The ever-versatile and enigmatic Tilda Swinton is an English actress, best known for her Oscar-winning turn in the 2007 film, Michael Clayton, and for her portrayal of the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Born into an aristocratic family, to a Scottish father and an Australian mother, Swinton first took to the stage, performing in a myriad of theatrical productions and working for the Royal Shakespeare Company, among others. It was not long before the actress, who sought more challenging roles, ventured into film and television. Known for her love of the unique and unconventional, Swinton delved into gender-bending roles with gusto, playing the title role of Orlando (1992) in the film adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel of the same name. The actress found critical acclaim early on, stemming in large part from the films resulting from her longtime collaboration with the director Derek Jarman, before his untimely death in 1994.

In recent years, Swinton successfully made the transition to mainstream films, appearing in numerous Hollywood blockbusters, including the 2001 film The Beach, with Leonardo DiCaprio, the aforementioned The Chronicles of Narnia (2005) and its two sequels, the Coen Brothers’ 2008 film, Burn after Reading, opposite George Clooney, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that same year.

The actress recently appeared in the critically-lauded drama, We Need to Talk about Kevin (2011), based on the novel of the same name. She is also part of the ensemble cast of the upcoming romantic movie, Moonrise Kingdom, set for selected release in late May 2012.

Swinton, who activitely participated in the development and financing campaigns for Orlando and We Need to Talk About Kevin, has also developed and participated in art installations, and collaborated on avant-garde fashions with designers Viktor & Rolf. The actress is a mother to teenage twins, and resides in Nairn, Scotland with her partner, painter Sandro Kopp.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), I Am Love (2009), The Limits of Control (2009), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Burn After Reading (2008), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), Julia (2008), Michael Clayton (2007), The Man from London (2007), Faceless (voice-2007), Strange Culture (2007), Stephanie Daley (2006), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005), The Somme (2005), Broken Flowers (2005), Constantine (2005), Thumbsucker (2005), The Statement (2003), Young Adam (2003), Adaptation (2002), Teknolust (2002), Vanilla Sky (2001), The Deep End (2001), Possible Words (2000), The Beach (2000), The Protagonists (1999), The War Zone (1999), Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998), Conceiving Ada (1997), Female Perversions (1996), Remembrance of Things Fast: True Stories Visual Lies (1994), Das offene Universum (1993), Blue (voice-1993), Wittgenstein (1993), Orlando (1992), The Party: Nature Morte (1991), Edward II (1991), Your Cheatin' Heart (TV-1990), The Garden (1990), Play Me Something (1989), War Requiem (1989), The Last England (1988), Degrees of Blindness (1988), Das andere Ende der Welt (1988), Aria (1987), Friendship’s Death (1987), Egomania - Insel ohne Hoffnung (1987), Zastrozzi: A Romance (TV-1986), Caravaggio (1986)