Dangerous Characters

Background:

"I've never been interested in playing good guys. I'm always attracted to dangerous characters. Those roles are usually far more interesting and I hold no fears about doing them. With my character in Croupier, you're never really sure where he's coming from. He's not really a good guy or a bad guy. But people generally aren't, are they?" Clive Owen

First shot to fame while starring in the crime-drama Croupier (1998), Golden Globe winner Clive Owen recently drew public notice when he was nominated for an Oscar after portraying Larry in Mike Nichols' romance-drama Closer (2004, with Julia Roberts). The British actor, most known for his recurring character of the BMW driver in The Hire series, is also credited to such films as Chancer (1990, TV series), Close My Eyes (1991), Bent (1997), and Second Sight sequels (BBC's movie). His most recent films including The Bourne Identity (2002), Beyond Borders (2003), and King Arthur (2004).

Commenting on rumors saying he was going to be the next face of James Bond in the upcoming Casino Royale, Owen denied, "They have never approached me. It's nothing but a rumor."

Meanwhile, a source reported that Owen is currently preparing to film Wolfgang Petersen's reproduction of The Poseidon Adventure, which is due out in May 2006.

Cocky Kid

Childhood and Family:

In Keresley, Warwickshire, England, Clive Owen was born on October 3,1964. After his father (a Country Western singer) left the family when he was three years old, his mother and stepfather (a railroad ticket clerk) raised him in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. Clive has four brothers, Garry (salesman), Lee (musician), Alan (musician, released single Heartbeat with Lee), and Scott.

"When I was 10 or 11, I played the Artful Dodger in a school production of Oliver. From that point forward, I said I wanted to be an actor. Nobody in my family took it seriously, but I saw no other path. I was a cocky little kid. This one teacher said: 'You're a working-class kid from Coventry. What do you know?" Clive Owen

Clive was formerly a brilliant student at Binley Park Comprehensive School but drastically failed in most subjects after performing the Artful Dodger in a school production of Oliver. Acting beckoned and Clive then went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

While performing Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Clive (the Romeo) fell in love with Sarah-Jane Fenton (the Juliet). The couple continued the romance by sharing wedding vows in 1995. The pair currently have two daughters, Hannah and Eve.

Driver for Hire

Career:

"Theatre uses a different energy. It's like going to the gym and having a vigorous workout. But every few years is enough because I love filming. I am a real film animal." Clive Owen

Clive Owen built his acting career from school, performing the role of Artful Dodger in Oliver and continued to hone in to his acting talent at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he performed in the classic production of Henry IV, Part I and The Lady from the Sea. He started to act professionally by signing to the Young Vic Theatre Company, in which he played Measure for Measure (as Claudio) and Romeo and Juliet (as Romeo). He also appeared on stage with The Cat And The Canary at Watford and Twelfth Night at the Crucible in Sheffield.

After sharpening his acting on several stage productions, Clive landed on the small screen with a guest appearance on the sitcom Boon in 1986 and eventually made his silver screen debut with the British feature, Beeban Kidron's Vroom (1988, co-starring David Thewlis and Diana Quick). In 1989 Clive played Gideon Sarn with Janet McTeer on the TV movie Precious Bane, an adaptation of Mary Webb's novel. He also went to other TV works like the series Capital City (1989) and the TV movie Lorna Doone (1990, with Polly Walker and SeanBean), an Andrew Grieve's adaptation of R.D. Blackmore's novel.

Clive's first breakout role came in 1990. Directors Alan Grint and Laurence Moody handed him the lead role of heroic Stephen Crane/Derek Love in Central Television's hit series Chancer, which instantly made him the most publicized newcomer actor. He subsequently was offered a string of roles, notably playing brother Richard who fell in love with older sister Natalie (Saskia Reeves) in the controversial Stephen Poliakoff drama Close My Eyes (1991). He reunited with Stephen Poliakoff in 1993, playing Paul Reisner in his drama film, Century and joined Terry Winsor in his film, The Magician (also in 1993).

In 1993 Clive debuted on the U.S. screen. He was cast as Devin O'Neil in Gregory Hoblit's Civil War drama, Class of '61, a TV movie aired on ABC. After playing in Suri Krishnamma's crime film The Turnaround (1994), Clive acted in such 1994 TV films as The Return of the Native, Doomsday Gun, An Evening with Gary Lineker, Nobody's Children, and the 1995 TV film Bad Boy Blues. He also starred in the ITV series Sharman (1996), portraying the role of Nick Sharman.

Clive made his first U.S. feature film with Amy Holden Jones' R-rated thriller, The Rich Man's Wife (1996, starring Halle Berry). He subsequently earned acclaim playing the lead role of bisexual Max in Sean Mathias' adaptation of Martin Sherman's war drama play, Bent (1997, opposite Lothaire Bluteau). Clive also returned to the London stage performing on a production of Noel Coward's Design For Living (with Rachel Weisz and Paul Rhys) and Patrick Marber's hit Closer.

Croupier (1998, USA: 2000), a Mike Hodges' crime-drama film, has brought his name international recognition. In the film, Clive portrayed the lead role of writer Jack Manfred, for which he garnered the public's praise. Afterwards, he brought in the character of Detective Inspector Ross Tanner in the hit BBC series Second Sight and costarred as prisoner Colin Briggs in the comedy Green fingers (2000, opposite Helen Mirren).

Clive soon gained his regular character of the renowned BMW driver in the popular series The Hire (2001-2002). Meanwhile, he was also cast in Robert Altman's mystery Gosford Park (2001) and won the distinguished role of the villainous professor in the highly successful The Bourne Identity (2002, starring Matt Damon). He later nabbed the starring role of Nick Callahan in the romance Beyond Borders (2003, costarring Angelina Jolie) and played a role in Mike Hodges' crime-drama I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2003).

Following his title role in Antoine Fuqua's legendary story King Arthur (2004, alongside Keira Knightley), Clive won the role of Larry in Mike Nichols' play adaptation of Closer (2004, also starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Natalie Portman) and recently earned an Oscar award nomination for the part.

2005 will find Owen starring in Mikael Håfström's dramatic thriller Derailed and playing character Dwight in Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez' adaptation of Frank Miller's comic Sin City.

Awards:

• Golden Globe: Best Supporting Actor, Closer, 2005