Olivier Martinez

Born: 12 January 1966
Where: Paris, France

Suffering the label of the "French Brad Pitt", the former jeans salesman made his international breakthrough with the period drama Le Hussard Sur Le Toit.

However, it was his reported liason with co-star Juliette Binoche that made the headlines (they threatened to sue one newspaper who claimed she was pregnant).

His reputation as a ladies' man has stayed with him - he was also in an on/ff relationship with diminutive Australian warbler Kylie Minogue.

Born to working-class Parisian parents, he drifted through a series of aimless jobs, including a welterweight boxer, before enrolling, at the age of 23, at the International Conservatory of Paris.

After extensive television experience, he reached a broader audienc with Le Hussard Sur Le Toit and went on to star in a number of French productions, including The Slammer and Chambermaid on the Titanic.

In 2000, he starred in Julian Schnabel's acclaimed biopic of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas Before Night Falls and the overlooked drama Bullfighter.

He joined a massive ensemble cast for the Spanish comedy drama Nosostras and the lacklustre thriller Semana Santa before the high-profile Unfaithful.

He plays the French antiquarian who cuckolds Richard Gere in the thriller which landed an Oscar nomination for Diane Lane as the straying wife.

Next up was the formulaic action thriller S.W.A.T opposite Colin Farrell and Samual L Jackson.

Upcoming projects include the thriller Taking Sides (he has already been romantically linked with his co-star Angelina Jolie).