The Times (London), "Cyclops" column
March 6, 1999

Thank God for the boys at Bafta and their generous award-giving souls. At last, someone has seen fit to give at least one of those delicious Fiennes siblings a gong-getting opportunity this year.

Having missed out on the chance of Oscar glory for his beardy bard in Shakespeare In Love and his generously packaged pair of pantaloons in Elizabeth, younger brother Joseph has finally secured a nomination in the Bafta Best Actor stakes.

And about time too. Because judging by the beastly treatment meted out to his elder sibling Ralph (up for a Golden Raspberry for Steed in The Avengers) one could, if of a Mulder and Scully mentality, sense a conspiracy. It seems that Hollywood has a terrible aversion to high cheek-bones, elegant necks, toned torsos, English understatement and (phew!) the longest eyelashes in acting since Bambi. Then again, one look at the judging panel's porky Versace-clad physiques and it's easy to see why. Jealousy is such an unattractive trait.