Rupert Everett

Born: May 7, 1959, in Norfolk, England, U.K.

Status: Single

Height: 6'4"

One of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors is in the limelight again with his new role opposite Madonna in John Schlesinger's The Next Best Thing.

Though Rupert Everett became known to the larger American public with his hilarious performance as Julia Roberts' pretend fiancé in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), gay viewers will remember his much earlier debut, in 1984's boarding school spy thriller Another Country.

Ever since he was kicked out of drama school for insubordination, a bad boy reputation has followed Everett. The product of a privileged upbringing, he originally aspired to be a singer, and even recorded two pop albums. But acting took over, first on the stage, then eventually in movies.

Wedding established Everett as a hot Hollywood commodity and led to a string of roles in such films as Shakespeare in Love, Inspector Gadget, An Ideal Husband, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Next Best Thing gives him a unique opportunity to perform with real-life pal Madonna -- with whom he has no plans to have a child.

Among his many other talents, Everett is a published novelist, the author of Hello Darling, Are You Working? and The Hairdressers of St. Tropez.