- 2008: Re-teamed with Diane Lane for "Nights in Rodanthe"; based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks
- 2007: Portrayed Bob Dylan at one distinct stage of his life, in Todd Haynes' film, "I'm Not There"
- 2007: Played a discredited journalist embarking on an unauthorized mission to find a war criminal in "The Hunting Party"
- 2007: Portrayed Clifford Irving, a bogus biographer of Howard Hughes in Lasse Hallström's "The Hoax"
- 2006: Starred in Andrew Lau's first American film "The Flock"
- 2005: Starred with Juliette Binoche in the family drama "Bee Season," based on the Myla Goldberg novel
- 2004: Co-starred with Jennifer Lopez in "Shall We Dance?"
- 2002: Had singing and dancing role as sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn in the film musical of the hit Broadway show "Chicago"; received a SAG nomination for Best Actor
- 2002: Cast opposite Diane Lane as an unsuspecting husband whose wife if having an affair in "Unfaithful"
- 2000: Starred in Robert Altman's "Dr. T and the Women"
- 2000: Co-starred with Winona Ryder in "Autumn in New York," directed by Joan Chen
- 1999: Re-teamed with Julia Roberts and director Garry Marshall for the romantic comedy "Runaway Bride"
- 1997: Starred in Jon Avnet's "Red Corner," a project particularly close to his heart for its attack on the repressive Chinese regime
- 1996: Delivered solid performance in one of his very best roles, as a cocky attorney defending former altar boy Edward Norton against allegations of murder in "Primal Fear"
- 1993: Appeared as a character loosely based on Broadway director-choreographer Michael Bennett in the HBO film "And the Band Played On"; earned Emmy nomination
- 1993: Executive produced and starred in "Mr Jones" (directed by Mike Figgis) and "Sommersby"
- 1992: First film as executive producer, "Final Analysis"; also starred
- 1990: Made a commercial comeback with his starring role in Garry Marshall's "Pretty Woman" opposite Julia Roberts
- 1986: Made a lengthy fact-finding trip through then war-torn Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador
- 1982: Starred in his greatest commercial success of the decade, "An Officer and a Gentleman"
- 1979: Returned to Broadway in "Bent," playing homosexual inmate of Dachau
- 1978: First leading role in a feature, "Days of Heaven"
- 1978: Visited Tibetan refugee camps in Nepal
- 1977: Garnered attention for a supporting role in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar," opposite Diane Keaton
- 1975: Film acting debut in "Report to the Commissioner"
- 1973: First studied the Middle Way of Siddhartha Gotama Buddha as preached by a Japanese sect
- 1973: Broadway debut as Danny Zuko in the hit musical "Grease"; recreated role for the London production
- 1969: Spent one season each at Provincetown Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre
- Won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts
- Switched his faith to Tibetan school of Buddhism
- Raised on a farm in upstate New York near Syracuse
- Became a student of the exiled Dalai Lama




