One of the most well-regarded actresses of the 1990s and new millennium, England's Kristin Scott Thomas was an Oscar nominee whose poised and elegant work in such films as "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994) and "The English Patient" (1996) impressed critics and moviegoers alike. After an auspicious debut in the Prince-directed "Under the Cherry Moon" (1986), she quickly proved herself capable of holding her own with such esteemed film legends as Judi Dench and Alec Guinness in "A Handful of Dust" (1988) before establishing herself as an international star with "The English Patient." A stint in Hollywood yielded hits like "Mission: Impossible" (1996) and "The Horse Whisperer" (1998), but she was soon back in Europe for independent-minded productions. Her profile was raised considerably by acclaimed performances on stage in "The Seagull" in 2007 and in the French feature "I've Loved You So Long" (2008), both of which cemented her status as one of the United Kingdom's most enduring and acclaimed actresses.