Made professional acting debut in "Privates on Parade"

Featured in the Royal Court production of "Hush"

Early film credit, "Prince of Jutland"

Garnered attention for playing a gangster in the TV production "Finney"

Won acclaim for turn in the gritty play "Mojo" at the Royal Court; reprised role in the 1997 film version

First feature film with director Mike Leigh, "Career Girls"

Had co-starring role in the film "Among Giants"

Cast as Bill Sykes in the British TV remake of "Oliver Twist"

Appeared in Mike Leigh's "Topsy Turvy"

Had featured role in "Pandaemonium"

Co-starred on the London stage in "A Lie of the Mind"

Provided the vocals and physicality for the character of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (lensed 1998-2000); released over a three-year period: "The Fellowship of the Rings" (2001), "The Two Towers" (2002) and "The Return of the King" (2003)

Cast in the WWI horror film, "Deathwatch"

Played Jennifer Garner's boss in the comedy "13 going on 30"

Acted as the model for the oversized ape in Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong"; also had a small role as Lumpy the Cook

Co-starred as Ian Brady in the British TV movie, "Longford"; written by Peter Morgan (Channel 4/HBO); earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie

Had a small role opposite Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan's "The Prestige"

Portrayed Albert Einstein in the British drama, "Einstein and Eddington" (BBC/HBO)

Played the evil villain, Capricorn in "Inkheart"

Appeared as the murderous French rogue Rigaud in the BBC Television adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit"; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie

Nominated for the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie