Colin Firth

Co-starred in an adaptation of the play by Noël Coward, "Easy Virtue"

Starred as a college professor grappling with solitude after his longtime partner dies in Tom Ford's directorial debut, "A Single Man"

Voiced Scrooge's nephew in Robert Zemeckis' animated adaptation of "A Christmas Carol"

Cast as one of the potential fathers in the the film version of the ABBA musical, "Mamma Mia!"

Cast as Uma Thurman's fiancée in the romantic comedy, "The Accidental Husband"

Featured in Helen Hunt's directorial debut, "Then She Found Me"

Portrayed general Aurelius in "The Last Legion"

Co-starred with Emma Thompson and Angela Lansbury in "Nanny McPhee"; scripted by Emma Thompson

Co-starred with Kevin Bacon as a showbiz duo whose career was ended abruptly amid scandal in "Where the Truth Lies"

Reprised his role as Mark Darcy in "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Co-Starred with Scarlett Johansson as painter Johannes Vermeer in "Girl with a Pearl Earring"

Joined the Richard Curtis ensemble, "Love Actually"

Played Jack Worthing in the remake of "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Played Mark Darcy opposite Renee Zellwegger's title character in "Bridget Jones' Diary"

Portrayed the Nazi secretary of state who took part in the Wannsee Conference in the historical drama "Conspiracy" (HBO); received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor

First published work "The Department of Nothing" a short story that appeared in Speaking with the Angel

Had featured role in "Relative Values" a film adaptation of a Noel Coward play

Received raves for his stage performance in the London premiere of "Three Days of Rain" by Richard Greenberg

Played Wessex, the intended groom of Gwyneth Paltrow's Viola, in "Shakespeare in Love"

Portrayed a foul-mouthed soccer player in "Fever Pitch"

Had featured role as Kristin Scott Thomas' husband in Anthony Minghella's "The English Patient"

Breakthrough role as Mr. Darcy in the BBC television adaptation of Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice"

Played pivotal role of Simon Westward in "Circle of Friends"

Co-starred in the HBO TV drama "Hostages"

First starring role, playing the lead in Milos Forman's "Valmont"

Offered a harrowing portrayal of real-life Scottish soldier Robert Lawrence who had been left paralyzed in "Tumbledown"

Played a film buff who takes in a mysterious boarder in "Apartment Zero"

Won critical acclaim for "A Month in the Country"

Cast as an aspiring artist in the British miniseries "Lost Empires" (aired on PBS in 1987)

American TV-movie debut, "Camille" (CBS)

Film debut, "Another Country"; played Tommy Judd opposite Rupert Everett's Guy Bennett

London stage debut, "Another Country"; replaced Rupert Everett in the role of Guy Bennett

Family briefly moved to St Louis, MO when he was in his early teens

Joined the National Theater doing odd jobs for the wardrobe department

Lived in Nigeria with parents, until the age of four

Trained at the Drama Centre in North London, where he performed his first amateur "Hamlet"