Natascha McElhone

Born: 23 March 1971
Where: Hampstead, London

The actress made her big screen breakthrough opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1996's Surviving Picasso.

Since then she has gone on to star in such high-profile movies as The Truman Show with Jim Carrey and Solaris with George Clooney.

Born to journalist parents, she attended St Mary's Hall School for Girls in Brighton before winning a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Early stage credits include starring roles in London and Manchester productions of Richard III, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Cherry Orchard.

She debuted on British TV in Bergerac and three years later played an army officer in Breed of Heroes as well as an appearance in Absolutely Fabulous.

After he debut in Surviving Picasso in 1996, she appeared in the Irish thriller The Devil's Own and Mrs Dalloway alongside Vanessa Redgrave.

She followed this with Peter Weir's fantasy drama The Truman Show alongside Ed Harris and Jim Carrey.

High profiles roles followed in Ronin with Robert De Niro and she played Rosaline in Kenneth Branagh's musical version of Love's Labour's Lost.

She also appeared in the lacklustre Killing Me Softly with Joseph Fiennes and the drama Laurel Canyon with Frances McDormand.

In 2002, she appeared nude alongside George Clooney in the Steven Soderbergh remake of Solaris and she also starred in the Matt Dillon thriller City of Ghosts.

Recent work includes Charles Dance's directorial debut Ladies in Lavender with Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.