Nick Dunning

Though actor Nick Dunning had a long, distinguished career in theater - both in England and Ireland - it took some time for him to establish himself on the other side of the Atlantic. He was prominent in several theater companies, including The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre, and the Royal Court Theatre.

Dunning later made the segue from stage to screen, appearing in the slice-of-life British-TV film "Remembrance" (1981). An inconsequential role as a football spectator in "Lamb" (1985) was followed by a meatier co-starring role in "Way Upstream" (1987), a psychological drama about two couples on a boating holiday who are terrorized by a madman. After a smaller role in "London Kills Me" (1991), a darkly comic look at homeless teenaged drug dealers on the streets of London, Dunning turned to PBS with an appearance in the suspense drama, "Into the Blue" (1997).

Dunning added more high-profile projects to his resume, including the sprawling miniseries "Vanity Fair" (A&E, 1999), based on William Makepeace Thackeray's acclaimed novel, and "Death's Shadow" (A&E, 2000), a murder mystery about the slaying of a prominent real estate developer (Dominic Jephcott) that shakes up a wealthy community. After playing a gynecologist in Jim Sheridan's Oscar-nominated "In America" (2002), Dunning portrayed Sir Henry Clinton, commander of the British forces during the American Revolutionary War in "Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor" (A&E, 2003) - a telefilm which explored the events leading to a decorated soldier (Aidan Quinn) betraying his country.

He next played Attalus, general to Philip II of Macedonia (Val Kilmer), in Oliver Stone's dreadful historical epic, "Alexander" (2004). Following small roles in "Malice Afterthought" (PBS, 2005) and "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Series 5" (PBS, 2006), Dunning portrayed Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and father of the doomed Anne Boleyn, in "The Tudors" (2007-10), Showtime's lavish 10-part series depicting a young and fit King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) prior to his split from the Catholic Church.