Minnie Driver is set to make her Emily in Paris debut in the upcoming fifth season of the popular Netflix show, but she has been a household name for decades.
The 55-year-old wasn't born with the well-known moniker she uses today, however, and she has her older sister, Kate, to thank for her quirky stage name.
Minnie was born Amelia Fiona J. Driver on January 31, 1970, to parents Ronnie (a financier) and Gaynor (an interior designer and former model).
She adopted the name 'Minnie' from the nickname her sister gave her, admitting in an interview: "Well, I was never going to be an Amelia, was I?"
Elaborating on the relationship, Minnie told The Guardian: "We are still very close, although like most siblings we fought like cat and dog when we were young.
"Our parents separated when I was six, and Kate, being two years older, had to always be the one who was responsible for me. No child should have to do that, really."
© Getty ImagesShe continued: "But she was a sweetheart – amazingly strong and loving. I remember her making me a calendar when our parents split up because I missed Daddy so badly and putting a star on the day when I would see him again."
Meanwhile, Minnie has been busy promoting the upcoming season of Emily in Paris, in which she plays Princess Jane, a friend of Sylvie's who married into a royal family.
© WireImageMinnie shared the news of her casting on Instagram in May, alongside snaps from her time in Rome, where the fifth season was shot. "I am BEYOND thrilled to be joining this sensational cast and show," she wrote, before adding that she had a surprising connection with lead actress Lily Collins.
"Did you know I've known the sweet angel that is @lilyjcollins since she was 11? Because her dad: Tarzan (sort of) and Me: Jane." Minnie portrayed Jane in the hit 1999 Disney film, while Lily's father, Phil Collins, wrote the soundtrack.
Explaining why she accepted the role, Minnie told Variety: "The writing was really great, and I feel like I know women like this. They're women who look one way, but you never know the whole story.
© Netflix"They're funny, and they're survivors. You can never believe that it's never going to be over for them; they're gonna keep fighting all the way through. I love women like this."
At the Paris premiere on December 15, Minnie looked gorgeous in a dazzling gray gown featuring a structured neckline and spaghetti straps as she walked the red carpet with her dashing fiancé, Addison O'Dea.
© Getty ImagesThe British actress has been dating the 46-year-old filmmaker since 2019, yet the pair were friends first before things turned romantic. They met at a mutual friend's breakfast gathering and kept things platonic until he helped her deliver goods to those in need during the 2018 Malibu wildfires.
The private couple went public with their relationship at the Emmy Awards afterparty in September 2019.
