After television and commercial work, Law scored a role in a minor hit movie Shopping, where he met his future wife, Sadie Frost. His name was made in Britain with his bravura performance as Lord Alfred Douglas in Wilde, playing the glamorous gay lover of the title character, Oscar Wilde. From there, it was on to Hollywood and the big time.
Law was at least getting close to the big-time when he landed a supporting role in 1997’s Gattaca, followed within the next two years by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Final Cut, David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Like many other actors, Law had reached the very brink of success, and by 2003 he had made Love, Honor and Obey, Enemy at the Gates, AI: Artificial Intelligence, The Road to Perdition, and Cold Mountain, for which he received his second Oscar nomination, this time for best actor. Yet, even with a Steven Spielberg film, a role with Tom Hanks, and another Academy Award nod, Law’s career just couldn’t seem to shift into high gear.
His personal life had followed a similarly circuitous path, and by 2003 Law’s marriage to Frost, which had produced three children, was over. Law was then linked with actress Sienna Miller, with whom he had starred in one of his several 2004 flops, Alfie. In fact, 2004 was a dismal year for Law, as Alfie, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Closer all failed to hit it big or push Law into the pantheon of top stars, and his role in the mid-size earner The Aviator was a small one. By the end of 2004, Law was in need of a major career rejuvenation.
Law started out 2005 as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, but was not in any major films for the rest of the year. He is apparently looking to late 2006 and 2007 for his comeback and/or breakthrough, as he stars in All the King’s Men, Breaking and Entering, and two other major films that are now in post-production.
With critical acclaim for various roles under his belt, a private life that seems to be leveling off as he matures in his profession and strong roles coming up in some highly anticipated films, Law could easily find himself on the A-list by this time next year. But it’s impossible to predict what audiences will do, or whom they will elevate into superstardom with their ticket purchases, so we will just have to wait and see if the movie going public will pass or repeal this particular Law.
Christmas 2006 saw Law starring in The Holiday, a movie about two love-disillusioned women who decide to swap their lives from England and California, played by Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black.
YUDDY
