 Husky actor who spent his teens in amateur boxing (useful training for his role in The Big Man (d. David Leland, 1990)), but gave it up to become a teacher, attending Queens College Belfast.
He joined the Belfast Lyric Players' Theatre in 1976 and two years later moved to the Abbey Theatre, Dublin where he was discovered by John Boorman, who cast him in Excalibur (1981). He appeared in a number of minor roles before appearing in his first lead role in Lamb (d. Colin Gregg, 1985), as a disillusioned priest.
In 1993 Steven Spielberg cast him as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List (US, 1993) for which he received an Oscar nomination. He went on to play the title roles in Rob Roy (US, d. Michael Caton-Jones, 1995) and Michael Collins (US, d. Neil Jordan, 1996).
The tall (6'4"), commanding actor, who married Natasha Richardson in 1994, is now in demand for international films. He was awarded the OBE in 2000.
Anne-Marie Thomas, Encyclopedia of British Cinema
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