Owen, Clive (1964– )

English actor. Known for his debonair and charismatic leading man appeal, he has appeared on stage and in television and film. He achieved international recognition with his intense, understated performance in the drama Croupier (1998). Other films include the Robert Ludlum adaptation The Bourne Identity (2002), the action adventure King Arthur (2004), and the dystopian adaptation Children of Men (2006). He won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe award for his powerful performance in Mike Nichols's dark drama Closer (2004).

His film debut was in the British road movie Vroom (1988). His starring role in the UK television drama Chancer (1990) promoted his suave leading man appeal and established his career. Other 1990s films include the drama Close My Eyes (1991), about sibling incest, and the World War II film Bent (1997), about a homosexual man who finds love in a concentration camp. More recent films include the British comedy Greenfingers (2000), Robert Altman's period drama Gosford Park (2001), and the World War II romance Beyond Borders (2003). He also starred as the driver in The Hire series of shorts, produced by BMW in 2002.

He was born and grew up in Coventry, Warwickshire, and developed an interest in acting from a young age, playing the Artful Dodger in a school production of Oliver! at the age of 13. During his training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he performed in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part I and Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea. He later joined the Young Vic Theatre Company, based in London, England. Other plays include Noël Coward's Design for Living and Peter Nichols's The Day in the Death of Joe Egg (2001).