Australian actor John Noble may be best known for the role of Denethor, steward to the throne of Gondor from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. A veteran of Australian television, Noble also established himself as a character actor on American television, playing Russian Consul Anatoly Markov on the series 24, and eccentric scientist Dr. Walter Bishop on the J.J. Abrams show Fringe. Additionally, Noble has directed over 80 stage plays both in the United States and in his home country of Australia. In 2010 he appeared in the fantasy adventure film The Last Airbender.