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Jude Law

Biography

Jude Law

Overview

  • Born
    December 29, 1972 · Lewisham, London, England, UK
  • Birth name
    David Jude Heyworth Law
  • Height
    5′ 10¾″ (1.80 m)

Mini bio

  • Jude Law is an English actor. Law has been nominated for two Academy Awards and continues to build a prolific body of work that spans from early successes such as Gattaca (1997) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) to more recent turns as Dr. John Watson in Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), as Hugo's father in Hugo (2011) and in the titular role in Dom Hemingway (2013).

    David Jude Law was born on December 29, 1972 in Lewisham, London, England, to Margaret Anne (Heyworth) and Peter Robert Law, both of whom taught at comprehensive schools; his father later became a headmaster. Law has said that he was named after both the book Jude the Obscure and the song Hey Jude.

    In 1992, Jude began his stage career. He starred in many plays throughout London, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award of "Outstanding Newcomer" After doing the play "Indiscretions" in London, he moved and did it again on Broadway. This time, he was alongside Kathleen Turner. He then received a Tony Nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor". He was then rewarded the Theatre World Award. After Broadway, Jude started on the big screen, in many independent films. His first big-named movie was Gattaca (1997), with Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. He also had a good role in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997). Jude's latest rise to fame has been because of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), in which he plays Matt Damon's obsession. The film did very well at the box office, and critics loved Jude's acting.

    Following the success of Gattaca (1997) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Law's feature film career continued to gain momentum throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s with roles in such films as Enemy at the Gates (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), I Heart Huckabees (2004), The Aviator (2004) and many others. Law is one of three actors, along with Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp, to take over acting responsibilities in the Terry Gilliam project The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) following Heath Ledger's death.

    Law is a partner in the production company "Natural Nylon". His partners include Jonny Lee Miller, Ewan McGregor and his ex-wife Sadie Frost.

    Law has been active in many charitable activities and supports several different foundations and causes, doing work for organizations including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Make Poverty History, Breast Cancer Care and others. Law is also a peace advocate, and in 2011, participated in street protests against the rule of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.

    Law married Sadie Frost in 1997 and the couple had two sons (Rafferty and Rudy) and a daughter (Iris) before divorcing in 2003. Law and Alfie (2004) co-star Sienna Miller were engaged to be married in 2005 and separated in 2006 (they would later rekindle their relationship in 2009, splitting once again in 2011). Law and American model Samantha Burke had a brief relationship in 2008 that resulted in the birth of Law's fourth child, daughter Sophia. Law's fifth child, with an ex-girlfriend, Catherine Harding, was born in 2015.
    - IMDb mini biography by: IMDb Editors and bcnu_84@hotmail.com

Family

  • Spouses
      Phillipa Coan(April 30, 2019 - present) (2 children)
      Sadie Frost(September 2, 1997 - October 29, 2003) (divorced, 3 children)
  • Children
      Sophia Law
      Ada Law
      Rudy Law
      Raff Law
      Iris Law
  • Parents
      Margaret Anne Heyworth
      Peter Robert Law

Trademarks

  • Often plays a representative of the ideal man (Gattaca, The Talented Mr. Ripley, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence)
  • Bold green eyes
  • Rich smooth voice

Trivia

  • When joining the N.Y.M.T., he was placed in the wrong dormitory because they thought he was a girl because of his name. He never told anyone but was soon caught and moved.
  • Former roommates with Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller.
  • His parents were both orphans.
  • During a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), Jay Leno asked him where his name came from, and he replied that he was named after The Beatles song "Hey Jude".
  • He has appeared in three films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Aviator (2004), Hugo (2011) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014).

Quotes

  • My only obligation is to keep myself and other people guessing.
  • I would never know how to sell myself as a sex symbol. That's not how I'm programmed.
  • [...] you go to the National with your parents and think: 'I'd love to be here.' And then suddenly you are. It's a dream come true.
  • I've always thought Prince Charming in Cinderella was the most boring role; I'd rather be the Wicked Witch.
  • I honestly have no interest in celebrity whatsoever. If anything, I always cringe at it because it takes away from what I am, which is an actor who wants to be better and do better things.

Salaries

  • Sherlock Holmes (2009) - $9,000,000
  • Sleuth (2007) - $10,000,000
  • Closer (2004) - $9,500,000
  • Alfie (2004) - $8,000,000
  • Cold Mountain (2003) - $10,000,000

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