As a youngster was a chorister in Oxford

While at Cambridge, met Sam Mendes

After failing to secure a place in drama school, accepted Mendes' offer to appear in "The Threepenny Opera" at the Donmar Warehouse

Starred in Jez Butterworth's London stage production "Mojo"

Played "Tartuffe" at London's Almeida Theatre

Had a significant supporting role as a Thatcherite in "Some Mother's Son", set against the backdrop of the Troubles in Northern Ireland

Appeared in the fact-based Oxford University boat race adventure film "True Blue"

Was featured as Saffron's fiance Paolo in the TV-movie "Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout" (BBC in Great Britain; Comedy Central in USA)

Starred on stage at London's Almeida in "The Government Inspector"

Appeared alongside Rufus Sewell and Joseph Fiennes in the romantic comedy "Martha - Meet Frank, Daniel & Laurence"; released to less than stellar box office in the USA under the title "The Very Thought of You" in 1999

Portrayed Lord Alfred Douglas opposite Liam Neeson's Oscar Wilde in David Hare's "The Judas Kiss", at the Donmar Playhouse in London and later on Broadway

Gave a scene-stealing turn as a colorful gay man in an odd relationship with a realtor in Rose Troche's "Bedrooms and Hallways"; shown on the festival circuit before being released theatrically in 1999

Acted in Ben Elton's "Maybe Baby", the story of a screenwriter and his wife and their trials while trying to conceive a child

Co-starred in "The Lawless Heart"; screened at Locarno Film Festival

Starred on stage in Moliere's "Don Juan" at the Sheffield Theatre

Cast as a penniless former military man in the ensemble film "Gosford Park", directed by Robert Altman

Cast in "Paparazzi" about a celebrity who turns the tables on a persistent photographer; produced by Mel Gibson

Starred opposite Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in "Stage Beauty" based on the play by Jeffrey Hatcher

Cast in "Pride & Prejudice" opposite Keira Knighley

Cast in the sequel "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," as Lord Cutler Beckett

Played a scheming real estate broker in Ridley Scott's "A Good Year" opposite Russell Crowe

Reprised role of Lord Cutler Beckett in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"