Name	Rupert Friend
Height	6' 1"
Naionality	British
Date of Birth	1 October 1981
Place of Birth	Oxfordshire, England, UK
Famous for

Dashing 6’1” British newcomer Rupert Friend was born in October of 1981. But don’t let his status as a newcomer fool you. He’s already winning coveted roles alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names.



His training came from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art based out of London. The prestigious school has also trained the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Julian Fellowes, and Minnie Driver.



Friend burst onto the film scene in 2004 with the controversial movie The Libertine. Opposite Johnny Depp and John Malkovich, Friend portrayed Depp’s friend and lover. His performance even earned him a Most Promising Newcomer nomination as well as the Best International Newcomer Award.



Impressing the film community with his abilities, he next won the role of Mr. Wickham in the 2005 Jane Austen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Again, he found himself among Hollywood’s brightest including Keira Knightley, Jena Malone, Donald Sutherland, and Brenda Blethyn. The huge commercial success of the movie helped rocket him into the spotlight.



Capitalizing on this exposure, his next film came quickly with Joan Plowright in Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005). Not surprisingly he yet again turned in a stellar performance and even won the Outstanding New Talent Golden Satellite Award.



Gravitating towards more independent productions, Friend recently completed The Moon and the Stars (2006) with Jonathan Pryce, Alfred Molina, and Catherine McCormack.



Quickly becoming a highly sought after actor, Friend is incredibly busy with no signs of slowing down. He has completed The Last Legion with Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, and John Hannah. He has also finished with Virgin Territory starring Hayden Christensen, Mischa Barton, and Tim Roth.



And if this isn’t enough Friend for his fans, there’s no need to worry. He has three more movies in various stages of completion. Two are in post-production (Outlaw with Sean Bean and Jolene with Dermot Mulroney and Denise Richards), and the third is in pre-production, entitled The Other Side. The lineup is subject to change, but the stars attached currently are Jim Broadbent, Ryan Gosling, Anjelica Huston, Jason Lee, Brittany Murphy, Giovanni Ribisi, Tim Roth, and Lili Taylor.



Friend even auditioned to be the next James Bond in Casino Royale but ultimately lost out to Daniel Craig.



He has also made a name for himself in Hollywood the old fashioned way—by dating an even bigger celebrity than himself. Romantically linked to Pride and Prejudice costar Keira Knightley, Friend has solidified himself as a prospect to watch in the coming years.