Why are they famous? Rupert Everett

Main claim

Thesp. Hollywood's first openly gay male star. After a promising start in Eighties adolescent pout-fest Another Country, was relegated for years to the grim backwaters of efforts like Dunston Checks In, in which he played second fiddle to a jewel-stealing orang-utan. Rose triumphantly, like a phoenix from the ashes, two years ago in smash hit My Best Friend's Wedding and hasn't looked back since. Opens next week in An Ideal Husband. Oh, Rupe's a novelist too, author of Hello Darling, Are You Working and The Hairdressers Of St Tropez (sample prose: "Her breasts ... bursting out of her black decollete like two eager children in a cinema queue", etc etc.)

Appearance

Oldest public schoolboy in the world. American idea of what an English toff is like. Catalogue model who gets to pose leaning on a gate and pat Labrador in the countrywear section.

Early promise

Became obsessed with fame while watching Junior Showtime as a child. At his Catholic boarding school, built himself a "dressing room" in the theatre wing staircase, decorated it with pictures of himself and summoned friends for imaginary cocktails as he took endless calls from fictitious agents and fans. Sadly this shrine was taken down by the monk in charge of fire drills in case it should cause a conflagration.

Rupert bare

Before his film career took off, he made his living as a rent boy. He "sort of fell into" the lifestyle after being propositioned outside a Tube station. "This guy offered me such a massive amount of money - well, it was like a year-and-a-half's pocket money - and it just came in really handy." Has also confessed to being a former "hooray heroin junkie". "Any actor worthy of the name should get back to the spirit of Shakespeare's day. They all used to flirt with law-breaking, and many turned out to be criminals, prostitutes or sex addicts," he notes. Ooh Rupert, you are wicked.

Crying shame

Romantically linked with Bianca Jagger, Cher and Madonna before coming out in the early Nineties, Rupe comes from a conventional background: his father was in the Army, then became a stockbroker. "You could say I've put my family through a course in mortification," says Everett fils.

Fame prospects

At first it looked as though he was going to be a one-hit wonder in Another Country. Now it seems that he can do no wrong, despite Rent Boy Revelations and all. Doesn't even have to do camp roles any more. On the up and up and up - particularly if he can come up with a few more carefully timed sex 'n' drugs scandals to keep the fans coming back for more.