Jude Law Biography

Born On: December 29, 1972

Born In: Lewisham, South London

Nationality: British

Career: Actor, Director, Producer

Jude Law is an eminent theatre-actor and one of the leading men in Hollywood. British-born Law is also a film director and producer. He started his acting career by doing roles in stage plays. He featured in the small screen, for the first time, in 1989. The actor went on to pursue a career in Hollywood in 1994. He has received accolades from the audience and the film fraternity alike. Jude Law has won several awards and nominations in both, films and theatre. He is on the Top Ten List from the 2006 A-list of the most bankable movie stars in Hollywood.

Childhood

Jude Law was born to Maggie and Peter Law, on 29th December 1972, in Lewisham, South London. He spent his childhood in Blackhealth, a village located in the Borough of Lewisham. He attended John Ball Primary School in Blackheath, and later on, enrolled into Kidbrooke School in Kidbrooke. Finally, Law joined the Alleyn's School, in Dulwich.

In Theatres

Jude Law joined National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, to pursue a career in acting. He acted in the award winning play - “The Ragged Child”. His role of Foxtrot Darling, played by him in Philip Ridley’s hit stage play – “The Fastest Clock In The Universe”, received wide appreciation. After being noticed in the play, Jude went on to feature in Jean Cocteau's “Les parents terribles”, a directorial venture of Sean Mathias, in 1994.

Jude was nominated as an "Outstanding Newcomer" by the jury of Laurence Olivier Award, for his role in the play “Les Parents Terribles”. This role fetched him "Ian Charleson Award". He continued to act in stage plays thereafter. Till date, he has received a number of awards and nominations for the same. Jude was also nominated for Tony Award as Best Actor, for “Indiscretions” (1995), and won the Theatre World Award for the same play.

In Television

Jude Law made his debut in television with a role in “The Tailor of Gloucester”, the made-for-television movie based on the Beatrix Potter children's book. He appeared in the soap opera “Families” (1990) as well. He then did the role of Joe Barnes in the popular television show “The Casebook Of Sherlock Holmes”, in 1991. “The Marshal” was his next project, which was telecast in 1993.

In Films

Jude Law made his entry in feature films in 1994, with “The Crane”. Jude got his big break in films through the movie “Shopping”, released in the same year. After doing a couple of notable roles in films like “I Love You, I Love You Not” (1996), “Bent” (1997) and “Wilde” (1997), he gained repute in Hollywood and found himself as a part of some of the big films made during the time. One of the major films, which fetched him awards and a number of nominations, was Anthony Minghella’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, released in 1999. “Cold Mountain” (2003), also directed by Anthony Minghella, is another important film in Law's career.

In 2006, Jude Law was listed among the top ten most bankable movie stars in Hollywood. The French government soon recognized Law’s contribution to World Cinema Arts and honored him with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He is one among the three actors who, owing to his death, took the place of the actor Heath Ledger in Terry Gilliam's film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Apart from this, Jude Law will feature in “Repossession Mambo”, “Rage”, and “Sherlock Holmes”, in 2009.

 Here is a collection of Jude Law's best movies, which his fans will surely like. 

Personal Life

Jude Law married “Shopping” co-star Sadie Frost on 2nd September 1997. Apart from his stepson Finlay Munro, he is the father of Rafferty, Iris and Rudy. Jude and Sadie couple separated on 29th October 2003. Jude’s next relationship was with his “Alfie” co-star Sienna Miller. After their engagement, in 2004, the couple announced their break up in November 2006.

Charity Work 

• 2004: Launched a campaign to gather money for the redevelopment project organized by Young Vic Theatre
• 2006: Participated in "Soccer Aid" celebrity football match to benefit UNICEF
• 2006: Co-directed a Shakespeare play in a South African orphanage.
• 2007: Participated in one-month tour of the AIDS-themed musical Thula Sizwe, organized by The Young Zulu Warriors and Friends of the Earth / The Big Ask campaign
• 2008: Supported the Willow Foundation for their campaign, which featured high profile celebrities
• Associated with organizations including “Make Poverty History”, the “Rhys Daniels Trust”, and the “WAVE Trauma Centre”.
• Serves as the Chairman of Young Vic committee.
• Serves as the ambassador of HRH The Prince of Wales' Children & the Arts Foundation.
• Supports Breast Cancer Care 

Awards 

• 1998: Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer (“Wilde”)
• 2000: BAFTA Film Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role, SFFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor and Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”)
• 2004: NBR Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble (“Closer”)
• 2004: ShoWest Award - Male Star of the Year
• 2007: Film Actor of the Year 

Nominations 

• 2000: Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Teen Choice Award, Golden Satellite Award and Saturn Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”)
• 2001: Audience Award for Best Actor (“Enemy at the Gates”)
• 2002: CFCA Award for Best Supporting Actor, OFCS Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (“Artificial Intelligence: AI”)
• 2003: Empire Award (“Road to Perdition”), MTV Movie Award for Best Trans-Atlantic Breakthrough Performer
• 2004: Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Golden Satellite Award Best British Actor Award and BAFTA Award (“Cold Mountain”)
• 2005: BFCA Award for Best Acting Ensemble (“Closer”), MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss and VES Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor or Actress in a Visual Effects Film (“Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow”), Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (“The Aviator”)
• 2007: MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (“The Holiday”)

Filmography 

• 1994: The Crane, Shopping
• 1996: I Love You, I Love You Not
• 1997: Bent, Wilde, Gattaca, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
• 1998: Music From Another Room, Final Cut, The Wisdom of Crocodiles
• 1999: eXistenZ, Presence of Mind, The Talented Mr. Ripley 
• 2000: Love, Honour and Obey 
• 2001: Enemy at the Gates, Artificial Intelligence: A.I.
• 2002: Road to Perdition
• 2003: Cold Mountain
• 2004: I Huckabees, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Alfie, Closer, The Aviator, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
• 2006: All the King's Men, Breaking & Entering, The Holiday
• 2007: My Blueberry Nights, Sleuth
• 2009: Repossession Mambo, Rage, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Sherlock Holmes 

Theatre Work 

• 1987: Bodywork
• 1988 /89: The Little Rats, The Ragged Child
• 1989 /1990: Captain Stirrick, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Caucasian Chalk Circle
• 1992: The Fastest Clock In The Universe, Pygmalion
• 1993: The Snow Orchid, Live Like Pigs, Death of a Salesman
• 1994: Les parents terribles
• 1995: Indiscretions, Ion
• 1999: 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
• 2002: Doctor Faustus
• 2006 Beckett at Reading Gala Evening
• 2009: Hamlet