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A English actor noted for his aptitude with distinguished and erudite characterizations, Jonathan Aris first bowed onscreen in his native Britain during the mid-'90s, but caught the attention of American audiences uncharacteristically, with his supporting turn opposite heavyweights Bruce Willis and Richard Gere in the action thriller The Jackal (1997) -- a remake of Fred Zinnemann's epic political thriller The Day of the Jackal (1973). He returned to the U.K. for a supporting contribution to Philip Saville's bittersweet comedy drama Metroland (1997), then teamed up with the eminent Mike Leigh for a small role in the Gilbert & Sullivan biopic Topsy-Turvy (1999). Thereafter, Aris placed a particularly strong emphasis on British television work. Projects in this arena included the outings Horatio Hornblower: The Fire Ships (1998, in a bit role), an episode of the mystery series Poirot (2000), the Beethoven biopic Eroica (2003), and a portrayal of the Marquis of Worcester in the telemovie Beau Brummell: The Charming Man (2007). Also in 2007, Aris starred alongside Michael Caine and Demi Moore in the caper film Flawless.