David Jude Heyworth Law (born
29 December 1972) is an
Academy Award-nominated
English actor. His succession of leading roles in many high profile
Hollywood films has seen him become one of the top
A-list actors in the industry today.
Biography
Early life
Jude Law was born in
Lewisham,
South London,
England to teachers Peter and Maggie Law, who now run their own
drama school in
France. His sister
Natasha is a well regarded
illustrator and
artist. He was educated at 'John Ball'
Primary school in
Blackheath and
Kidbrooke School in
Kidbrooke, before attending the
Alleyn's School in
Dulwich. In 1987 he started acting with the
National Youth Music Theatre.
[1]
Career
Law's first major stage role was as Foxtrot Darling, the sexually ambiguous and manipulative teenager in
Philip Ridley's multi-award-winning
The Fastest Clock In The Universe. Law went on to appear as Michael in the West End production of
Jean Cocteau's
tragicomedy Les parents terribles directed by Sean Mathias. This role saw Jude nominated for an
Laurence Olivier Award as Best Newcomer. Following a title change to
Indiscretions, the play transferred as an imaginative re-working to
Broadway in 1995, and he played opposite
Kathleen Turner,
Roger Rees and
Cynthia Nixon.
[2] This role earned him a
Tony Award nomination
[3] and the
Theatre World Award.
[4]
In 1989 he got his first
TV role in a movie based on a
Beatrix Potter book,
The Tailor of Gloucester. After minor roles in
British television, including a two year stint in the
Granada TV soap opera Families and the leading role in the
BFI /
Channel 4 short
The Crane, Law had his breakthrough with the
British ram-raiding drama
Shopping which also featured his future wife
Sadie Frost. He shot to fame in Britain upon the release of the
biopic Wilde, in which he played
Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, the glamorous lover of
Stephen Fry's
Oscar Wilde.
He subsequently moved to Hollywood; his performances include
Andrew Niccol's
Gattaca, as a frustrated Olympic medalist bound by a wheelchair, in
Clint Eastwood's
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil as the ill-fated lover of
Kevin Spacey's character, and in
Sam Mendes's
Road to Perdition as a
sadistic hitman in a critically-praised performance. He has been nominated for an
Academy Award twice; once as
Best Supporting Actor for his performance in
The Talented Mr. Ripley in 2000, and then again as
Best Actor in a Leading Role for
Cold Mountain in 2003, both directed by
Anthony Minghella. For the film
The Talented Mr. Ripley he learned to play saxophon and earned a MTV Movie Award nomination together with
Matt Damon and
Fiorello for performing the song
Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano by
Renato Carosone and
Nicola Salerno, so he learned ballet dancing for the film (2001).
[5]
He portrayed the lead character in
Alfie, the remake of
Bill Naughton's 1966
drama. He also acted opposite
Michael Caine in the 2007 film
Sleuth. In both films, he plays the role originally played by Caine. In
Sleuth Michael Caine played
Sir Laurence Olivier's original role. Law is an admirer of Olivier, it was his idea to use the famous actors image in the 2004 film
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, so he could, in a way act opposite the deceased actor.
Jude Law is on the latest Top Ten List from the 2006
A-list of the most
bankable movie stars in
Hollywood. The list was created by
James Ulmer, he calls his method
The Ulmer Scale. He was honored with the
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government on March 1, 2007 in recognition of his contribution to World Cinema Arts. He was named a
Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres .
He is a fan of the
graphic novel Watchmen, by
Alan Moore, so much so he has a
tattoo of the
Rorschach character. He has maintained an interest in being involved in a feature film production of the series, especially if it were directed by
Darren Aronofsky. He has said that he would most likely play the character
Ozymandias. He was, at one point, courted to play either
Batman or
Superman in
Batman Begins,
Batman vs. Superman, and/or
General Zod in
Superman Returns. In 2005, he was one of many actors rumored to be a possible choice to assume the role of
James Bond, as
MGM decided not to renew Irish actor
Pierce Brosnan's contract. The role would eventually go to fellow Englishman
Daniel Craig.
Other work
In 1997 he set up a film company,
Natural Nylon, with
Sadie Frost and fellow friends and thespians
Jonny Lee Miller,
Ewan McGregor,
Sean Pertwee, Damon Bryant and Bradley Adams.
Jude Law is the
apparel ambassador of
Dunhill.
[6] He has signed a two year deal ad campaign with Dunhill in spring 2006. The ads will be shown in Asia only.
[7] He is to be the international face and appear in the worldwide Spring/Summer 2008
advertising campaign, apart from
commercials in
North America. He represented the company in Asia since 2005.
