Jude Law
Birthdate: Dec 29, 1972
Birthplace: Lewisham, London, England, UK
Jude Law (birthname: David Jude Heyworth Law) may be now known by younger viewers as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) and The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), but for older moviegoers, he is one of the most recognizable and respected British film actors of his time. Distinguished by a cutting intelligence, piercing blue eyes, and the hints of a bad boy that continue to imbue his performances as he reaches his 50s, Law is one of those actors whom many assume has won an Oscar—yet, has not (so far).
Trained in musical theater starting in 1987, Jude Law was making West End theater appearances no less than five years later and earned a nomination for an outstanding newcomer in the Laurence Olivier Awards. He received a Tony nomination in 1995 for his turn in the Jean Cocteau adaptation, Indiscretions, with Kathleen Turner and Cynthia Nixon.
By the late 1990s, Law shot to movie stardom on the combined weight of Stephen Fry’s Wilde (1997), Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), Andrew Niccol’s science fiction drama, Gattaca (1997), and his fine Oscar-nominated turn opposite Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999).
Law’s stratospheric rise turned him into a star associated with serious entertainment, including the Steven Spielberg/Stanley Kubrick sci-fi epic, A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Sam Mendes’ Depression-era drama with Tom Hanks, The Road to Perdition (2002), the WW2 action epic, Enemy at the Gates (2001), and a second movie with director Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain (2003), with Nicole Kidman, which earned Law the Best Actor Oscar nomination.
Law shifted into somewhat lighter fare at this point, including comedies like Holiday (2006), and a pair of projects in which he re-created roles originated by Michael Caine, with whom Law bears fascinating comparisons: Alfie (2004) and Sleuth (2007), adapted by the great British playwright, Harold Pinter. The work of another playwright, Patrick Marber—Closer (2004), directed by Mike Nichols, with Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen—provided Law with the kind of dangerous and caustic character with which he seems to thrive as an actor.
Jude Law’s career hasn’t exactly slowed down, but his recent work has taken a different register, in such commercial vehicles as Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes and its sequel, Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows (2011), with Law as Watson to Robert Downey, Jr.’s Holmes, in which acting takes a backseat to special effects.
By far his most intriguing performance of late has been in Paolo Sorrentino’s subversive and strange HBO limited series, The Young Pope (2016), a role which he then reprised in The New Pope (2020). These, as well as his physically demanding performance in HBO’s surreal The Third Day (2020), suggests how streaming narrative “mega-features” afford the kind of interesting roles for an actor of Law’s talents that feature films now seldom do.
This is measured by how Law is now opting for either reprise of familiar characters or the big, broad, fantasy roles of Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series, Captain Hook in Peter Pan & Wendy (2022), and a reprise of his Watson in the third (as yet untitled) Sherlock Holmes feature. And nothing gets bigger and broader than the role Law is slated to tackle next: Henry VIII, in Karim Aïnouz’s drama, Firebrand, with Alicia Vikander.
Personal Details
Jude Law was born in the Lewisham area of London in 1972 to parents Margaret Heyworth and Peter Law who now run a drama school and theater in France. He has a sister, painter, and designer Andrea Natasha Law. Jude Law was married to actor Sadie Frost from 1997 to 2003; their children are Iris, Rafferty, and Rudy.
Law has been in relationships with actor Sienna Miller and model Samantha Burke, with whom he had a child, Sophia, born in 2009 after their split. Law had a fifth child following a brief relationship with singer Catherine Harding, aka Cat Cavelli. He married Phillipa Coan in 2019; the couple had a child in 2020. Law’s height is 5’ 10”.
Awards
Twice-nominated, Best Actor, Academy Awards (2000, 2004); Winner, Best Actor, BAFTA awards (2000); Winner, Honorary Cesar Award (2007); Twice-nominated, Best European Actor, European Film Awards (2001, 2013); Four-times nominated, Best Actor ad Supporting Actor, Golden Globe Awards (2000, 2002, 2004, 2018); Twice-nominated, Outstanding Cast Performance, Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005, 2015); Supporting Actor Emmy in a Limited Series or Special (2019); Fondazione Mimmo Rotella Award, Venice Film Festival (2016).
