Colin Firth Biography

Colin Firth will always be remembered as the sexiest Mr Darcy ever after he emerged from the lake in a wet shirt in the 1995 TV adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."

But Firth is just as romantic in his private life. In 1995, just after the series was shown on television, he met Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli on a film set, and it was love at first sight.



He said, "I remember seeing her through this crowd of people and just knowing I had to get her." They married two years later in her native Italy, and no other woman has ever turned his head. He says his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world and they have made it 15 years together, which is pretty good in Hollywood standards and the marriage is going to last forever.

When he met his wife he had just split up with Jennifer Ehle, his co-star on "Pride and Prejudice." Firth and his wife have two sons Luca, born in March 2001 and Matteo born in August 2003.

He also has a son William "Will" Joseph Firth from an earlier relationship with Meg Tilly, his co-star in "Valmont" who was born in 1990. He still keeps in touch with him and Tilly's other children as he was their stepfather.

Firth was born in Grayshott, Hampshire and he spent part of his childhood in Nigeria where his father was teaching. He also lived in St Louis, Missouri when he was 11-years-old. He later attended the Montgomery of Alamein School, a state comprehensive in Winchester (now King's School) and then Barton Peveril School in Eastleigh.

While he was at King's School he wanted to play the guitar but the school banned the guitar and saxophone as they were not serious instruments and he was told to play the baritone euphonium instead.

His acting training took place at the Drama Centre in London and in 1983 Firth starred as Guy Bennett in the award-winning production of "Another Country". In 1984 he made his film debut in the screen adaptation of the play, taking the role of Tommy Judd opposite Rupert Everett as Bennett.

In 1986 he starred with Sir Laurence Olivier in "Lost Empires" a television adaptation of J.B. Priestley's novel. The following year he appeared alongside Kenneth Branagh in the film version of J.L. Carr's "A Month in the Country".

He became a heartthrob nationally and internationally after "Pride and Prejudice" as the serial was a major international success. This role led to him being offered the role of Bridget's love interest in the two Bridget Jones films.

At the 66th Venice International Film Festival he was awarded the Volpi Cup for the Best Actor for his role in Tom Ford's "A Single Man" as a college professor grappling with solitude after his long-time partner died. He was also nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for this role which won him a BAFTA Award for the Best Actor in a leading role in February 2010.

At the Toronto Film Festival "The King's Speech" received a standing ovation and on January 16th 2011 he won a Golden Globe for his performance as King George VI in the category Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama.

The Screen Actor's Guild recognised Firth with the Award for the Best Male Actor for "The King's Speech" on 30th January 2011 and he received a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 13th January 2010.