Cary Elwes

Born: October 26 1962
Where: London, UK

The Old Harrovian first attracted attention as the farm boy with the catchline "as you wish" in the Rob Reiner comedy The Princess Bride.

Born into an aristocratic family, his great grandfather was chamberlain to the Pope and his mother is the interior designer Tessa Kennedy.

After attending Harrow School, where he starred in a production of Robin Hood, he moved to New York where he trained as an actor at the Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville.

He made his big screen debut as a disco dancer in the 1979 Jackie Collins drama Yesterday's Hero.

In 1984, he appeared opposite Rob Lowe and Ally Sheedy in the university drama Oxford Blues, which was produced by his brother Cassian.

Roles followed in The Bride, Lady Jane and the role of Westley in The Princess Bride before he played Matthew Broderick's second-in-command in the Civil War drama Glory.

Subsequent parts included Tom Cruise's racer nemesis in Days of Thunder and the romantic rival to Charlie Sheen in the wacky comedy Hot Shots!

In 1992, he starred in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula and appeared opposite Alicia Silverstone in the thriller The Crush.

The spoof Robin Hood: Men in Tights saw Elwes in the title role and he followed up with supporting roles in The Chase, Twister, Liar Liar and Kiss The Girls.

In 1999, he starred in the Tim Robbins drama Cradle Will Rock and returned to the story of Dracula in Shadow of the Vampire with John Malkovich.

He was cast in a recurring role in the X-Files as FBI assistant director Brad Follmer and also appeared on the big screen in the Hollywood drama The Cat's Miaow.

In 2004, he appeared in the cult horror hit Saw and played the evil Edgar in the children's fantasy Ella Enchanted.