The Cast of Showtime's The Tudors -- Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Fresh off his Golden Globe win for portraying Elvis in the CBS miniseries, Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers seems poised to be the next big thing with his leading role in Showtime's sexy series, The Tudors (2007). In addition to his television work, Meyers has been seen in some very high profile films over the last couple of years, including Mission Impossible 3 (2006), and the lead in Woody Allen's Match Point (2005). His performances are consistently getting strong reviews, one critic going so far as to say:

I have precisely three words to describe to why you must watch this Sunday's premiere of the new Showtime series The Tudors:

Jonathan.

Rhys.

Meyers.

~E! Online

It may appear that this hot young talent has just burst onto the scene and is taking Hollywood by storm, but Meyers has been one of the hardest-working unknown talents in film for 13 years now, beginning with an unnamed role in a little seen film starring Albert Finney, A Man of No Importance (1994). As of this writing, he has 32 completed movies and/or television mini-series, with 5 additional projects in various stages of development, including a second season of The Tudors.

He was first thrust into a small spotlight in Todd Haynes' ambitious tribute to glam rock, Velvet Goldmine (1998). Although not a box office success, the independent film was a hit at Cannes and nominated for an Oscar for Costume Design. At the 1999 Oscars, host Whoopi Goldberg appeared on-stage in a replica of the first costume Meyers wears in the movie, a silver jumpsuit. In the film, Meyers portrays the complex glam rock star, Brian Slade, loosely modeled on David Bowie. The role is very striking physically and quite challenging, going through numerous changes in appearance, each accompanied by a shift in demeanor and personality. Meyers also provides the vocals for two songs used in the film.

Meyers honed his craft as he worked with some impressive talent early in his career. His first speaking role was in Michael Collins (1996) as the unnamed assassin. In this film, he has scenes opposite Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman. Other well-respected actors he appeared on screen with include Minnie Driver, Tom Wilkinson, Ewan McGregor, Toni Collette, Kevin Bacon, Rupert Everett, Tobey Maguire, Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Christopher Lee, and Ian Richardson, all before 2000. He has also worked with numerous award winning directors, including Ang Lee, Julie Taymor and Neil Jordan. He was first discovered at age 16 in a pool hall in Ireland, and invited to audition for The War of the Buttons. He did not get the role, but he did get bitten by the acting bug. Not very much later he got his first job, in a soup commercial. Although today the commercial embarasses him, it did serve as a launching pad into film. He had been steadily employeed ever since.

From his first film in 1994 until 2002, he appeared in 20 films, most of which were not well received in the United States. The first US box office success he was in was Bend It Like Beckham (2002), the surprise indie hit about female soccer players in England. As Joe, the girls' coach, Meyers got a lot of attention from young girls who found him to be quite a heartthrob. Beckham could be considered his big break, as it brought him to the attention of American audiences as well as other filmmakers who wanted to bring his good looks and simmering sexuality to their projects. Beginning in 2004, Meyers' career turned to much higher profile films than the first 10 years of his career had brought him. Vanity Fair (2004), Alexander (2004) and MI:3 all disappointed in the box office, but had enough publicity surrounding them to keep Meyers' name in the press. The remake of The Lion in Winter (2003) for Showtime was well received. But it took Elvis (2005) to put the name "Jonathan Rhys Meyers" on everybody's tongues.

Casting a relatively unknown Irishman as the iconic Elvis Presley was seen by some as a huge risk. But many fans who had been following his career since early on had seen a bit of Elvis in him, and believed he could pull off the charismatic Presley. They were not disappointed. Always a very physical actor, Meyers studied the moves of Elvis and perfected them while hiding his Irish accent under an acceptable Southern drawl. He was nominated for an Emmy for his performance, and won a Golden Globe. Match Point, nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay, was Meyers' next film. He portrayed Chris Wilton, the lead in Woody Allen's exploration of the themes in the book Crime and Punishment. The movie is considered by some to be Woody Allen's best movie since Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), and is definitely his biggest box office success in many years.

In the last three years, Meyers has become highly visible in Hollywood, but he is not some new guy on the scene. He has worked incessantly at his craft, learning from the best while trying some risky roles along the way. He is poised to be a high caliber star, deservedly so.