought House of the Dragon to the fore was the acting.

The whole cast was excellent, and while Paddy Considine stole the show for the most part, towards the end, the story turned much more of its focus towards the now-vengeance-seeking Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen.

D’Arcy had to pick up mid-season after a time jump to play the older version of Rhaenyra, and after the events of the season finale GQ details, the Enfield-born actor will need to pivot into a completely new state for the character. There’s hope for Season 2 to arrive in 2023, but most see it as an early 2024 launch.

Kayvan Novak and Natasia Demetriou (What We Do in the Shadows)

 You’d be easily mistaken for thinking that What We Do in the Shadows was a British comedy horror mockumentary, but it’s put out by US network FX and penned by New Zealanders Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. Following vampires living in Staten Island, it’s headlined by three British stars.

Both Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker and Four Lions) and Natasia Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats, Ellie & Natasia) were born in London and play two of the main vampires of the house. Joining them is Matt Berry, but being born in Bromham doesn’t quite cut it here. It’s expected that the hit comedy series will return in the summer of 2023 for its fifth season, per Esquire, and then again in 2024, with it commissioned for six seasons as it stands.

Andrew Lincoln, Emma D’Arcy, Kayvan Novak, and Natasia Demetriou are all crushing it across the pond, and they’ll continue to helm these massive shows and franchises into the future.