Raised in Neath, South Wales

Attended RADA

Worked on stage in England and Scotland

Early theater credit, "The Orphan" at the Greenwich Theatre

Spent a season with the Glasgow Citizens Theatre

Feature film debut in Julien Temple's "Absolute Beginners"

Had small role in the epic adaptation of Dickens' "Little Dorrit"

First major film role, Theo Van Gogh in Robert Altman's "Vincent & Theo"

American TV debut, "Tumbledown" (aired on A&E)

Appeared in "Bent" at the Royal National Theatre

Starred as Thomas de Quincy in BBC biopic "The Opium Eaters"

Cast as Sydney Chaplin in Richard Attenborough's biopic "Chaplin"

Co-starred with Alan Bates in BBC drama "102 Boulevard Haussman" by Alan Bennett

Co-starred in the Donmar staging of Noel Coward's "Design for Living"

Starred in miniseries "Gallowglass" shown on PBS' "Masterpiece Theatre"

Cast as Simon Templar in BBC Radio 4 production of "The Saint"; first time character was featured on radio in over 50 years

Supported Ian Holm in the National Theatre staging of "King Lear"; reprised role of Edgar in 1998 TV adaptation

Appeared in the acclaimed Channel 4 miniseries "A Dance to the Music of Time"

Played the younger incarnation of A E H Houseman in the stage premiere of Tom Stoppard's "The Invention of Love"

Had featured role in the Cannes-screened "Love Lies Bleeding"

Portrayed "Hamlet" at the Young Vic in London; later toured Japan in the role

Had supporting role in the Channel 4 miniseries adaptation of "Anna Karenina"

Played leading role of a successful barrister accused of raping a colleague in the two-part British TV drama "The Innocent" (Yorkshire Television)

Had leading role in the BBC adaptation of "The Cazelet Chronicle"

Undertook villainous role in the feature film "From Hell"