Joseph Alberic Fiennes was born on May 27, 1970 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. His family moved approximately 14 times during his childhood including a stint in West Cork, Ireland. He studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He lives in Notting Hill, West London. He prefers to be called Joe. His hobbies include mountain climbing, football (soccer), swimming, tennis and he seems to be willing to try his hand at all kinds of sports including bowling during filming of The Darwin Awards and pool.

He is the youngest of 7, the oldest being a foster brother Mick who is an archeologist. He has a fraternal twin Jacob who is a gamekeeper in Norfolk, as well as brothers the actor Ralph and Magnus who is a musician and producer, and sisters Martha, a director and Sophie a producer and director. He is very close to his family and does magic tricks for his numerous nieces and nephews. His mother, Jini, was a novelist and painter. Her books Blood Ties and On Pilgramage may be available at book stores or web sites. Her older books are out of print. She died on December 28, 1993 from breast cancer. His father Mark was a farmer and then a photographer. He got remarried to Caroline in 1998. He died suddenly on December 30, 2004.

He has done a lot of theater, radio plays, and even a voiceover for Jaguar automobiles and modeling as well as his film work. Joe does a lot for charity and is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust, supports breast cancer research and is involved with fundraising for The Old Vic theatre. He is involved in political issues and even went on a fact finding trip for Christian charities to Angola.

Filmography

• Vivaldi (2008)
• Rote Baron, Der (2007)
• The Escapist (2007)
• Goodbye Bafana (2007)
• Running with Scissors (2006)
• The Darwin Awards (2006)
• The Great Raid (2005)
• Man to Man (2005)
• The Merchant of Venice (2004)
• "Unsere Besten" (1 episode, 2003)
• Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
• Luther (2003)
• Leo (2002)
• Killing Me Softly (2002)
• Dust (2001)
• Enemy at the Gates (2001)
• Rancid Aluminium (2000)
• Forever Mine (1999)
• Shakespeare in Love (1998)
• Elizabeth (1998)
• Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence (1998)
• Animated Epics: Beowulf (1998)
• Stealing Beauty (1996)
• The Vacillations of Poppy Carew (1995)

Awards

• MTV Movie Award Best Kiss "Shakespeare in Love" 1999
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Breakthrough Performer "Elizabeth" and "Shakespeare in Love" 1998
• Chicago Film Critics Award Most Promising Actor "Shakespeare in Love" 1998
• The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture "Shakespeare in Love" 1998