Colin Firth: The Thinking Ladies' Leading Man

The English Patient
With his leading-man status cemented in the U.K., Firth returned to the screen as the star of Anthony Minghella's critically acclaimed adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel The English Patient. Firth has described his character, Geoffrey Clifton, as "... a rich, champagne-toting English buffoon. My wife has an affair with Ralph Fiennes' character. I discover the affair and turn out not to be a buffoon." The film went on to win numerous prizes, including nine Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and six BAFTA awards.

• 2011 TIME 100: Colin Firth