Ok. A couple of pictures to start the drooling... And I like this one very well indeed! I'm counting on you Johanne to come up with some more! ;-)

And about time we had this topic. those eyes....

Amen. I LOOOOOOOOOOVE RF. Thanks Cheryl. To help the drooling along(as if we needed the assistance-those eyes)-here's some memorable lines from TEP. Think of the gaze: "I cut my heart out every morning, and the next day it was filled again.." "the heart is an organ of fire." (and my personal favorite): I will come Back. I'll never leave you. KATHERINE! OOOH Baby!! He'd better win the Oscar!

OH-how could I forget: I just want you to know, I'm not missing you yet. Sigh. Has everyone seen TEP screenplay book?

Thanks for this topic Cheryl, as much as I love Darcy I also love to drool over Ralph too. that B&W pic is my favorite of all taht I have seen, oh so sexy.

"I cut my heart out every morning, and the next day it was filled again.." Oh Cass! what a heart-wrenching line! Omigod! Yes, he will win the Oscar, I am convinced. Can't wait til his acceptance speech. What shall he wear? The tux or the leather jacket? ;-)

Leather tux?

Cheryl-I can't even entertain the notion that he won't win the Oscar! He must win! It's too unkind, too unjust. He gave the best performance of the year. And I'll cast my vote for the leather Almasy jacket! OOH Baby!! But, its not like I would be disapointed by RF arriving in a tux! Didn't you love the way he ran his arm along KST's face-Am I K in your book? I was swooning in the aisles!

how about a leather tuxedo, huuummm, Dolce&Gabana style

Parade magazine (supplement to some Sunday newspapers, Washington Post included) has a cover story on RF today. Nice pics -- I haven't read the article yet.

The Parade article on RF is very good. He sounds like CF in some ways concerning fame and money - gets in the way of doing a good job. Maybe this is something all English actors think, because most of them start off in theatre where pay is low, work is continuous, and there's very little fame outside those people who've seen the shows they're in.

Cheryl, I must say, your pictures are fabulous, favorite is the second, more alternative looking, nevertheless the first is very close behind. Thanks you :)

hmmm-a leather tuxedo, I like IT!! You know yet another thing I liked about TEP: the way RF/Almasy(the two have become one in my mind) constantly referred to Katharine as his wife. Sigh. The MAN can dance too. I wonder if KST could breathe-he was holding her soooo tight!

Can we also have him wear the shorts, he looked awesome in those Gap lookin Khaki Shorts.

Entertainment Weekly had a special edition on the Oscar nominations and there is a delicious picture of Ralph in a three-quarter profile--lucious! The article on Kristen also had a picture of her with Colin from the movie, the TUX pic! Wish I had a scanner!

Bad news people: I heard that RF is not going to be at the Oscars. Though KST and Juliet Binoche will be there. (Yes, I sometimes watch The Gossip Show on E!)

Ann: Bad news people: I heard that RF is not going to be at the Oscars. *pout* why not? :-(

I hope that is only a vile, insidious runour! I read that he's doing a Chekov play in Moscow, but is doing additional performances now, so that he CAN be at the Oscars. He has to be there!!

I thought he was doing Checkhov on the stage in London. And it's a long way and terrible time and jet-lag between London and LA. Can't blame him if he has nightly performances! And - maybe he thinks it will be like the Golden Globes, Geoffrey Rush will get the Oscar and he'll just be on TV as a disappointed also-ran!

Ralph Almasy will be there. He will come back and be at the Oscars. He would never "leave" us disappointed. I was watching Charlie Rose the other night and he interviewed Anthony Minghella and Michael Ondaatje. It was really interesting and they showed a lot of clips from the film-including my favorite. Yes-it deserves repeating! "I promise. I will come back. I'll never leave." Ondaajte had only the highest praise for RF-"incredible, multilayered performance, showing the tenderness beneath the cold exterior." And the man can sew!!!!!

REg the Charlie Rose show, he asked the two men an interesting question which kinda stumped them both? Why does K love Almasy? Any thoughts?

A friend of a friend who recently went to London attended the play that Fiennes is currently in and she found out that Fiennes won't be performing on the 23 and 24 because he will be attending the Academy Awards.

