Remember this handsome devil from 1995's Cold Comfort Farm?

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26603/

Yep, that's Rufus Sewell. A man who is able to be broodingly handsome even as he parodies a man who is broodingly handsome is one to watch. And in 1998, it looked like Rufus was on his way to genuine stardom: he appeared in no less than five films, including a smoldering turn in Dangerous Beauty...

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26604/

...and the sympathetic lead in the cult favorite Dark City.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26605/

Those eyes! Those cheekbones! Ladies, start your swooning!

And then...and then...well, 2000's Bless the Child was understandable, I guess. Darkly handsome fellows can exude a certain menace. Yeah, go ahead, play a villain.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26607/

But watch out for the typecasting, willya? Here you are as another dashing baddie in 2001's A Knight's Tale:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26608/

And still another in 2005's The Legend of Zorro:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26609/

And still another in 2006's The Illusionist:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26610/

After that, it was bit parts and TV (not that there's anything wrong with TV, but come on, you had matinee-idol mojo going) until the present day. And here you are as...wait for it...a dashing baddie in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jun/21/26611/

Now granted, you are one of the better parts of the film - the fact that only Englishmen seem to be able to play Southern aristocrats is endlessly fascinating to me - and granted, there is nothing wrong with being a strong character actor. But for a while there, it looked like you were headed for top billing. Maybe beauty really is dangerous.