Editing Tom Wilkinson (section)

=== 1995–2008: Breakthrough and acclaim ===
[[File:Sissy & Tom Outside The Strand Theatre, Rockland, Maine.tif|thumb|left|250px|[[Sissy Spacek]] and Wilkinson in the [[Todd Field]] drama film ''[[In the Bedroom]]'' (2001)]]
Wilkinson had a small but important role as the dying father, Mr. Dashwood, in the [[Ang Lee]]-directed ''[[Sense and Sensibility (film)|Sense and Sensibility]]'' (1995), and played a villain in the adventure drama ''[[The Ghost and the Darkness]]'' (1996). The following year he gained acclaim for his leading role as Gerald Cooper in the [[ensemble cast]] comedy drama ''[[The Full Monty]]'' (1997). For his performance he earned the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://awards.bafta.org/award/1998/film|title= 51st British Academy Film Awards|website= [[BAFTA Awards|awards.bafta.org]]|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref> That same year he portrayed [[John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry|Marquess of Queensberry]] in the biographical drama ''[[Wilde (film)|Wilde]]'' and Hugh Stratton in the romantic drama ''[[Oscar and Lucinda (film)|Oscar and Lucinda]]''.<ref name="Rotten Tomatoes"/> In 1998 he acted in the British romantic costume drama ''[[Shakespeare in Love]]'' starring [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], [[Joseph Fiennes]], [[Geoffrey Rush]], and [[Judi Dench]]. The film received acclaim and Wilkinson with the cast won the [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]]. He played the evil British Ambassador/Juntao in the buddy cop movie ''[[Rush Hour (1998 film)|Rush Hour]]'' (1998) starring [[Jackie Chan]] and [[Chris Tucker]] and [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|General Lord Cornwallis]] in the historical war drama film ''[[The Patriot (2000 film)|The Patriot]]'' (2000) starring [[Mel Gibson]] and [[Heath Ledger]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://collider.com/tom-wilkinson-dead-at-75/|title= 'The Full Monty' and 'Batman Begins' Actor Tom Wilkinson Dies at 75|website= Collider|date= 30 December 2023|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref>
[[File:Tom Wilkinson.2812.jpg|thumb|upright|Wilkinson at the premiere for ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]'' in 2009]]
Wilkinson won wider critical acclaim for his portrayal of grieving father Matt Fowler in [[Todd Field]]'s film, ''[[In the Bedroom]]'' (2001),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/in-the-bedroom |title=''In the Bedroom'' at Meta Critic |publisher=Metacritic.com |date=23 November 2001 |access-date=21 November 2010}}</ref> with co-stars [[Sissy Spacek]] and [[Marisa Tomei]]. For this performance, he was named [[New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] of the Year by the New York Film Critics' Circle, and was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2002|title= 74th Academy Awards|website= [[Academy Awards|Oscars.org]]|date= 4 December 2015|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref> He then took roles in the period films ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film)|The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' (2002) and ''[[Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)|Girl with a Pearl Earring]]'' (2003). For his role as Roy/Ruth Applewood in the [[HBO]] film ''[[Normal (2003 film)|Normal]]'' he received a nominations for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Primetime Emmy Award]] and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film|Golden Globe Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2003|title= 55th Primetime Emmy Awards|website=[[Emmy Awards]]|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref> The following year he played Dr. Howard Mierzwiak in the [[Michel Gondry]] directed science-fiction romantic comedy ''[[Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind]]'' (2004) starring [[Jim Carrey]] and [[Kate Winslet]]. He portrayed [[Carmine Falcone]] in [[Christopher Nolan]]'s superhero film ''[[Batman Begins]]'' (2005). He also acted in films such as the horror film ''[[The Exorcism of Emily Rose]]'' (2005), [[Julian Fellowes]]' drama ''[[Separate Lies]]'' (2005), and [[Woody Allen]]'s ''[[Cassandra's Dream]]'' (2007).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18804 |title=Official Casting for John Landis' 'Burke & Hare' Comedy |date=22 January 2010 |publisher=Bloody-disgusting.com |access-date=21 November 2010}}</ref>

In 2007, Wilkinson played Arthur Edens, an attorney with [[bipolar disorder]], in ''[[Michael Clayton (film)|Michael Clayton]]''. The performance, which ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described as "terrific", earned him an [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2007/film/reviews/michael-clayton-5-1200556810/|title= Film Review: Michael Clayton|website= Variety|date= 31 August 2007|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref> In 2008, Wilkinson portrayed American polymath [[Benjamin Franklin]] in the HBO mini-series ''[[John Adams (miniseries)|John Adams]]'', for which he received a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Primetime Emmy Award]] and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Golden Globe Award]],<ref name="LAT obit"/> as well as a [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie|Screen Actors Guild Award]] nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/15th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards|title= 15th Screen Actors Guild Awards|website=[[Screen Actors Guild Awards|sagawards.org]]|access-date=2 January 2024}}</ref> That same year he starred in another HBO project, the political drama ''[[Recount (film)|Recount]]'', in which Wilkinson portrayed American political adviser and lawyer, [[James Baker|James A. Baker]], in Baker's capacity as Chief Counsel to [[George W. Bush]] during the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 U.S. Presidential Election]], receiving an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Movie|Emmy Award]] nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2008|title= 60th Primetime Emmy Awards|website= [[Emmy Awards]]|access-date= 30 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/15th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards|title= 15th Screen Actors Guild Awards|website=[[Screen Actors Guild Awards|sagawards.org]]|access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> He portrayed [[Friedrich Fromm]], acting alongside [[Tom Cruise]], in the [[World War II]] thriller ''[[Valkyrie (film)|Valkyrie]]'' and acted in the [[Guy Ritchie]] action film ''[[RocknRolla]]'' (both 2008).<ref name="Rotten Tomatoes"/>