Colin Firth: The Thinking Ladies' Leading Man

A Single Man
In a heartbreaking performance, Firth provides a controlled yet moving portrait of a man in mourning. The film takes place over the course of the day his character, George Falconer, discovers that his male lover of 16 years has been killed in a car accident. The film was financed and directed by fashion designer Tom Ford. Firth's performance was much praised by critics and earned him a BAFTA for Best Actor as well as Best Actor nominations from the Academy Awards, the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes.

• 2011 TIME 100: Colin Firth