Jude Law takes on an extraordinary new role as Lenny Belardo, an impossibly handsome yet cunning pontiff in Sky Atlantic’s new 10-part series The Young Pope. His performance will no doubt impress viewers across all platforms!
He has already proven his talent on screen with roles such as 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and 2003’s Cold Mountain.
His early life
Jude Law was born in London, England, on December 29th, 1972. He began acting with stage plays and small parts in feature films before making a mark with Anthony Minghella’s 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, which earned him both a BAFTA and Oscar nomination. Since then, he has enjoyed continued success starring in films like Enemy at the Gates (2001), Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), and Sam Mendes’ Cold Mountain (2004)
The law was at the center of controversy 2012 for filming a music video featuring him wearing a fur coat, prompting animal rights activists to accuse it of cruelty. Law insisted, however, that his video wasn’t meant as a political statement.
He enjoys photography and philanthropy. The actor has collaborated with numerous charities and foundations, such as Make Poverty History and Breast Cancer Care; additionally, he co-founded AIDS Concern.
Law has maintained his family life despite his booming film career, giving his two children to his wife, Phillipa Coan (a psychologist and sustainability activist). They met through mutual friends in 2015 and started living together shortly afterward, though neither has publicly confirmed the sex or names of their offspring.
Jude is actively engaged in environmental matters. He serves as patron of the Green Party and supports several ecological projects worldwide. Jude has appeared in multiple charity commercials, such as the Respect for Animals Campaign commercial and video for UNICEF’s ‘Power of Peace Initiative. In July 2007, Jude and director Jeremy Gilley traveled to Afghanistan for ten days documenting peace commitments and activities there.
Law has also made his mark in fashion through modeling for Dunhill and appearing in editorials. Additionally, he regularly contributes articles to The New York Times as a contributor and voices Dr. Watson infamous Sherlock Holmes shows such as Sherlock vs. Holmes.
His stage career
Jude Law has built an accomplished career both on stage and screen. He has appeared in period dramas such as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Anna Karenina and action-packed blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes and Captain Marvel, becoming one of the most coveted actors in Hollywood with his charisma and diverse range of roles.
Beginning his stage career in 1987 with National Youth Music Theatre’s productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Parents Terribles in West End production, earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination before making his first on-screen appearance as Dickie Greenleaf in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in 1996 Broadway production – his breakout role which brought him fame on screen!
In 1999, he rose to stardom after appearing in the hit movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. Later that same year, he also made appearances in Enemy at the Gates (an adaptation of Stalingrad), as well as portraying an attractive robot for Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi flick Artificial Intelligence which garnered mixed reviews from critics.
Other notable movies in which he has appeared include Mike Nichols’ Closer (2004), I Heart Huckabees (2004), The Holiday (2006), Repo Men (2006), and Contagion (2011). Most recently, he was cast in the title role for the BBC miniseries Dom Hemingway, premiering in 2012.
Law’s charitable endeavors go far beyond acting. He supports organizations like Make Poverty History, Rhys Daniels Trust, WAVE Trauma Centre, and Prince of Wales Children & Arts Foundation & Music for Tomorrow Foundation, which helped rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Furthermore, he is an ambassador of the Pride of Britain Awards & patron of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
His film career
Jude Law began his career in theatre and minor TV roles before emerging on the UK film scene during the 90s. He quickly found critical and commercial success for his performance as Dickie Greenleaf in Anthony Minghella’s 1999 period drama The Talented Mr. Ripley, which earned both BAFTA and Academy Award nominations. Since then, he has shown his impressive range through leading and supporting roles such as Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence; Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition, Cold Mountain (with another Academy Award and BAFTA nomination)
He gained further renown for his roles as Billy Carl Hanson in the 1997 film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Wilde in a 1998 biopic. Additionally, in 2001 he played Vasily Zaytsev from Enemy at the Gates historical war drama film and Gigolo Joe from A.I. Artificial Intelligence film.
Over the following decade, he transitioned into more intricate and challenging roles in films such as Cold Mountain, The Devil’s Playground, and Closer. Additionally, he made appearances in Green Zone (recognized for its sophisticated spy thriller plotline), Genius as writer Thomas Wolfe (portrayed by Tom Cruise), and Spy (a comedic espionage flick).
Since 2010, he has participated in big and small screen projects, appearing in films like Repo Men, Contagion, Hugo, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and 360. Additionally, he joined the cast of the HBO series The Young Pope cast as Pope Pius XIII and Dom Hemingway while portraying a safe-cracker in Dom Hemingway and a lawyer in Wes Anderson’s 2016 film The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Law is an avid philanthropist and animal rights activist outside acting. He founded British charity Saved the Children and participated in anti-slavery and anti-torture protests; sired five children with Sadie Frost before dating psychologist Phillipa Coan; their oldest son Rafferty is already following in his father’s footsteps by acting in short films while modeling for high fashion brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Dunhill.
His personal life
Jude Law has earned a stellar reputation as an actor due to his ability to portray complex roles. He has made appearances in films ranging from dramas to comedies; each performance garnering critical acclaim and awards nominations and wins; musicals and TV shows have also benefitted from Jude’s exceptional skills as an actor; two Academy Awards have even been nominated, and other prestigious accolades have been given his way!
Law’s theatrical career started in London before moving to Broadway for Indiscretions – earning him a Tony nomination – where he performed one-man shows well received by audiences. Soon after that, he leaped film roles, becoming more noticed through Gattaca (1997) before going on to star in several more, including The Talented Mr. Ripley, Road to Perdition, and Cold Mountain, as well as television series such as Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus alongside Heath Ledger.
Recently, he has taken on more dramatic roles. He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a corrupt police officer in Darkest Hour and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama with his role in The Sense of an Ending respectively; additional movies such as Closer, The Holiday, and BBC miniseries The Children have featured his talents.
He is a tireless animal rights activist, supporting numerous animal-centric charities and foundations. Additionally, he champions LGBT rights by publicly discussing his sexuality.
English actor Clive Owen has had multiple high-profile relationships. In 1997 he married co-star Sadie Frost; however, their marriage eventually disbanded, and he later dated Naomi Watts, with whom he shares a son Bear. Owen has also been linked with other celebrities and was named one of the world’s most beautiful men in 2007.
Law has two children with his partner, behavioral psychologist Phillipa Coan. In September 2020, they welcomed their first baby together; rumors of another pregnancy have since occurred.