Paul Bettany

The British-born Bettany is a recognized star overseas with well-received performances in film, on the London stage and on British television. American audiences have just discovered him in A Knight's Tale, in which he played the comical role of Chaucer opposite Heath Ledger. He was named one of Daily Variety's "Ten to Watch" for 2001.

Classically trained at the Drama Centre in London, he made his stage debut in a West End production of An Inspector Calls under the direction of Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot). He then spent a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in productions of Richard III, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar before landing his first feature film role in Bent.

Bettany returned to the stage to appear in Love and Understanding at London's Bush Theatre. He later reprised that role at the Longwharf Theatre in Connecticut. The play led to more British television work, including Lynda La Plante's Killer Net and Coming Home, in which he starred with Peter O'Toole.

Bettany's appearance in the Royal Court Theatre productions of One More Wasted Year and Stranger's House preceded his second feature film role in David Leland's Land Girls with Catherine McCormack and Rachel Weisz. He next appeared in the film After the Rain.

He portrayed Steerforth in the TNT production of David Copperfield, directed by Peter Medak, opposite Sally Field and Michael Richards. More feature film roles followed, including Suicide Club with Jonathan Pryce and David Morrissey. He was nominated for a British Independent Film award and a London Film Critics' award for Best Newcomer in Gangster No., directed by Paul McGuigan, and starring Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis, and Saffron Burrows. Gangster No. is scheduled to open in the U.S. in February, 2002. He stared also in mystery-thriller The Reckoning opposite Willem Dafoe, which re-teamed Bettany with director Paul McGuigan.

He played in the independent U.K. feature Heart of Me, starring opposite Helena Bonham-Carter and Oliver Williams for director Thaddeus O'Sullivan. After this picture wraps, Bettany cooperated to Sweden for director Lars von Trier's dramatic thriller Dogville. He stared opposite Nicole Kidman and Stellan Skaarsgard.

Also he played in 2006 blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, oposite Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.