Rupert Penry-Jones

Born: September 22, 1970
Where: London, England

Rupert has been a Royal Shakespeare Company regular for many years.

Taking roles in Ralph Fiennes' famous Hamlet and winning the Ian Charleson award for his part in Don Carlos, the 6ft actor strikes a formidable figure.

Rupert's stage presence earned him his early film roles in Robert Harris' Fatherland and Danielle Steele's The Ring.

The son of actor Peter and To The Manor Born actress Angela Thorn, Rupert then appeared alongside his mum in a TV version of Cold Comfort Farm (1995).

With his celebrity status growing, he met and began a passionate affair with Aussie singer Kylie Minogue.

Unfortunately for Rupert, the romance was short-lived; she "dumped me from a great height," he told a close friend.

But, by now, the Dulwich College-educated student had big screen roles to console himself with.

Minor roles in high-profile films, such as Bent (1997) with Ian McKellen and Jude Law, led to parts in Hilary And Jackie (1998) and a lead in Virtual Sexulity (1999).

On a roll, Rupert was cast as Cate Blanchett's love interest in the World War II drama Charlotte Gray and in a significant lead in Shekhar Kapur's military drama, The Four Feathers.

In 2003, Rupert spent a five-week run in Dangerous Liaisons at the Bristol Old Vic, where he'd attended theatre school in the early Nineties.

Described as the 'theatre-going-woman's crumpet' by one female journalist, Rupert continues to build a varied, TV, film and stage career.