Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company after attending The Drama Centre in London

Landed title role in British TV series "Lorna Doone"

Feature debut in "Shogun Mayeda"

American film debut in "Patriot Games"

American TV debut in PBS's "A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia"

Appeared with an ensemble cast in Mike Newell's "Enchanted April" a film about four women renting a chateau on a remote Italian island to try to come to grips with their lives and relationships

Starred as Jane Fairfax in "Emma" with Gwyneth Paltrow starring as the title character

Starred in Peter Greenaway's "8 ½ Women"

Cast in an action role in "D-Tox," a thriller starring Sylvester Stallone

Cast as Atia of the Julii in the HBO epic series "Rome"; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress