Aaron E. Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is a Golden Globe nominated American film actor. He has played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of movies, and has won awards for his role as a sociopathic ladies' man in the independent Neil LaBute film In the Company of Men (1997). Eckhart recently signed on to play Harvey Dent, who later becomes Batman villain Two-Face in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.
He was raised in Cupertino, California, and, as a teenager, lived with his family in England and Sydney, Australia. His father is a computer executive, his mother is a children's book author, and he has two brothers. He took three years off after high school to surf in Hawaii and to serve a mission for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France and Switzerland. He enrolled as a film major at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1994.
Eckhart was engaged to actress Emily Cline, but separated from her in 1998. He bought a motorcycle after learning to ride one for Erin Brockovich (2000).
He was nominated for the Golden Globe of Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in Thank You for Smoking.
His next role is that of District Attorney Harvey Dent in the sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, due in 2008. According to David Goyer's script treatment, the character will become the villainous Two-Face in the third film.
