Born in Dorset, England, Oliver went to school at the prestigious Eton College, and was member of a drama group called Double Edge Drama. He did not train to be an actor at university but went instead straight into television, with an extensive stint on the soap opera "Families" (which also kicked off the career of Brit actor Jude Law). He won the lead role in "Loaded" (1994) which got him some attention from film critics. He has done a great deal of television and theatre work and was in "Crime and Punishment" on BBC Radio 4.