British-born actor Paul Bettany decided to be an actor when he was 19 and living alone in London. Born on May 29, 1971 to parents with experience in stage performance, he studied at the London Drama Centre before appearing in different stage plays, most notably the acclaimed revival of An Inspector Calls. He also appeared in other stage plays and television dramas before launching his film career with a small role in Bent, starring Clive Owen, Jude Law and Ian McKellen.
At the start of his career, Paul Bettany struggled with a cocaine addiction. He promptly turned his back from drugs and appeared in other movies, including Gangster No. 1, which was his first starring role. It earned him nominations from both the British Independent Film Awards and the London Critics Circle.
In 2001, Paul Bettany appeared in A Knight’s Tale, in a role that director Brian Helgeland wrote especially for him. It won him a London Critics Circle Award for British Supporting Actor. He was then included in the cast for A Beautiful Mind, starring alongside Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly, who he would marry later, in 2003. His performance for that movie also earned him a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild.
His next notable film appearances include Dogville, alongside Nicole Kidman and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, again with Russell Crowe. His portrayal of Stephen Maturin earned him awards from the London Critics Circle and the Evening Standard, and a BAFTA nomination. His performance in the 2004 film Wimbledon, as the leading man to Kirsten Dunst, would also earn nods from critics, despite a lukewarm reception to the film.
In 2005, Bettany played Opus Dei monk Silas in the film adaptation to The Da Vinci Code. He also provided his voice to the adaptation of Iron Man, as JARVIS. He would later appear in the fantasy film Inkheart.