I thought RF was lucious in his EP khaki shorts! I've seen pictures of him, however, that appear somewhat effeminate. Please say it isn't so!?

Effeminate? No, no! Gorgeous!

Definately gorgeous! I didn't notice anything effiminate about him.

I've seen pictures of him, however, that appear somewhat effeminate. I definitely agree, Linda. For some reason, he really gives me the creeps.

You think it's the clear eyes? I feel like he could suck us all into them!

Then don;t look Susan, for here comes another...

Effiminate, certainly not, but his features do look more delicate in the B/W photo. I do like it very much, not the macho testosterone look, a more contemporary look well fitted for the next century

Has anyone else seen Strange Days? Interesting concept...

Ah, yes the eyes....

The rest isn't too bad, either ........

OH MARI! Sigh. Double sigh. You really could drown in those eyes. He does look good in a tux. HE must win the OSCAR!

Didn't you think RF was brilliant in the "drunk scene" in TEP-his Manhattan song and dance? "Dance with me. I want what's mine!"

mmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ;-)

I have a question about TEP. My impression of the scene where RF's plane is shot down is that he was trying to commit suicide. I haven't read the book so am not sure. Does anyone know or have an opinion?

CF's plane crash was a suicide attempt, RF's was hit by a ground attack. Yes?

here's another good TEP I found. It's no tux, but you know how I like 'em tortured! ;-)

OH CHERYL!!!!! The more tortured the better! Men should suffer over women! "I tore my heart out every day, but the next day it was filled again." HIs eyes are so sad, but passionate. And yes-Cf wanted to kill them all. And-Ralph Almasy's plane was shot down, by a ground attack.

]The more tortured the better! Men should suffer over women! What a masochistic-sweet thing to envision, agree most heartedly (sp?) :)

Effeminate, yes - sometimes...but that's not necessarily a cut. I referred to this quality down at the Strong topic as a "posey air," but perhaps "effeminate" is a more accessible term. Whatever it is, he somehow shed it long enough to make his Heathcliff the raw, wild, emotional beast which vindicates the existence of the whole sorry book. Oh Cheryl? Where are your Ralph-as-Heathcliff fotos? ;) Where I live, the man is known as Ralph Fie-ie-iennes...my neighbor has seen TEP five times. She's insane! :)

Suffer, yes...but not in a dorky, puppylike sort of way. Women hate that.

Cheryl - I know that CF's plane crash was a suicide (& murder) attempt, but I also felt that when RF's plane was shot down by the ground attack it was a suicide attempt as well. Did he not know that the troops were on the ground below him, and did he maybe not care because the love (& lust) of his life was dead before him? I need to see the movie again before I can decide.

]Effeminate, yes - sometimes...but that's not necessarily a cut. I referred to this quality down at the Strong topic as a "posey air," but perhaps "effeminate" is a more accessible term. Kali, if you're saying what I think you're saying, them's fighting words, dearest! ;-)

RALPH ALMASY WAS ROBBED!!!!!!!!!! But, it was wonderful seeing him in a tux and he behaved like such a gentleman, getting up again and again from his seat to congratulate the winners. And RF is anything but effeminate. The man exudes passion: "DAnce with me! I want what is mine!"

Did anyone manage to make out what the message was-the one RALPH held up during Saul Zaentz's speech?

Cass, I saw one of the signs and it said "Ivanov" and then something underneath. He was probably sending greetings to his fellow cast members - that's the play he's in in London and was given time off for the Oscars. Didn't have time to read the second sign and make it out!

ok. For Kali, a Heathcliff pic. http://www.littleduck.com/ralph/bigs/wh2.JPG

Duh! Sorry, try that again!

and one more:

No, Susan...rest assured, that's NOT what I meant. And yes, he was robbed.

