Raised in Kent, England

Worked for three years as journalist after university

Enrolled in drama school

Early TV credit, acted in the Halmark Hall of Fame production of "The Secret Garden" (billed as Stephen Dillon)

Film debut, "Business as Usual" (billed as Stephen Dillon)

Adopted stage name Stephen Dillane in the late 1980s

Achieved prominence in London for his stage performance in Brian Friel's "Dancing at Lughnasa"

First feature credit as Stephen Dillane, "Hamlet"; played Horatio to Mel Gibson's Melancholy Dane

Co-starred in the HBO Showcase production of "Hostages"

Starred as "Hamlet" at the National Theatre

Breakthrough screen role in "Welcome to Sarajevo"

Had the lead in the Irish/Australian miniseries "Kings in Grass Castles"

Starred in "Firelight" as a 19th-century man who hires a woman to bear his child

Returned to the London stage in a revival of Tom Stoppard's "The Real Thing"; transferred to Broadway in spring 2000

Starred in British TV adaptation of "Anna Karenina" (Channel 4); Paul Rhys also featured

Reteamed with Rhys as co-stars in the BBC miniseries "The Cazelet Chronicles"

Played a slightly sinister CIA official in "Spy Game"

Returned to the London stage in "Life After George"

Had featured role as Leonard Woolf in "The Hours"

Had supporting role in "The Truth About Charlie"

Co-starred with Christina Ricci and Ioan Gruffudd in "The Gathering"

Cast opposite Clive Owen and Keira Knightley as Merlin in "King Arthur"

Portrayed reigning champion Harry Vardon in Bill Paxton's golf drama, "The Greatest Game Ever Played"

Cast in the ensemble "Nine Lives"; a series of vignettes directed by Rodrigo García

Played a British football (soccer) scout in Danny Cannon's "Goal! The Dream Begins"

Cast as a British investment banker in "Haven"

Co-starred in Raoul Ruiz's film, "Klimt" about the late Austrian artist Gustav Klimt who is portrayed by John Malkovich

Portrayed Thomas Jefferson in the HBO mini-series "John Adams"; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Suppoting Actor in a Miniseries or TV-Movie