- 2009: Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (“The Reader”)
- 2008: Directed by Stephen Daldry in the film adaption of the German novel "The Reader"
- 2008: Nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (“Revolutionary Road”)
- 2008: Nominated for the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (“Revolutionary Road”)
- 2008: Nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (“The Reader”)
- 2008: Re-teamed with "Titanic" co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio for "Revolutionary Road"; directed and produced by husband Sam Mendes; earned a SAG nomination for Best Actress
- 2008: Nominated for the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (“The Reader”)
- 2007: Named the celebrity spokesperson for cosmetics giants Lancome
- 2006: Played a southern belle who has an affair with the Louisiana governor in Steven Zaillian's "All the King's Men"
- 2006: Played a adulteress mother in Todd Field's "Little Children"; received Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Actress
- 2006: Co-starred with Jack Black in director Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy "The Holiday"
- 2006: Earned an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actress for her appearance in the HBO Comedy Series "Extras"
- 2005: Cast as the mistress to James Gandolfini in the musical "Romance & Cigarettes"; written and directed by John Turturro (released in 2007)
- 2004: Starred opposite Johnny Depp in "Finding Neverland" about the experiences of 'Peter Pan' author J.M. Barrie
- 2004: Co-starred with Jim Carrey in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" about a couple who have their memories erased in an attempt to rescue their failing relationship; received Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Actress
- 2003: Cast as a reporter to whom a death row inmate tells his story in "The Life of David Gale"
- 2001: Played the younger incarnation of the title character in "Iris"; the older Iris was played by Judi Dench; earned third Oscar nomination, this time as Supporting Actress
- 2001: Voiced a character in the animated version of "A Christmas Carol"; had Top Ten single in Great Britain with song "What If" from the film's soundtrack
- 2000: Co-starred with Geoffrey Rush and Joaquin Phoenix in "Quills"
- 1999: Played a hippie mother who takes her two daughters with her on a spiritual journey to Marrakech in the Independent film "Hideous Kinky"
- 1999: Appeared opposite Harvey Keitel in Jane Campion's "Holy Smoke"
- 1997: Played the heroine Rose in James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic"; earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination
- 1996: Cast as Ophelia opposite Kenneth Branagh in Branagh's feature version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
- 1995: Co-starred as Marianne Dashwood in "Sense and Sensibility"; earned first Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress
- 1995: Played female lead in "Jude" opposite Christopher Eccleston
- 1994: Made feature debut in a leading role, as Juliet Hulme in director Peter Jackson's critically acclaimed "Heavenly Creatures"
- 1992: Appeared in the made-for-TV movie "Anglo-Saxon Attitudes"
- 1991: Left school to pursue career
- 1991: First professional TV role, as Reet in the BBC children's series "Dark Season"
- 1988: Made British TV debut in "Shrinks"
- 1987: Appeared in a British TV commercials for Sugar Puffs cereal
- 1986: Began studying a local drama school
- Raised in Reading, England




