Carlyle first made his mark in Ken Loach's 1990 film "Riff Raff" and has played numerous and diverse roles since then, from a gay man in "Priest" to a multiple-sclerosis patient in "Go Now" to a knife-wielding psychopath in "Trainspotting." Although his role in Trainspotting was his first that brought him major recognition, his real breakthrough is considered to be the 1997 film "The Full Monty", in which he plays a unemployed steel worker who becomes a stripper. Carlyle also had a role in the critically-acclaimed BBC series "Hamish MacBeth," where he plays a pot-smoking policeman in a fictional small town in the highlands of Scotland.

By all reports though, Carlyle hasn't let his success go to his head. He is also conscious of not "selling out," and it is only recently with the currently-in-release "Ravenous" and the upcoming James Bond film ("The World is not Enough") that he has taken roles in "big" Hollywood movies. In fact, he turned down roles in both "Rob Roy" and "Braveheart," stating that he would rather talk about what is presently going on in Scotland than sentimentalize its past. He's also well-known for his professionalism, abstaining from partying while shooting a movie, and his dedication to his work.

Only time will tell if his success in movies like The Full Monty will translate well to Hollywood, but so far things are looking promising for this media-shy character actor.