In 2005, Owen won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his appearance in the drama Closer (2004). Raised by his mother and stepfather, a railway ticket clerk, he has described his childhood as “rough.” While initially opposed to drama school, he changed his mind in 1984, after a long and fruitless period of searching for work. After graduation, he won a position at the Young Vic, performing in several Shakespearean plays. in 1988 Owen starred as Gideon Sarn in a BBC production of Precious Bane and the Channel 4 film Vroom before the 1990s saw him become a regular on stage and television in the UK, notably his lead role in the ITV series Chancer, followed by an appearance in the Thames Television production of Lorna Doone. in 1996, he appeared in his first major Hollywood film The Rich Man’s Wife alongside Halle Berry before finding international acclaim in a Channel 4 film directed by Mike Hodges called Croupier (1998). He played “Dan” in the play, but was “Larry” the dermatologist in the film version. Despite public denials, Owen had long been rumoured to be a possible successor to Pierce Brosnan in the role of James Bond. The film will be directed by Philip Kaufman and will reportedly begin shooting next year.
