Clive Owen, (born October 3, 1964), is an English actor best known in the UK for his role in the television series Chancer , and internationally for his recurring role as "The Driver" in the BMW films titled The Hire.

He was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, the fourth of five brothers. At the age of three, he was abandoned by his father, a country and western singer. He was raised by his mother and step-father. Initially opposed to drama school, he changed his mind in 1984, after a long and fruitless period of searching for work. He graduated from RADA in 1987 in a class including Ralph Fiennes and Jane Horrocks. After graduation, he won a spot at the Young Vic, performing in several Shakespeare plays. In an incident he later described as "very schmaltzy", he met his future wife Sarah Jane Fenton as they were performing the title roles of Romeo and Juliet. They married in 1995, producing two daughters, Hannah and Eve. They currently live in London.

Owen won critical acclaim for his performance in the 1997 Mike Hodges film Croupier, where he played the title role of a struggling writer who takes a job in a London casino as inspiration for his work, only to get caught up in a robbery scheme. The film was re-released in 2000 as part of the Shooting Gallery film series.

Despite public denials, he has been rumored to be a possible successor to Pierce Brosnan in the role of James Bond. Rumors have intensified since Brosnan annouced he would not play the part again. As of April 2005, the role of James Bond in the next film, Casino Royale, has not been cast.

In 2005, Clive won the Golden Globe and BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Closer and was nominated for an Oscar for the same category.

Partial Filmography

• The Rich Man's Wife (1996)
• Croupier (1997)
• Gosford Park (2001)
• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2003)
• Beyond Borders (2003)
• King Arthur (2004)
• Closer (2004)
• Sin City (2005)

External links