Stuart Townsend starred as Lestat in the film adaptation of Anne Rice’s "Queen of the Damned," shot in Australia, and he co-starred with Charlize Theron, Kevin Bacon and Courtney Love in the thriller "Trapped," He appears in the upcoming film "Shade," starring Sylvester Stallone and Melanie Griffith.

Townsend came to the attention of moviegoers for his title role in "About Adam," which premiered at Sundance in 2000, and his performance in "Wonderland," directed by Michael Winterbottom. His other films include "Simon Magus," "Under the Skin" and "Shooting Fish." Townsend’s stage credits include "Orpheus Descending," "Borstal Boy," "Magic Roundabout," "The Unseen Hand" and "Tear Up the Black Sail."

Townsend was born in Dublin to a father who was a professional golfer. He inherited his father’s athletic ability, and supported himself as a boxer while studying drama at Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting. Townsend made his feature film debut with a small role in "Trojan Eddie," which landed him a London agent and subsequent appearances in stage and film productions in England and Ireland.