Biography
The handsome blonde actor Cary Elwes (pronounced El-Ways) was born in London to a portrait painter and an interior designer. He moved to the U.S. to study at Sarah Lawrence College, but made his film debut in the U.K. with the coming-of-age drama
Another Country (1984), co-starring alongside fellow handsome young actors
Rupert Everett and
Colin Firth. He soon started a pattern of appearing in historical dramas and other period pieces, first with
Lady Jane (1985), opposite
Helena Bonham Carter, and then as the lead role in
Maschenka (1986), based on the book by Vladimir Nabokov. However, he didn't make his international film breakthrough until 1987 with
Rob Reiner's classic adventure fairy tale
The Princess Bride. He seemed to possess a timeless quality essential for the role of Westley, the sensitive-yet-daring farm boy who becomes the swashbuckling Dred Pirate Roberts and gallantly fights for his love. Continuing with historical films, he capably handled a Southern accent for the Civil War drama
Glory and then tried a one-time stint as associate producer for the little-seen drama
Leather Jackets. Next, he made a successful jump to broad comedy with lead roles in Hot Shots! (1991) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). Switching to darker themes, he played Lord Arthur Holmwood in
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and
Alicia Silverstone's object of obsession in
The Crush (1993). The following year, he briefly returned to adventures for
The Jungle Book before moving on to playing authority figures in the thrillers
Twister and
Kiss the Girls. In the late '90s, he voiced cartoons and appeared in a few made-for-TV movies and miniseries until 1999, when he transformed his usually slender frame for the role of portly producer
John Houseman (
Orson Welles' colleague) in
Tim Robbins'
Cradle Will Rock. He continued portraying cinematic legends in his next few films, including the German cinematographer
Fritz Arno Wagner in
Shadow of the Vampire and pioneering producer Thomas H. Ince in
The Cat's Meow. In 2001,he played a reoccurring role on
The X-Files as FBI Assistant Brad Follmer and returned to romantic comedy adventures as Prince Regent Edgar in
Ella Enchanted (2003). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide