Stuart Townsend

Born: 15 December 1972
Where: Howth, County Dublin, Ireland

Like Irish compatriot Colin Farrell, Townsend has made a successful move across the Atlantic to Hollywood.

His lead role in About Adam attracted attention in America and high profile roles have followed in Queen of the Damned and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

A product of the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, he made his feature debut in Gilles MacKinnon's Trojan Eddie.

The following year he was cast opposite Samantha Morton in the gripping drama Under the Skin.

Subsequent appearances included Shooting Fish with Kate Beckinsale and a leading role in Resurrection Man and Michael Winterbottom's Wonderland.

He then featured in Robert Dornhelm's The Venice Project, starring Lauren Bacall and Dennis Hopper.

In 1999 he was offered the role of Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but he cited 'creative differences' with director Peter Jackson which led to his resignation.

Other rumours suggest it was realised he was too young for the role after four days of shooting.

However, along came About Adam and Townsend also starred in the historical drama Simon Magus - both were screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

He has starred as Lestat in the film adaptation of Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned, and opposite Charlize Theron in the action thriller Trapped.

Recently, he was cast as Dorian Gray in Stephen Norrington's visually stunning adaptation of the comic caper The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.