B Magazine
February 1999
By Francesca Moore

He's the actor who stars opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in her first nude love scene and the man who, up until now, has probably been best known as the younger brother of Hollywood's Ralph Fiennes. But modest Joe Fiennes is on the brink of a very big career. Francesca Moore met him in New York.

"I'm not recognised all that much. I can still ride the tube, I just put a hat on my head," says Joseph Fiennes modestly. But, if the glowing reviews are any indication, Joseph's anonymity is bound to be a bit short lived. "I'm a bit worried about that kind of celebrity status, and I certainly don't court it. It's frightening how the movies push you into the public domain and demand you take on a persona which doesn't feel natural," he says, adding, "there are times when I think about how much of me I should keep under wraps." Unlike most celebrities who pontificate ad nauseam on the trials and tribulations of fame, Joseph Fiennes seems genuinely unimpressed by that inevitable aspect of becoming a movie actor. And who can blame him? He's seen first-hand how brother Ralph's personal relationships and bad career moves - notably and most recently the ill-fated movie Avengers, in which he starred with Uma Thurman – become tabloid fodder. Joseph pauses often, his words are measured, "There's something very dangerous about an actor when he speaks. And however honest the journalist is in translating what he says, he will always come across – especially if he talks passionately about his work or his craft – as a wanker," he laughs. "I mean, when I read what is said, it just looks naff and you want to say, 'Oh, shut up!' So I can't read about myself, I cringe." But such is the life of an upcoming star, and if your going to steam up the screen with Hollywood’s golden girls, that's the price you pay. In Shakespeare In Love he plays the great bard himself who's suffering form a severe case of writer's block until, that is, he meets Paltrow's Lady Viola who becomes his muse for the greatest love story ever told, Romeo and Juliet. "I've played Jesus and William Shakespeare – there's nowhere for me to go now," he jokes.

Shaky Beginnings

The youngest of six children (including a fraternal twin brother) to photographer mark Fiennes and the late writer and painter Jennifer Lash (who died of cancer in 1993), Fiennes lived a gypsy-like existence and moved a dozen times in both Ireland and England during his childhood. Tight-lipped about his personal life (though he admits there is no significant other right now), he talks sparingly about his family.

"Being the youngest makes you long for more of a voice. And you find that voice in the early theatrics of the kitchen. I was the one screaming 'Hey! Where's my food?'", he gins. "I don't want to it sound too bohemian and romantic. It wasn't. It was chaotic, dirty and noisy. I couldn't wait to get out."

At 17, Joseph went to art school and worked at the Royal National Theatre in backstage jobs arranged by brother Ralph. A three year acting grant at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama led to two years in repertory with the Royal Shakespeare Company. After a few rocky years during which his ex, actress Sara Griffiths, supported him, he landed a role in the comedy Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence.

In contrast to Ralph's cool reflective exterior, Joseph, 28, exudes a warmth and vulnerability.

"I don't think I ever got preferential treatment in my career because of Ralph," he says. "I know other actors of similar families – the Cusacks and the Richardsons – and it's the same for them." Gazing out the window of his New York hotel room onto Central Park he says finally: "There might be initial parallels between siblings, but you still have to walk on your own two feet. It's a great talking point, but it doesn't get much further than that."

Although relatively new to Hollywood, he already possesses a hint of world weariness.
"I don't believe in 'new hot things' or the 'next big deal'", he says, despite having been given the tag – or probably because of that fact. "That label has been bandied around between so many people, it's lost its potency. I mean, there's a whole corridor full of us," he laughs, arms outstretched. "And you know, I haven't come out of nowhere. I studied for several years in theatre. I've been in the professional cattle market for seven years."

Although he appears not to take himself too seriously, this broodingly handsome actor certainly takes his work to heart. "When I'm on stage, I feel that I'm with my family. I feel that's my purpose in life and I know who I am to a degree." He says, talk which, to be honest, has hints of the rather pretentious actor nonsense that Joseph is so anxious to avoid.

His 'family' in the case of Shakespeare In Love includes the Full Monty star, Tom Wilkinson, Dame Judi Dench, Paltrow's off-screen boyfriend, Ben Affleck, and Australia's Geoffrey Rush, with whom he also starred in Elizabeth.

"Oh, I'm stalking Geoffrey because I love working with him so much," laughs Joseph. "Every time he appears in something new, I'll be there with him. Wearing tights."

"And Gwyneth... she has an extraordinary ability not just on the screen where you look at her and she's drop-dead gorgeous, but as an actor. I'd need God knows how many takes on a scene to get it right, but she nails it," he says, snapping his fingers, "like that." And Gwyneth has returned the compliment: "Joseph is such a gentleman; and believe me, I've been around other actors who are not this level of gentleman, and doing the love scene with him was not an issue. I really adored him, he's a very special person."

And of that nude scene with Gwyneth, her first partially nude love scene (she used a double for Great Expectations), the mild mannered actor smiles, "Give me a sword fight any day."

But for now he's putting away his doublets and frilly shirts: "After Elizabeth and Shakespeare In Love, people will say, 'Oh, there's Joe in his tights again' if I do another period film," he jokes.

"I'm not sure about the future, but any job I take will be because it's good material. If that leads to a career, then so be it." "When I'm on stage, I feel that I'm with my family. I feel that's my purpose in life and I know who I am to a degree."