BAFTA Film Award
BAFTA Awards
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, USA
Filmography
actor
Previous (49)
- 2024 |
- 2023 | Firebrandas Henry VIII
- 2023 | The Orderas Benjamin
- 2022 |
- 2022 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of DumbledoreasAlbus Dumbledore
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Professor Albus Dumbledore must assist Newt Scamander and his partners as Grindelwald begins to lead an army to eliminate all Muggles.
- 2021 | True Things
- 2020 |
- 2020 | The Rhythm SectionasIain Boyd
The Rhythm Section
A woman seeks revenge against those who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family.
- 2019 | Captain MarvelasYon-Rogg
Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.
- 2018 |
- 2017 | National Theatre Live: Obsessionas Gino
- 2017 | King Arthur: Legend of the SwordasVortigern
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Robbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy - whether he likes it or not.
- 2016 | Geniusas Thomas Wolfe
- 2015 |
- 2014 | Black Seaas Robinson
- 2014 | The Grand Budapest Hotelas Young Writer
- 2013 | Dom Hemingwayas Dom Hemingway
- 2013 | Side EffectsasDr. Jonathan Banks
Side Effects
A young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.
- 2012 | Anna Kareninaas Karenin
- 2012 | Sherlock Holmes 3as Dr. John Watson
- 2011 | 360as Michael Daly
- 2011 | Contagionas Alan Krumwiede
- 2011 | Sherlock Holmes: A Game of ShadowsasDr. John Watson
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Detective Sherlock Holmes is on the trail of criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty, who is carrying out a string of random crimes across Europe.
- 2010 | Repo Menas Remy
- 2009 | Sherlock HolmesasDr. John Watson
Sherlock Holmes
Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England.
- 2008 | The Day After Peace
- 2007 | My Blueberry Nightsas Jeremy
- 2007 | Sleuthas Milo Tindle
- 2006 | All the King's Menas Jack Burden
- 2006 | Breaking and Enteringas Will
- 2006 | The Holidayas Graham
- 2004 | A Series of Unfortunate Eventsas Lemony Snicket
- 2004 | Alfieas Alfie
- 2004 | Closeras Dan
- 2004 | I Heart Huckabeesas Brad Stand
- 2004 | Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrowas Sky Captain
- 2003 | Cold Mountainas Inman
- 2001 | A.I. Artificial Intelligenceas Gigolo Joe
- 2001 | Enemy at the Gatesas Vassili
- 2001 | Enemy at the GatesasVassili
Enemy at the Gates
A Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.
- 2000 | Love, Honor and Obeyas Jude
- 1999 | The Talented Mr. Ripleyas Dickie Greenleaf
- 1999 | eXistenZas Ted Pikul
- 1998 | Immortalityas Steven Grlscz
- 1998 | Music from Another Roomas Danny
- 1997 | Gattacaas Jerome
- 1997 | Wildeas Lord Alfred Douglas
- 1996 | I Love You, I Love You Notas Ethan
- 1994 | Shoppingas Billy
Some Facts About Jude Law
What’s in a name: Though born with the first name of David, Jude Law went by his second name from birth, a name inspired both by the Beatles song “Hey Jude” and Thomas Hardy’s 1895 novel, Jude the Obscure.
Front Lines: Jude Law has worked vigorously with UNICEF and the “Peace Day” efforts, promoting non-violent solutions to problems. He has participated in fundraisers to support anti-cancer projects, and pressure campaigns to fight climate change and poverty. His wide-ranging philanthropy includes supporting local community arts projects in the U.K., chair the Music for Tomorrow Foundation for rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and chair of the Prince of Wales’ Children and the Arts Foundation.
The Face: Jude Law has been the face of the Dunhill luxury brand, starting in 2005. He was also the male face of Dior in 2008.
