Raised in Columbia, Maryland

Professional debut at age eight in the musical "Annie Get Your Gun" at Toby's Dinner Theater in Columbia

Acted in college productions while attending Yale

Briefly lived in Japan while working for The Enterprise Foundation, which was co-founded by his grandparents

Moved to NYC and began acting in off-Broadway theater

Cast in Edward Albee's "Fragments" at the Signature Theater

Made feature debut in "Primal Fear" as Aaron Stampler, an innocent young man accused of a brutal murder; received first Academy Award nomination

Featured as lawyers in both Woody Allen's "Everyone Says I Love You" and Milos Forman's "The People vs. Larry Flynt"

Co-starred with Matt Damon in John Dahl's "Rounders"

Portrayed a reformed neo-Nazi in "American History X"; earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor

Co-starred with Brad Pitt in David Fincher's adaptation of the cult novel "Fight Club"

Made directing debut (also produced and co-wrote) with "Keeping the Faith"

Did uncredited script work for "The Score" co-starring Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro

Portrayed Nelson Rockefeller in "Frida" starring and produced by off-screen companion Salma Hayek; also reportedly did uncredited script rewrites

Played FBI profiler Will Graham in Brett Ratner's "Red Dragon"

Cast in Spike Lee's "The 25th Hour"

Cast as a traitor amongst thieves in "The Italian Job," a remake of the original 1969 film of the same name

Played the leper king of Jerusalem in "Kingdom of Heaven"

Co-starred (also produced) with Naomi Watts in the period drama, "The Painted Veil"; received an Independent Spirit Award Nomination

Starred (also produced) with Evan Rachel Wood in the indie drama, "Down in the Valley"

Cast in the lead role of Bruce Banner in the adaptation of "The Incredible Hulk"; also co-wrote