Thank you, Cheryl...;)

Anytime, my dear. ;-)

RE RAFE: I agree with all of you. RF is the BEST. But of course, so is CF!!! That is only one of a million reasons why TEP is the greatest film I've ever seen, albeit one of the most tragic. He does look gorgeous in the 30s expeditionary threads, a la J. Peterman. Linen, leather, and silk tuxedos. Yummy. (But forget the red fez!!!) His Heathcliff is superb. Wish I could find a place to buy the WH video. I loved it. Haven't seen STrange Days, but he is altogether marvelous in Schindler AND in quiz show. I will never forget the tortured look in his eyes in both those films. Only CF can match him. I only wish I could have relished his live Hamlet performance..........

Non drool alert. I had the day off and saw and interview with Fiennes on some morning show. He's got about three new movies either showing or in the works. He says he's a lot more comfortable in "tortured" roles where he's resolving contradictions within himself. Sounded like some stuff worth seeing.

What other movies? Haven't seen a thing. This man is powerfully moving and very good. He does the tortured thing well and one of these days, I hope he gets what he deserves--he should get the gal in the end, huh?

He got the girl in the end in Strange Days. :)

goodie! haven't seen that one yet....and in a way, he got the girl in the end of wuthering heights (postmortem

Here you go, Charlotte... Enjoy, honey ;-)

You're an evil woman, Nan. And on Kevin's birthday, yet. :) Thanks, hon.

Look at him!!! Nice to see his smile *grin*. Thanks for the pics...

I just saw Oscar and Lucinda. He ripped my heart out. I cried for hours afterwards. It has been said that Ralph totally inhabits his characters. If it cannot be said of any of his other roles, it can most certainly be said of this one. He is skeletal. He must have lost 30 pounds for the role. And he is so timid and repressed that he is nearly unrecognizable from the Ralph we know. And what makes me really REALLY angry is that this film got ONE academy award (they don't even deserve capitalization) nomination, and that was for costume design.

Ok. If I must drool alone, I'll drool alone. But you may wish to reconsider. This portrait is by Richard Avedon, for The New Yorker magazine.

Damn! He ain't ugly either ;-) Personally, I like this one (from the LA Times, November 1997): See, Char...I'm with ya babe :-)

I always gotta lock the door to this topic whenever I come here. I can't have Kevin see the stuff I say here! :) Nan, did you see Oscar and Lucinda yet? This is most definitely a pretty man. He has the uncanny ability to be effeminate, yet masculine. Sexy, yet innocent. Strong in his portrayal of weakness. He knocks my socks off.

Nope, I haven't seen O&L yet. I'm really lazy about going to the movies. Even renting movies seems to take more time than I have at present. But I agree...Ralph does me just fine. Not quite as nicely as Kevin does, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate him. He's got some set of eyes on him, dontcha think? All kinds of interesting things going on in there. Loved Quiz Show...he looked very clean in that one :-) Geez, Spring isn't back up for more than 2 hours and already I'm drooling all over the place. I should be ashamed. But I'm not ;-)

YEah, what was up with Spring, this weekend? Or should I say, DOWN? O&L is worth the trip to the rental store. Truly. Would I lie??

YEah, what was up with Spring, this weekend? Or should I say, DOWN? Root user problem. Feel much better now that it's up ;-) Would I lie?? Certainly not! i know that you'd rather walk on your tongue ;-p

Thanks Nan. That's a *wonderful* pic of the man. Can't wait to see him with Jennifer Ehle in "A Taste of Sunshine" starts shooting 15 July in Budapest.....till December!! Hear R. is a perfectionist. Nastassja Kinski is also in this. Don't know what role JE will play. Love interest, I hope.Jennifer always brings out the best in her leading men.

(Evelyn) Love interest, I hope.Jennifer always brings out the best in her leading men. I should say so! ;-)

Here you go Ev ;-)

Don't know what to make of this one, but I couldn't help scanning it ;-)

Looks like the infamous Vanity Fair shoot. When it's early in your career and you have not yet been nomitated for an Oscar, you'll just let them do anything to your hair. :)

When it's early in your career and you have not yet been nomitated for an Oscar, you'll just let them do anything to your hair. :) Aaah, is that why he's looking so...er...strange? ;-p You know, Charlotte...just got my Snappy...I hear Sixty Minute Man playing in my head...I see photos with lots of candles ;-)

Lemme see. Shall I let her know how retarded I am by asking her, "What's a Snappy?", or shall I prove how uncultured I am by inquiring about the performer(s) of Sixty Minute Man? Or shall I just bluster my way through my confusion by saying something banal like, "oooo! candles!" :)

Ralph Feinnes is 38 today. Y'all have been been neglecting him! (I just heard this on NPR Morning Edition).

