THEY are bright, beautiful and successful.

And the clutch of young actresses who are currently dominating our screens have one other thing in common - they are all rooted in Huddersfield.

Natalie Gavin, Jodie Whittaker, Joanna Christie, Zoe Lucker and Lena Headey, names that you canscarcely have missed if you have been to the cinema, switched on a tv or even picked up a newspaper in recent times.

This march of talent certainly underlines Huddersfield's credentials as a town that fosters young acting and performing talent.

Martin Aylott, head of drama and senior co-ordinator for performing arts at Hudds Tech well remembers Jodie Whittaker, who has just attracted huge attention for her first film, Venus in which she co-stars with Peter O'Toole and Leslie Phillips.

"I started eight years ago and Jodie was in my first class.

"I remember her as being very focussed and enthusiastic. She had a very clear idea of what she wanted to do.

"She was keen on auditions and she got a great deal of support from her family, which is vital.

"This enabled her to pursue her career with confidence after she left in June 2001."

Jodie then travelled the world for a year with a friend from college before auditioning for Guildhall.

"We often used to see her in town or at college and she would give everyone a hug. She was passionate about the cinema and many people met her down at the cinema.

"It is fantastic for her, for Huddersfield and for the college.

"I went to watch Venus last weekend and I was very impressed. It's a touching film and I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. She has done a great job".

While on the Tech course she played Viola in Twelfth Night, was a chorus/dancer in Guys and Dolls, had the lead in Pinter's Night School, directed other students on a writers and directors course and attended many dance classes.

Steven Downs, former head of drama at Shelley High School, now Shelley College, is credited for inspiring many young people to pursue careers in the arts.

He too remembers Jodie who he says even at a young age at Shelley proved herself a brilliant comedienne, singer and a real personality girl.

"She was always a real laugh. I saw the film recently and she doesn't really have to act. That's her, that's what Jodie's like.

"She's got brilliant comedy timing. Jodie and her friend Rachel Dearing were a laugh a minute."

According to Steven, this personality packed young woman has now been cast in a new version of St Trinian's. Watch out for more howls of laughter.

Steven also recalls a young Lena Headey, now a veteran of more than 30 major films, appearing in numerous shows at Shelley.

It was, after all, a publicity photo from a show staged by Shelley students at the Royal National Theatre which helped pitch Lena into the big time.

"We had a call at school from a casting agent who said that she was very interested in a girl pictured at the end of the front row.

"Ironically my daughter was at the other end of the row!" said Steven.

"Lena has a very photogenic quality about her. I've got loads of rehearsal shots from different school plays and Lena is the only one who looks good on all of them.

"She went for camera tests and because of this photogenic quality, she got her first big break."

But that quality isn't the only thing that has got Lena noticed and seen her appear with a huge list of top talent including Sir Michael Caine, Vanessa Redgrave, Jeremy Irons, Ray Winstone and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

"She was good. It was effortless for her but she nearly didn't do it.

"She wasn't sure whether to stay on at school and do her exams or pursue her acting career."

Steven was one of those who urged her to grab the opportunity that was being offered. So far, she hasn't looked like wanting to go back to finish those exams.

As for former Fartown High School and Huddersfield New College girl, Zoe Lucker, life sounds as breathless as ever.

Right now Zoe is in the middle of filming for a new series for BBC called Holby Blue. This is a police-based spin-off from Holby City, said her dad, Paul Lucker.

"Zoe plays a nice dark-haired police woman/mum - a very different role to Tanya Turner in Footballers' Wives!

"They are now filming the later episodes and it's very hectic for Zoe with lots of intense scenes, twelve-hour days and so on. But she's loving it - lots of acting, a great crew and lots of new friends."

And that's not all. According to Paul, his actress daughter is also in demand to do more of the travel programmes that took her across the world last year.

"In 2006 she filmed in Africa, India and China and at that rate she will run out of new continents by the end of 2007."

Still to be confirmed but it is thought that Holby Blue could hit our screens by the end of March.

Name: Joanna Christie:

Age: 24

First break: Since graduating from drama school, Joanna has appeared on TV several times, including Channel 4 nursing drama No Angels and Holby City, been on stage at the Old Vic in London and at the Lyric in Hammersmith. Also toured India in Shakespearean plays.

In the pipeline: For the next five months she will star opposite Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe in a West End production of Equus.

Huddersfield connections: Originally from Almondbury, dad Paul is a property developer, Joanna's creative talents are echoed in those of Armitage Bridge based mum Sue who is a musician and elder brother Luke, 26, a London-based jazz musician.

Ambitions: Presumably not to have to return to public relations, the job she spent three months doing before landing her current role.

Name: Lena Headey.

Age: 33

First big break: She got her major break at the age of 17 when she was spotted in a Shelley High School production at London's Royal National Theatre and went on to win a role in the film Waterlands with Jeremy Irons.

In the pipeline: A clutch of new films due out this year include The Shooter with Mark Wahlberg, The Red Baron with Joseph Fiennes and historical fantasy movie 300.

Huddersfield connections: Born in Bermuda where her father was training police officers, family returned to Huddersfield when she was eight and still live in the area.

Ambitions: Lena has already written a screenplay with a friend and is keen to "have a go at directing. I'd love the challenge".

Name: Jodie Whittaker

Age: 24

First big break: Landing the female lead in Venus alongside acting legend Peter O' Toole, who has picked up his eighth Oscar nomination for his role in the film.

In the pipeline: She hopes that her movie debut will open doors: It certainly should.

Huddersfield connections: Though Jodie is now London based, her family home is in Huddersfield with dad Adrian, mum Yvonne and older brother Kris. She went to school at Shelley where she was taught drama by Steven Downs before heading for London's Guildhall.

Ambitions: To continue living the dream.

Name: Zoe Lucker.

Age: 32

First big break: Had a steady stream of parts before, then landed the major part of Tanya Turner, the bitch from Hell in Footballers' Wives, the first major tv role for the former Huddersfield New College student and graduate of Manchester's Arden School of Theatre.

In the pipeline: New series for BBC called Holby Blue. This is a police-based spin-off from Holby City.

Huddersfield connections: Her parents, Paul and Judith, live in the Lindley area and have their own decorative lighting business.

Ambitions: Zoe is still travelling, enjoying making travel programmes for TV and hoping to do more.