Geoffrey Rush

Geoffrey Rush was a star of the Australian stage for two decades before his Oscar-winning performance in Shine (1996) made him an international movie star. Since then the classically trained actor has appeared in dozens of films and earned two more Oscar nominations, for Shakespeare in Love (1998, with Gwyneth Paltrow) and Quills (2000). Not movie-star handsome, with a lumpy face that shows passion, humor and guile, Rush is known for his many appearances in period pieces, including Elizabeth (1998, starring Cate Blanchett) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, with Johnny Depp) and the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). Rush has also appeared in modern comedies and dramas, from Mystery Men (1999, starring Ben Stiller) to Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005, with Eric Bana). His other films include Frida (2002, starring Salma Hayek), Finding Nemo (2003, with Ellen Degeneres) and The Banger Sisters (2002, with Susan Sarandon).

Extra credit: Rush won an Emmy in 2005 for his starring role in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004).