Ralph Fiennes, who is 41 today.

Actor who overwhelmed director, Steven Spielberg, with his chilling American cinematic debut as a Nazi soldier in Schindler’s List (1993). Fiennes studied painting in London before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to pursue acting. During his years of study, Fiennes landed coveted roles in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night. In 1989, Ralph joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his rave reviews helped him secure a leading role in the European screen adaptation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. After his Oscar nomination for Schindler’s List, Fiennes appeared on the silver screen in Quiz Show (1995), before winning a Tony Award for his brilliant rendition of Hamlet on Broadway. The following year Fiennes earned an Oscar nod once again for his moving performance in the romantic feature, The English Patient. He has gone on to star in Oscar and Lucinda (1997), Sunshine (1999), The End of the Affair (1999), Red Dragon (2002) and Maid in Manhattan (2002).


Charles