- 2009: Played a journalist, opposite Ben Affleck, in the thriller "State of Play"
- 2008: Once again directed by Ridley Scott in "Body of Lies"; playing a manipulative CIA boss opposite Leonardo DiCaprio
- 2007: Again collaborated with Ridley Scott, playing a 1970's police detective in "American Gangster"
- 2007: Co-starred with Christian Bale in "3:10 to Yuma," a Western directed by James Mangold
- 2007: Formed his own production company, Fear of God Films
- 2006: Once again teamed with director Ridley Scott to star in the romantic drama, "A Good Year"
- 2005: Re-teamed with director Ron Howard to play depression-era heavyweight champ Jim Braddock in "Cinderella Man"; earned Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Actor
- 2003: Again worked with "Beautiful Mind" co-star Paul Bettany on "Master and Commander"; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor
- 2001: Portrayed mathematician, John Forbes Nash Jr., who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia in Ron Howard's "A Beautiful Mind"; received third consecutive Best Actor Academy Award nomination
- 2000: Portrayed General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator"; garnered second Best Actor Academy Award nomination
- 2000: Co-starred with Meg Ryan in Taylor Hackford's "Proof of Life"
- 1999: Played a hockey player in "Mystery, Alaska"
- 1999: Portrayed tobacco industry whistle blower, Jeffrey Wigand in Michael Mann's "The Insider"; earned a Best Actor Academy Award nomination
- 1997: Played the brutal and obsessive cop Bud White in Curtis Hanson's acclaimed "L.A. Confidential"
- 1995: Cast as the villainous Sid 6.7 opposite Denzel Washington in "Virtuosity"
- 1995: First American feature, "The Quick and the Dead"
- 1994: Played a gay man living at home with his dad (played by Jack Thompson) in "The Sum of Us"
- 1992: Breakthrough screen role, a neo-Nazi in "Romper Stomper"
- 1991: Garnered attention for his performance as a mild-mannered dishwasher in "Proof"
- 1991: Acted in the Australian TV miniseries "Brides of Christ" (aired in USA in 1993)
- 1990: Feature film debut, "Blood Oath/Prisoners of the Sun"
- 1990: First leading role in a feature film, "The Crossing" directed by George Ogilvie
- 1989: Appeared on stage in the musical "Blood Brothers"; spotted by director George Ogilvie
- 1986: Toured Australia and New Zealand in the stage production of "The Rocky Horror Show" as Dr. Frank N. Furter
- 1983: Cast in a role in an Australian production of "Grease"
- 1982: Returned to Australia at age 18 to resume acting career
- 1980: Began performing as a singer, billing himself as Rus Le Roq; recorded the single "I Want To Be Like Marlon Brando"
- 1978: Had a role on the Australian serial "The Young Doctors"
- 1978: Family returned to New Zealand
- 1970: Began acting career in the Australian TV series, "Spyforce"; first time co-starring with Jack Thompson
- 1968: At age four moved with his family to Australia
- With school chum Dean Cochran, formed band Roman Antix, which eventually became 30 Odd Foot of Grunts




