THE SOLOIST

TOM HOLLANDER (Graham Claydon) grew up in Oxford, went to school locally and read English literature at Cambridge. As a boy he was a member of the National Youth Theatre and the National Youth Music Theatre. Spotted at the Edinburgh Festival while still at school he played the title role in the BBC children's drama "John Diamond.” At university, he was a member of the Cambridge Footlights Revue, and played a much-celebrated "Cyrano de Bergerac” for The Marlowe Society at the Arts Theatre.

His early career was primarily theater-based. In 1991, he was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award playing Celia to Adrian Lester's Rosalind in Cheek by Jowl's all-male production of "As You Like It.” In 1992, he won the same award for his performance as Witwoud in Peter Gill's production of "The Way of the World” at the Lyric Hammersmith. He went on to play Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera” at the Donmar Warehouse and then created the central role of Baby in the original production of Jez Butterworth's "Mojo” at the Royal Court Theatre.

This brought him to the attention of filmmakers Terry George and Jim Sheridan, who cast him as the head of the Northern Irish Security Forces in the controversial "Some Mother's Son” opposite Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan. He then returned to the theatre to star in the title role of "Tartuffe” at the Almeida for Jonathan Kent, for which he received a Best Actor Award from Time Out and a special commendation from the Ian Charleson Awards. In 1997, he received another special commendation for his performance as "The Government Inspector,” again at the Almeida and directed by Jonathan Kent. In the West End and on Broadway he played Lord Alfred Douglas opposite Liam Neeson's Oscar Wilde in David Hare's "The Judas Kiss.”

After playing Saffy's euro-trash fiancé in the final episode of "Absolutely Fabulous,” Hollander went on to star opposite Joseph Fiennes and Rufus Sewell in the 1998 film "Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence.” He subsequently appeared in such features as "Bedrooms and Hallways,” "The Clandestine Marriage,” Ben Elton's "Maybe Baby,” "The Announcement,” Michael Apted's "Enigma” and Neil LaBute's "Possession.” He also portrayed Osborne Hamley in the BBC's "Wives and Daughters” for Andrew Davies.

For Robert Altman, he played the long-suffering Captain Anthony Meredith in "Gosford Park” and appeared opposite Bill Nighy in Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger's celebrated "The Lawless Heart.”

Hollander returned to the stage to play the title role of Moliere's "Don Juan” at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre for Michael Grandage. It was followed by playing Edgar in "King Lear” opposite Oliver Ford Davies in Jonathan Kent's final production at the Almeida Theatre.

He then portrayed King George V in Stephen Poliakoff's BBC Emmy Award-winning "The Lost Prince,” and the infamous Guy Burgess in the BBC's four-part drama "Cambridge Spies,” for which he won Best Actor at the International Television Awards in Biarritz.

In 2003, Hollander appeared in "Stage Beauty” directed by Richard Eyre, with Billy Crudup and Claire Danes. The same year he played Laurie in the Donmar Warehouse's revival of John Osborne's "Hotel in Amsterdam” directed by Robin Lefevre.

Hollander received a British Independent Film Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance as George Etherege opposite Johnny Depp in 2004 in "The Libertine.” For his performance as The Reverend William Collins in director Joe Wright's "Pride & Prejudice,” he won the Evening Standard's Peter Sellers Award for Comedy and Best Supporting Actor from the London Critics Circle.

For Ridley Scott he played Charlie in "A Good Year” opposite Russell Crowe. For Scott's company Scott Free, he has recently completed the role of Adrian Philby in TNT's CIA-drama "The Company.”

For director Gore Verbinski, he recently appeared as Lord Cutler Beckett in both "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest” and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End” starring Johnny Depp. He also appeared opposite Cate Blanchett and Samantha Morton in Working Title's "Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” and most recently appeared to critical acclaim at The National Theatre in Roger Michell's production of Joe Penhall's new play "Landscape With Weapon.”

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