Monday July 23, 2007

Like fine wine

At 43, Clive Owen, the new face of Lancome, is having the time of his life.

Skilled at his craft: Although he is known for playing dark and complex characters, in reality Clive Owen is an affable family man who doesn’t take himself too seriously.

HE DOESN’T come across as someone who gives a toss about his complexion. To many, Clive Owen is the epitome of that old phrase – tall, dark and handsome. Based on the many roles that he has played, you would probably throw in the word brooding as well. He’s certainly not someone who is too concerned about growing old and getting wrinkles.

The term metrosexual is not one you would use to describe Owen. In fact, put him beside pretty boys Jude Law and Brad Pitt, and he would seem an unlikely candidate for a cosmetics line. But Owen was the choice for Lancôme, and is the new face of the brand’s anti-ageing skincare line Lancôme Men as well as its new men’s fragrance, Hypnôse Homme.

While he may seem an unlikely choice, Owen seemed pretty comfortable with his new role at a press conference in Paris.

In person, he looks as you would expect but there doesn’t seem to be much of a dark side to the actor. Instead, at the product launch of Lancôme Homme, Owen comes across as affable, as someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously and is willing to take the occasional jibe, appearing even slightly amused about his own appointment as the face of a cosmetic brand.

Honestly, did he have a skincare regime prior to becoming the face of Lancôme Homme?

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t really,” he says with a laugh. “I use much more now. Besides, in the last few years, things have changed. Men have started to care about and protect their skin, and they are much more comfortable with it.”

Anyway, he jokes that at 43, it’s about time he started.

That the Oscar-nominated actor, who is known for portraying complex characters, agreed to be featured in a cosmetics campaign might come as a surprise to many.

Indeed, his body of work does not suggest an inclination towards projects that appeal to the masses.

While he may have starred opposite Hollywood leading ladies like Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston, the films Closer – for which he received a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar – and Derailed are a far cry from typical Hollywood fare.

Soon we shall see him as Sir Walter Raleigh in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

The chosen one: Clive Owen is the face of Lancôme’s anti-ageing skincare line, Lancôme Men, as well as its new men’s fragrance, Hypnôse Homme.

For Owen, the guiding principle has always been to pick a character that is a reflection of who he is. “If I have to play a character that people wanted me to, then it would not be me,” he says.

Owen, however, says he knew it was the right project for him once he saw the quality of the campaign. Especially since the print ads and commercials were in line with the dark and subtle characters many associate him with.

“It’s very in keeping with what I’ve been doing,” he says. “The campaign is classy and everything produced is of high calibre. I feel confident and comfortable, and am flattered to have been asked to do this.”

It was his meticulous selection of roles that led to Lancôme selecting him as their spokesman. One of the draws of the campaign was that he would have the opportunity to work with Wong Kar Wai, who directed the TV Lancôme ads. Owen had previously worked with the Hong Kong director in a series of commercials for BMW.

“There is no other director that I would rather have worked with on this campaign,” he says. “He is a sexual and sensual director, and is the master of restrained sexuality. In the Mood of Love is one of the coolest films I have ever seen. He is incredibly specific, and the nuances in the ad are incredibly specific.”

Thus rather than hurting his career as a serious actor, the ads may actually add to his appeal. That his reputation as a “dark” actor might be affected doesn’t seem to be an issue at all. “It will add to the scope of my career but I don’t think it will impact the roles I want to do.”

While he may now be the face of an anti-ageing range of products, Owen is finding greater contentment as he grows older.

“Everything seems to be getting better as I get older,” he says. “I am comfortable with ageing and I feel that it is the best time of my life,” he says.

Actor: Clive Owen, with Julia Roberts, in Closer. It is Owen’s meticulous selection of roles that led to Lancôme selecting him as their spokesman.

Owen is also keen to emphasise that he is just a regular guy. He keeps fit by going to the gym. He loves horse-back riding and is big fan of football, supporting Liverpool.

Very much a family man, Owen has been married for 12 years and has two daughters aged six and nine. He met his wife Sarah-Jane Fenton while appearing in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet.

“I am lucky to have an amazing wife and family,” he says. “All this wouldn’t mean anything if I didn’t have family to share it with.”

In fact, it is this down-to-earth quality that makes Owen appealing to all. It is also something that translates to his perception of what makes someone beautiful.

“It’s not just about looks,” he says. “It’s about who the person is. And it is not about trying to hold on desperately to your age. You should embrace ageing.”

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