Ekchart first turned the heads of the audience in his excellent performance in the movie In the Company of Men (1997), where he played as a sycophantic businessman Chad. He played a memorable nature as a villainous character that is uniquely appealing to the audience, in a minute fascinating and charming, then next vengeful and sadistic. That led him to winning the award in the category Best Debut Performance in the Independent Spirit Awards in 1998. He also snatched the Outstanding New Talent in the Satellite Awards in the same year.



In the later years, he proved to be one of the aspiring actors often included in a cast of proven actors. Most notably the movies:

* Thank You for Smoking (2005) - Eckhart as Nick Naylor, a spokesman and representative for Big Tobacco companies and defender of smokers. He is often sent into the pits of criticisms by health campaigners and opportunist politicians.

* Erin Brockovich (1999) - Eckhart explored his talent by playing the role of George, a biker who fell and won the heart of Erin (Julia Roberts). It showed the lighter and romantic side of Eckhart.

* The Missing (2003) - Eckhart played as Brake Baldwin, a ranch hand and lover, alongside Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones

Aaron E. Eckhart was born on March 12, 1968, in the suburbs of Santa Clara County, California, by a computer executive father and a children books author mother. Globe-trotting is much more defined in Eckhart's life since he goes almost like everywhere, in Hawaii, Australia, France and England. Later on, he studied theater and film at the Brigham Young University, developing his acting career and graduated but disappointments earned him the experience that he needed the most. Not long then, he met Neil Labute, who made Aaron play in several of his plays and movies (Nurse Betty and Your Friends and Neighbors).

Right after his graduation, Eckhart suffered the need of notable jobs; he actually tried as a construction worker (appearing in an advertisement for Miller beer), a waiter, a bartender and a bus driver before achieving celebrity status.