[8]
In 2002 Sadie Frost and Jude Law supported Respect for Animals
[9] with an
Anti Fur commercial.
[10] It was directed by Jude Law and with music specially composed by
Gary Kemp.
[11]
In 2004 Jude Law has launched a public campaign to raise £2.5 million towards the Young Vic Theatre’s £12.5 million redevelopment project.
[12][13][14] He is currently Chair of the
Young Vic committee and proud to help make the Young Vic “a nurturing bed” for young directors.
[15]
He is a big
soccer fan
[16][17] and a supporter of the English football club
Tottenham Hotspur. In 2006 he was set to join
Robbie Williams in the Soccer Aid celebrity football match to beneft
UNICEF.
Jude Law's charity work also includes that for
Make Poverty History,
Rhys Daniels Trust and
WAVE Trauma Centre. He supports the charity
Make-A-Wish Foundation [18][19] and is the chair of the Music For Tomorrow Foundation
^ [20] to help rebuild
Katrina-devastated
New Orleans.
In 2006, Frost and Law dedicated their
Christmas holidays to direct a
Shakespeare play in a South African orphanage. He traveled to
Durban,
South Africa, with Frost and their children in order to help children who have lost their parents to
Aids.
[21] In July 2007 as patron of the charity he helped kick off the month-long tour of the AIDS-themed musical
Thula Sizwe by The Young Zulu Warriors.
[22]
Jude Law, plus many others, record video clips for online web march for
Friends of the Earth/
The Big Ask ^ campaign, asking Government to take strong action against climate change.
[23][24]
In July 2007, Jude Law was travelling with the founder of
Peace One Day Jeremy Gilley on a mission to document peace commitments and activities in
Afghanistan for an upcoming film which will be released in May 2008 and for marking the
UN International Day of Peace.
[25] They were accompanied by UNICEF Representative
Catherine Mbengue. They traveled and filmed in treacherous areas of eastern Afghanistan with a
Peace One Day film crew, and interviewed children, government ministers, community leaders and UN officials. The crew also filmed schools and visited various UNICEF-supported programmes inside and outside the capital.
[26][27] Peace Day is on September 21.
[28][29]
Personal life
Law married
Sadie Frost on
September 2,
1997. They have four children: Finlay Munro (stepson of Law, born
September 20,
1990), son Rafferty (born
October 6,
1996), daughter Iris (born
October 25,
2000) and son Rudy (born
September 10,
2002). Kate Moss is the godmother of his daughter Iris. For a time Frost and Law were central to the so-called '
Primrose Hill set' of young British actors. In early 2003, Jude and Sadie separated and the so-called
supercouple finalized its
divorce on
October 29,
2003. In
2005, Frost and Law reached a divorce settlement after nearly two years of negotiations. Sadie Frost kept the couple's £2million
London house in
Primrose Hill, and she received a £4million payment and £15,000 a month, according to reports.
He became engaged to
Sienna Miller, his co-star in
Alfie. On
July 18,
2005, he issued a public apology to his fiancée for having an affair with his children's
nanny. Law and Miller reconciled. Reports from
May 29,
2006 stated that Miller and Law were "working things out." On
November 12,
2006 they made public their relationship was over.
Filmography
Theatre
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
2004
Nominated
Oscar - Best Actor in a Leading Role
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
2000 for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
2000
Nominated
Saturn Award- Best Supporting Actor
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
BAFTA Awards
2004
Nominated
BAFTA Award - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
2000
Won
BAFTA Film Award - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
2000
Won
Blockbuster Entertainment Award - Favorite Supporting Actor - Suspense
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
2005
Nominated
BFCA Award - Best Acting Ensemble
for:
Closer (2004/I)
Shared with:
Clive Owen,
Natalie Portman,
Julia Roberts
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
2002
Nominated
CFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor
for:
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)
César Awards, France
2007
Honorary César
Empire Awards, UK
2004
Nominated
Empire Award - Best British Actor
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
2003
Nominated
Empire Award - Best British Actor
for:
Road to Perdition (2002)
2001
Nominated
Empire Award - Best British Actor
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
European Film Awards
2001
Nominated
Audience Award - Best Actor
for:
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Evening Standard British Film Awards
1998
Won
Evening Standard British Film Award - Most Promising Newcomer
for:
Wilde (1997)
Golden Globes
2004
Nominated
Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
2002
Nominated
Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
for:
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)
2000
Nominated
Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Irish Film and Television Awards
2004
Nominated
Audience Award - Best International Actor
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
London Critics Circle Film Awards
2001
Nominated
ALFS Award - British Supporting Actor of the Year
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
MTV Movie Awards
2007
Nominated
MTV Movie Award - Best Kiss
for:
The Holiday (2006), shared with
Cameron Diaz
2005
Nominated
MTV Movie Award - Best Kiss
for:
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), shared with
Gwyneth Paltrow
2003
Nominated
MTV Movie Award - Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer
2000
Nominated
MTV Movie Award - Best Musical Performance
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), shared with
Matt Damon and
Fiorello
for the song
"Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano".