Poor Ralph. Got pushed out of my consciousness by some brawny Aussie. Charlotte

Ralph Fiennes will be receiving the William Shakespeare ("Will") Award for Classical Theatre, "in recognition for his contribution and commitment to classical acting in America," from the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. The award will be presented March 3rd at the Library of Congress.

From playbill.com 2/14/01 Ralph Fiennes to Receive "Will" Award at Shakespeare Theatre, March 3 14-FEB-2001 English actor Ralph Fiennes will receive this year's William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre ("Will" Award) from The Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, D.C. The ceremony will take place March 3 at the Library of Congress. Fiennes joins past British winners of the prize such as Anthony Hopkins, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Lynn Redgrave and Kenneth Branagh. American honorees include Kevin Kline, Hal Holbrook, Sam Waterston, Christopher Walken and Morgan Freeman. Fiennes has been seen on American stages almost exclusively in the works of Shakespeare. Last fall, he played the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Coriolanus and Richard II. He won the Tony Award for his performance in Hamlet. For information on the awards ceremony, (202) 547-3230, ext. 2330.

'Fear Itself' Strikes Ralph Fiennes NEW YORK (Variety) - Ralph Fiennes has committed to play a brilliant paranoid-schizophrenic in "Fear Itself," a psychological thriller set to begin shooting in early April. Fiennes' character uncovers a conspiracy that leads to the White House, but he cannot persuade anyone to believe him. The project is out to directors, with a director expected to be signed shortly. Patrick Cirillo ("Man of War") wrote the script. Wolfgang Petersen, director of "The Perfect Storm," will produce the independently financed film with his business partner, Gail Katz. "Fear Itself" is not aligned with a distributor. After producer Mandalay Pictures called an abrupt halt on "Beyond Borders," in which Fiennes was set to star with Angelina Jolie for director Oliver Stone (who stepped away from the project), the actor became one of the few A-list male stars available in the run-up to possible writers and actors' strikes this summer.

Unusual for RF to sign up without knowing about the director. And all the big names seem to be working now. Sounds like an interesting story.Thanks Karen.

This would have been a perfect part 2 to Apt. O. Should we blame the agent again? ;-)

(Evelyn) Unusual for RF to sign up without knowing about the director. That's very true. In fact, it contradicts things he said recently while discussing Sunshine. The director is *everything* to him.

But Ralph will very likely have a hand in selecting the director--common for an actor of his stature. Sounds like a very interesting project for Ralph. The guy has impeccable taste, as we've said here before. Should we blame the agent again? ;-) I don't blame the agent any more. I blame the client.:-(

Sounds like the other one was just a rumor, so maybe it is open! Or else he's doing both??? From Empire today: Fiennes Trapped In Web Of Horror Ralph Fiennes will star for director David Cronenberg in Spider. Unsurprisingly, given its director, the film will be a psychological thriller that focuses on a man's descent into madness. Spider was written by Patrick McGrath, and is based on his 1991 novel of the same name. Set in the 1930s and '50s in the East End of London, the story follows a man called Spider (his childhood nickname) as he tries to unravel the puzzle of his mother's death when he was a boy. Another of McGrath's novels, Asylum, is being adapted for the screen by none other than Stephen King. Filming on Spider is due to take place in the UK and Canada this summer. It will be Cronenberg's first feature as a director since eXistenz, although he starred as Dr. Wimmer in the recently completed Jason X (aka Friday The 13th Part 10).

Jason X (aka Friday The 13th Part 10). ] can I say it???? UGH!!!! :)

Bet he's doing both ...the greedy b******.

