Hugh Laurie plays diagnostician Dr. Gregory House in House M.D.
Laurie is an English actor, musician, and writer who became internationally famous through the medical drama. Before House, he was known in Britain for comedy work with Stephen Fry, including A Bit of Fry & Laurie and Jeeves and Wooster. His casting helped give the American series an unusual lead: House is an American doctor, but Laurie performed the role with an American accent.
The character is loosely inspired by Sherlock Holmes. Both characters are exceptionally observant, solve unusual cases through deduction, and have a close friend named Wilson and Watson, respectively. House also plays piano and guitar, while Laurie is an accomplished musician in real life.
Laurie received two Golden Globe Awards for the role and earned several Emmy nominations. The performance made House M.D. one of the most internationally recognized medical dramas of the 2000s.