▁impress ive ▁... ▁at ▁one ▁point ▁he ▁attacks ▁his ▁court ▁poet ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁hair - ra ising ▁le ap ▁across ▁a ▁chair ▁and ▁table ". ▁She en ▁won ▁an ▁Even ing ▁Standard ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁and ▁a ▁Crit ics ' ▁Circle ▁Theatre ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor , ▁and ▁was ▁again ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁Laur ence ▁Oliv ier ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor . ▁ ▁She en ' s ▁break through ▁role ▁was ▁as ▁British ▁politician ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ' s ▁The ▁De al . ▁The ▁Channel ▁ 4 ▁film ▁expl ored ▁the ▁so - called ▁Gran ita ▁p act ▁made ▁by ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ▁and ▁Gordon ▁Brown ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Labour ▁Party ▁leadership ▁election , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁actor ' s ▁first ▁collaboration ▁with ▁screen writer ▁Peter ▁Morgan . ▁Director ▁Stephen ▁Fre ars ▁cast ▁him ▁because ▁" he ▁was ▁in ▁Mary ▁Re illy ▁and ▁I ▁knew ▁he ▁was ▁brilliant ." ▁Fil med ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁playing ▁Cal ig ula ▁night ly ▁on ▁stage , ▁She en ▁has ▁remarked , ▁" It ' s ▁interesting ▁that ▁in ▁searching ▁for ▁mon sters ▁to ▁play , ▁you ▁often ▁end ▁up ▁playing ▁leaders ." ▁The ▁Daily ▁Te legraph ▁pra ised ▁his ▁" ear nest , ▁yet ▁ste ely , ▁port ray al " ▁while ▁The ▁Guardian ▁found ▁him ▁" ex cell ent . ▁This ▁is ▁intellig ent ▁and ▁honest ▁casting ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁She en ▁star red