Guy Pearce

Having earned a considerable reputation in his native Australia through such primetime series as "Neighbours" (Network Ten, 1986- ) and "Home and Away" (Seven Network, 1988- ), actor Guy Pearce earned international attention as the bratty drag queen Adam/Felicia in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (1994). Catching the eye of director Curtis Hanson, Pearce went on to international stardom with his unforgettable portrayal of Lt. Edmund Exley in the critically acclaimed neo-noir, "L.A. Confidential" (1997). From there, he starred in both big and small features like "A Slipping Down Life" (1999) and "Rules of Engagement" (2000), before delivering one of his most memorable performances, playing an amnesiac trying to find his wife's murderer in Christopher Nolan's groundbreaking "Memento" (2001). Following underwhelming results with two high-profile projects, "The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002) and "The Time Machine" (2002), Pearce earned critical kudos in smaller fare like "The Proposition" (2006) and "Death Defying Acts" (2008), in which he portrayed famed escapologist Harry Houdini. He delivered a small, but notable turn in "The Hurt Locker" (2009) before portraying King Edward VIII in the Oscar-winning drama "The King's Speech" (2010) and a playboy who seduces a mother and daughter in "Mildred Pierce" (HBO, 2011), which only added to the handsome actor's exceptional versatility.