National Board of Review
2004
Won
NBR Award - Best Acting by an Ensemble
for:
Closer (2004/I)
Shared with:
Clive Owen,
Natalie Portman,
Julia Roberts
Online Film Critics Society Awards
2002
Nominated
OFCS Award - Best Supporting Actor
for:
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)
People's Choice Awards
2005
Nominated
People's Choice Award - Favorite Leading Man
Santa Fe Film Critics Circle Awards
2000
Won
SFFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Satellite Awards
2004
Nominated
Golden Satellite Award - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
for:
Cold Mountain (2003)
2000
Nominated
Golden Satellite Award - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Screen Actors Guild Awards
2005
Nominated - Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for:
The Aviator (2004)
Shared with:
Alan Alda,
Alec Baldwin,
Kate Beckinsale,
Cate Blanchett,
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Ian Holm,
Danny Huston,
John C. Reilly,
Gwen Stefani
ShoWest Convention
2004
ShoWest Award - Male Star of the Year
Teen Choice Award
2000
Nominated
Teen Choice Award - Film Choice Breakout Performance
for:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Visual Effects Society Awards
2005
Nominated
VES Award - Outstanding Performance by an Actor or Actress in a Visual Effects Film
for:
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
[37]
Cultural reference
In 2001
Long Island, New York band, "
Brand New" titled one of their songs, "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" from their debut album, "
Your Favorite Weapon".
"
Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" is also a 2002 single by the
alternative rock band.
On
November 17,
2004, Law was named
People magazine's sexiest man alive.
[38][39]
He was notably photographed by
Annie Leibovitz for the
Vanity Fair October 2004 issue,
Helmut Newton ^,
Sam Taylor-Wood ^ and
Mario Testino ^.
References
1.
^ NYMT Alumni site
2.
^ THEATER REVIEW: Indiscretions by
Vincent Canby, published April 28, 1995 at the
New York Times
3.
^ NYC Broadway Theater Guide 1995 Tony Awards
4.
^ Theatre World Award Official site
5.
^ LAW IS NATURAL BALLET STAR at contactmusic.com, published August 26, 2005
6.
^ Jude Law Exclusivly at dunhill at
Dunhill, Japanese site
7.
^ Touch of class by Jiang Jingjing, published March 6, 2006 at
China Daily
8.
^ LAW BECOMES FACE OF DUNHILL added September 19, 2007
9.
^ Respect for Animals Official site
10.
^ Fur and Against at
AOL, added from
YouTube, May 31, 2007
11.
^ New nationwide anti-fur commercial Respect for Animals, Press release Feb 19, 2002
12.
^ Young Vic project backed by Jude Law by Ruth Gillespie, published February 10, 2004 at The Stage News
13.
^ Law's bid to rebuild Young Vic BBC, published February 10, 2004
14.
^ Young Vic reopening photos by Dave M. Benett
15.
^ Jude Law Makes Nuturing Bed Just Jared, published May 11, 2007
16.
^ JUDE LAW INTERVIEW Tottenham Hotspur Official site, published August 11, 2006
17.
^ Jude Law People Magazine, published November 04, 2004
18.
^ Jude Law - Foundation Supporter Make-A-Wish Official site
19.
^ Princess Erin meets her Prince at the Summer Ball Make-A-Wish Official site
20.
^ Music For Tomorrow Official site
21.
^ Jude Jingles All The Way To South Africa Just Jared, published December 21, 2006
22.
^ God's Golden Acre Musical Tour Just Jared, published July 03, 2007
23.
^ The Big Ask film released July 4, 2007
24.
^ The Big Ask Official site
25.
^ International Day of Peace ... by Roshan Khadivi
UNICEF Official site, published September 20, 2007
26.
^ Peace One Day ambassador Jude Law’s ‘secret’ mission to Afghanistan UNICEF Official site, published July 18, 2007
27.
^ Jude’s Afghan mission by Fiona Cummins,
The Daily Mirror, September 12, 2007
28.
^ Afghanistan: Press briefing, 11 Sep 2007 Source: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (
UNAMA), Date: 11 Sep 2007
29.
