Biography
A magnetic stage actor with England's National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, Ralph Fiennes earned particular favor in America for a string of unforgettable performances in several prominent dramas in the 1990s. The British performer announced his arrival after receiving critical raves and an Oscar nomination for his horrifying, yet complex human portrayal of Amon Goeth, commandant of the Nazi concentration camp at Plaszow, in Steven Spielberg's acclaimed Holocaust epic, "Schindler's List" (1993). He followed that triumph with another complex historical performance, playing a controversial game show champ in the acclaimed drama, "Quiz Show" (1994). After delivering some of his finest performances in "The English Patient" (1996), "The End of the Affair" (1999) and "Sunshine" (2000), Fiennes had made his mark, assuring that he would be viewed by moviegoers as the quintessential tortured soul. Though some complained that his "doomed lover" act had worn thin, most critics and audiences praised him for his understated, multi-layered performances, particularly in the exemplary political romance, "The Constant Gardener" (2005). Proving that he was more than just an art house leading man, he took on villainous roles in big budget fare like "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005) and its blockbuster sequels. He continued to grow as an artist with his directorial debut, "Coriolanus" (2012), as well as his takeover of the iconic role of M in the James Bond series and his sly comic turn as the star of Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014). These were only a few of the efforts that defined Fiennes as one of the finest British talents of his generation.
