Jude Law

Born David Jude Law on December 29, 1972, in Lewisham, South London, to schoolteachers Peter and Maggie, his unusual middle name which was cause for bullying at school was taken from Thomas Hardy's novel Jude The Obscure.

But obscurity was certainly not to be Jude's destiny. His passion and talent for drama emerged at a young age and was indulged at every opportunity. When he was 17, the offer of a full-time role on British soap Families was enough to make him pack in his A-level studies. The show may have been a flop, but it didn't stop Jude grabbing the attention of casting directors everywhere.

Although his early films didn't break any box office records, Jude's performances, charismatic presence and classical good looks ensured the actor became firmly embedded in the public memory. On the set of his first film, the unremarkable 1994 British work Shopping, he met Sadie Frost, the actress who was to become his wife.

His role as Lord Alfred Douglas in the 1997 Stephen Fry vehicle Wilde, earned him plaudits, but it was the year 2000 which was to prove especially memorable for Jude. His role as the wealthy but doomed playboy Dickie Greenleaf alongside Matt Damon in The Talented Mr Ripley earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor, and in October of the same year his daughter Iris was born. He would have a banner year again in 2004, after receiving a best actor nomination for Cold Mountain.

He and Sadie parted ways in 2003, with Jude sharing custody of daughter Iris and their two sons Rudy (born in 2002) and Rafferty (born in 1996). These days he lives in north London, just a few streets away from the family. He became engaged to his beautiful Alfie co star Sienna Miller on Christmas Day, 2004, and the pair enjoyed a roller-coaster romance until finally going their separate ways in November 2006.