Jude Law facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jude Law
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Law in 2025
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David Jude Heyworth Law
29 December 1972 London, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 7, including Raff and Iris |
| Relatives | Natasha Law (sister) |
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is a famous English actor. He started his acting journey in British theatre. Later, he got small parts in TV shows and movies. Jude Law became known around the world for his role in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). For this movie, he won a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He was also nominated for an Academy Award.
Law continued to have success in films like A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) and Road to Perdition (2002). He also starred in Cold Mountain (2003), earning more award nominations. Other popular movies include Closer (2004) and the romantic comedy The Holiday (2006). He played Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes movies (2009, 2011). He also played a young Albus Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald films (2018, 2022). In 2019, he was Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel. These movies are some of his biggest hits.
Other notable films include Contagion (2011), Hugo (2011), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). He also appeared in TV series like The Young Pope (2016) and The New Pope (2020). As of July 2025, he is starring in the TV series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Besides films, Law has acted in many plays in London's West End and on Broadway. He has been nominated for two Tony Awards for his stage work. He has also received an Honorary César award from France.
Early Life and Education
Jude Law was born on 29 December 1972 in Lewisham, London. His parents, Peter Robert Law and Margaret Anne Heyworth, were both teachers. His father became a headmaster at a young age. Jude's middle name, Jude, comes from a character in a book called Jude the Obscure. It also comes from the Beatles' song "Hey Jude".
He grew up in Blackheath with his older sister, Natasha. He went to John Ball Primary School and later Alleyn's School.
Acting Career
Starting Out: 1987–1999
Jude Law began acting in 1987 with the National Youth Music Theatre. He loved performing since he was a child. At age 17, he left school to focus on acting. He performed in a play called The Ragged Child. One of his first big stage roles was in The Fastest Clock in the Universe.
In 1994, Law appeared in a play called Les Parents terribles in London's West End. This role earned him a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award. The play later moved to Broadway in New York, where it was called Indiscretions. For this, he was nominated for a Tony Award.
His first TV role was in 1989, in a film based on a Beatrix Potter book. He also had small roles in British TV shows. He was in the soap opera Families for two years. In 1994, Law starred in his first main film role in Shopping.
He became more well-known for his role in the film Wilde (1997). He played Lord Alfred Douglas, a young man in the film. Critics praised his performance. In the science fiction film Gattaca (1997), Law played a former swimming star. He also appeared in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997).
In 1999, Law starred in the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. He acted alongside Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow. For this role, he learned to play the saxophone. His performance won him a BAFTA Award. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.
Growing Success: 2000–2008
In 2001, Law played a Russian sniper in Enemy at the Gates. He also learned ballet for the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. In 2002, he played a mob hitman in Road to Perdition. In 2003, he worked with director Anthony Minghella again for Cold Mountain. He starred with Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger. This role earned him more nominations for Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Awards.
In 2004, Law played the main character in Alfie. This was a remake of a 1966 film. He later took on another role that Michael Caine had played in the 2007 film Sleuth. In 2006, he starred in the romantic comedy The Holiday. In 2007, he was in My Blueberry Nights with Norah Jones. He also received an Honorary César award from the French government. By the end of 2007, Law was one of Hollywood's top film stars.
Recent Work: 2009–Present
In 2009, Law returned to the stage in London. He played the main role in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The play also ran in Denmark and New York City. He was nominated for a Tony Award for this performance. Also in 2009, Law helped finish the film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. He, Johnny Depp, and Colin Farrell took over the role of actor Heath Ledger after he passed away.
In 2010, Law played Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes. He starred alongside Robert Downey, Jr.. He returned for the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, in 2011. He also played a blogger in the 2011 film Contagion.
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In 2015, it was announced that Law would play a cardinal who becomes the pope in a TV series. The show, called The Young Pope, started airing in 2016. Law played the role again in the spin-off series The New Pope in 2020. He also starred in the miniseries The Third Day in 2020.
Law played Albus Dumbledore in the fantasy film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018). He also played Yon-Rogg in the superhero film Captain Marvel (2019). This movie was a huge success worldwide. In 2023, Law played Captain Hook in Peter Pan & Wendy. This was a live-action movie released on Disney+. As of July 2025, Law is starring in the series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+.
Other Work and Interests
Helping Others
Jude Law has been involved in many causes. In 2002, he directed a commercial against using animal fur. In 2013, he supported keeping restrictions against the seal trade. He also joined protests against a leader in Belarus in 2011.
In 2007, Law traveled to Afghanistan with Jeremy Gilley. They filmed for a movie to promote peace. They interviewed children, government officials, and UN workers. Their film, The Day After Peace, showed efforts for the UN International Day of Peace. They returned in 2008 to continue supporting peace efforts.
Law has also done a lot of charity work. In 2004, he helped raise money for the Young Vic Theatre. He is the Chairman of the Young Vic committee. In 2006, he played in a celebrity football match to help UNICEF. He also helped children in South Africa who lost parents to AIDS. He supports charities like Make Poverty History and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also the chairman of the Music For Tomorrow Foundation. This group helps rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Law is an ambassador for the Prince of Wales' Children and the Arts Foundation. He supports Breast Cancer Care and the Willow Foundation. In 2009, he helped raise money for Education Africa. He also helped save St Stephen's Church in London. It reopened as an arts and community center.
Music and Modeling
In 2019, Jude Law was featured on Vampire Weekend's album, Father of the Bride. He recites a poem on one of the songs.
Since 2005, Law has been a model for Dunhill in Asia. In 2008, he became the international face of the brand. He also became the face of Dior's men's perfume, Homme Sport. In 2022, both Jude Law and his son Raff became ambassadors for the luxury brand Brioni.
Personal Life
In 2010, Jude Law bought a home in Highgate, London. His parents live in France and run a drama school.
On 2 September 1997, Law married actress Sadie Frost. They met in 1992 while filming Shopping. They have three children together, including Raff and Iris. They divorced in 2003.
While filming Alfie in 2003, Law started a relationship with co-star Sienna Miller. They got engaged in 2004. They ended their relationship in 2006.
In 2008, Law had a brief relationship with model Samantha Burke. She gave birth to his fourth child in 2009. His fifth child was born in 2015. On 1 May 2019, he married Phillipa Coan. In September 2020, they welcomed their first child together, his sixth. Their second child, his seventh, was born in February 2023.
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Law in 2025
