Richard Roxburgh

Born: January 1 1962
Where: Albury, Australia

The actor has impressed with roles ranging from the evil Duke of Monroth in Moulin Rouge! to Count Dracula in Van Helsing.

One of six children of an accountant, he originally opted to study economics before reverting to a career in acting.

After graduating from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Arts (where he dated Miranda Otto), he appeared in stage productions in Melbourne and Sydney.

He made his small screen debut on Australian TV's The Riddle of the Stinson in 1987 and made his feature debut in the 1991 action drama Dead to the World.

Four years later, he attracted controversy in the Australian miniseries Blue Murder, based on the true story of police corruption in 1980s New South Wales.

Subsequent big screen appearances included Peter Duncan's Children of the Revolution (he played Stalin's son) before he won acclaim for his supporting role in Oscar and Lucinda alongside Cate Blanchett.

In 2000, he starred in the blockbuster Mission: Impossible II and went on to star as The Duke in Baz Lurhmann's Moulin Rouge! with Nicole Kidman.

Roxburgh then starred as a lovelorn Geordie in the Newcastle-set romantic comedy The One and Only before playing M in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Next up was Count Dracula in Stephen Sommer's Van Helsing (for which he was considered for a Razzie Worst Actor Award).

Recent work includes the role of computer magnate Keith Orbit in the gung-ho aerial action thriller Stealth with Josh Lucas.