This is from THE WASHINGTON POST RF received an award on Friday March 3rd from the Shakespearean Society. Out and About (Washington Post) By By Roxanne Roberts Monday, March 5, 2001; Page C03 In Fiennes' Company First of all, it's pronounced Rafe Fines. (Don't ask; we don't know why.) Second of all, movie star Ralph Fiennes is a fabulous Shakespearean actor -- notable for his Tony-winning Hamlet -- which is why he was presented with the Shakespeare Theatre's Will Award at a black-tie gala Saturday at the Library of Congress. Third, one should never assume that an international sex symbol who plays intense, brooding characters (Heathcliff in "Wuthering Heights," Count Almasy in "The English Patient" and Maurice Bendrix in "The End of the Affair") is -- in actual fact -- intense and brooding. "I think a lot of actors don't want to be known," Fiennes said passionately, staring intently with those deep blue eyes. Fine. So we didn't ask the 38-year-old actor anything about the melodramatic private life that those British tabloids write so much about. No, this night was about art. And women admiring his . . . art. The Shakespeare Theatre's acclaimed artistic director, Michael Kahn, gives the Will to world-class actors who've never appeared on his stage in the hopes that they will fall madly in love and do a play here. This year's gala -- which included an elegant, Elizabethan-inspired dinner -- also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the "Text Alive!" program, which brings the Bard to local classrooms, and gave a belated Millennium Recognition Award to gracious alumnus Richard Thomas, who played the title role in "Richard II" at the theater and calls it "the finest resident company in America." Reason enough for Fiennes to come to the nation's capital, which is the general idea after all. But which brooding, passionate role? "Whichever one he'd like," said Kahn. **************************************************** Also this weekend at the UNICEF AIDS auction Ralph had his shirt from TEP, as well as some naughty drawings from Onegin and the quills he used in the film.

Reading stuff like this makes me so ashamed sometimes.

Why?Is this it? The Shakespeare Theatre's acclaimed artistic director, Michael Kahn, gives the Will to world-class actors who've never appeared on his stage in the hopes that they will fall madly in love and do a play here. You think Michael Khan is sucking up to Rf? I think it's just the stupid woman writing the column.Trying to be 'clevah'..and doesn't know how.

Essentially, the stupidity of the woman writer, but not about what you highlighted.

Oops, sorry for the hiccup, a friend is visiting me and I've just kicked her off the keyboard. :-) This story from today's NY Post: Ralph Fiennes: "American actresses seem ready to rip off their clothes with alarmingly little warning. One might say I've been compelled to steel myself against temptation." Not a very gentlemanly thing to say. We now feel compelled to review all his movies and list every American actress he has ever worked with to narrow down the possibilities.

Please let us know your results. ;-D

Isn't he still with Franseca (sp?) Annis?

RF could possibly film both "Fear Itself" and "Spider" this year. "Fear Itself" was mentioned as staring production in early April. If that particular movie wraps in anywhere from late May to the (more likely) middle of June, then he could be free to work on "Spider". Then again, as noted by Karen, his working on "Fear Itself" could well be a rumor.

21 April 2001) Telegraph Ralph Fiennes, so long associated with the little Almeida Theatrewill not be doing his next stage play there. Last week the actor shot over to New York for a private reading of Private Lives with Natasha Richardson. Their chemistry was said to be "terrific" and the pair hope to appear in the Noel Coward classic on Broadway in the autumn. It should make its way to London some time afterwards.

Ananova says it's a done deal: Noel Coward's play Private Lives will be revived on Broadway later this year. British actors Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson will take the leading roles. If the revival is a success, it will transfer to London some time next year. ~~~~~~ I may have to rethink that "Fiennes" scale thing... hmmmmm

:-( Ralph Fiennes set for new Stephen Daldry drama Ralph Fiennes and Jennifer Connolly are set to star in Stephen Daldry's new Second World War thriller Hiding Room. The drama is based the novel by Frederick Raphael who created Eyes Wide Shut. Daldry, who made his debut behind the cameras with Billy Elliot, is to film the adventure in North Africa. The epic story involves a love affair between an English army intelligence officer based in Cairo and a mysterious beautiful Jewish woman fleeing the Nazis. An insider told Ananova: "It is a fantastic love story and tale about the history of the region taking in the formation of the state of Israel. "The film is of David Lean proportions."