^ Peace One Day concert at the Royal Albert Hall Official site, September 21, 2007
30.
^ NYMT Official site
31.
^ GATEHYSTORY at The Gate Theatre Official site
32.
^ Joe Pintauro Official site
33.
^ ABOUT The Gate Theatre
34.
^ Archive at the
Royal Court Theatre Official site
35.
^ Beckett at Reading Beckett Foundation Official site
36.
^ Beckett Centenary Gala Evening BBC, published March 23, 2006
37.
^ modified data from
Internet Movie Database
38.
^ Photo Special at
People magazine, published November 17, 2004
39.
^ Interview with Jude Law at
The Daily Show with
Jon Stewart, published June 20, 2006, provided by
Yahoo /
Comedy Central
External links
November 29 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
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Canary Wharf is the centre of London's modern office towers
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Coordinates:
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Motto
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"God and my right"
Anthem
No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is "God Save the Queen".
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Sadie Frost
Birth name Sadie Liza Vaughan
Born 19 May 1965 (1965--) (age 42)
London, England
Spouse(s) Gary Kemp (1988-97)
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BAFTA AwardsBAFTA Award
Awarded for Best in film and television
Presented by British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Country United Kingdom
First awarded 1947
Official website
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British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role actors of all nationalities are eligible to receive the award.
- 2007 - Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
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Release date(s) December 25, 1999
Running time 139 min.
Country USA
Language English
Budget $40,000,000
Preceded by The English Patient (1996)
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Year Laureater Profession Country
1976 Ingrid Bergman Actress Sweden
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Jacques Tati Actor, Director France
1978 Robert Dorfmann Producer France
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Blockbuster Inc.
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Founded 1985
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Key people James W. Keyes,
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Industry Home Entertainment
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- USA -
Paramount Pictures
- non-USA -
Miramax Films
Release date(s) December 25, 1999
Running time 139 min.
Country USA
Language English
Budget $40,000,000
Preceded by The English Patient (1996)
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Established in 1973, the Evening Standard British Film Awards are given to outstanding achievement in British film by the British newspaper Evening Standard. The annual ceremony is held at several localities in London, like the Savoy Hotel and The Ivy.
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Official website
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Wilde is a 1997 film about Oscar Wilde, starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Tom Wilkinson, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Sheen and Ioan Gruffudd.
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The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr.'s revocation of moving-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908.
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Clive Owen
Clive Owen at the Children of Men premiere in 2006
Born September 03 1964 (1964--) (age 43)
Keresley, Coventry, West Midlands, England
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Natalie Portman
Portman at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival, presenting V for Vendetta.
Birth name Natalie Hershlag
(Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג)
Born
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Julia Roberts
Birth name Julie Fiona Roberts
Born September 28 1967 (1967--) (age 40)
Smyrna, Georgia
Spouse(s) Lyle Lovett (1993-95)
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The Santa Fe Film Festival is a Non-Profit Organization which presents important world cinema in a non-commercial context that represents aesthetic, critical and entertainment standards highlighting New Mexican film, new American and foreign film including revivals, retrospectives,
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- USA -
Paramount Pictures
- non-USA -
Miramax Films
Release date(s) December 25, 1999
Running time 139 min.
Country USA
Language English
Budget $40,000,000
Preceded by The English Patient (1996)
..... Click the link for more information.
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is a trade organization based in the United States whose members are the owners of movie theatres. Most major theatre chains are members, as are many independent theatre operators; collectively, they account for the operation
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The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor given annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance.
Inaugural recipients included Betty Comden, Judy Holliday and John Raitt.
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Jean Cocteau's 1948 boulevard farce-with-a-vengeance Les parents terribles tells the tale of Michael and his 'parents terribles', George and Yvonne. Michael is smitten with the beautiful Madeleine, little knowing that she is the former mistress of his father.
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December 29 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
Events
..... Click the link for more information. 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1969 1970 1971 - 1972 - 1973 1974 1975
Year 1972 (MCMLXXII
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Academy Award
Awarded for Excellence in cinematic achievements
Presented by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Country United States
First awarded May 16, 1929 to honor achievements of 1927/1928
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Motto
Dieu et mon droit (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is "God Save the Queen".
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actor, actress, or player (see terminology) is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity.
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Hollywood is a district in Los Angeles, California, situated west-northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonym for the Cinema of the United States.
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A-list is the roster of the most bankable movie stars in Hollywood. Often these top actors in the film industry are able to earn $20 million per movie.
The list was created by veteran entertainment journalist James Ulmer, who developed a 100-point method to quantify a star's
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