"Obviously he's gorgeous. But he's so bright, and he has an innate goodness about him," says Alfie costar Susan Sarandon of Law (with his kids, from left, Rafferty, Rudy and Iris). Photo by: Stuart Atkins / REX |
The intense focus on his work coincided with a low point in Law's life: his divorce from British fashion designer Sadie Frost, 39, whom he had married at age 24. Unlike the lothario he plays in
Alfie, "I would say that if you look at my life, I was someone who always looked for commitment," he says. "That's just in my make-up." He remains devoted to their children Rafferty, 8, Iris, 4, and Rudy, 2. "He goes to great lengths to be with them," says his good friend Gwyneth Paltrow, his costar in
Sky Captain. "After he hosted
Saturday Night Live, he flew all night to get to his daughter's birthday party. Every free minute he gets, he's with his kids."
The children spent a lot of time on the Alfie set, says the film's director Charles Shyer. "I think Jude's got his priorities in line. Relationships are everything to him." It was in Shyer's living room that Law first met Sienna Miller, 22, his
Alfie costar and now his girlfriend. "They were very discreet," says Shyer. "They're both very solid people. They're good for each other. She's a remarkably sophisticated young woman who's very secure in who she is." That's an important asset, considering that the couple have been hounded by London tabloids that have scrutinized their relationship. "We love each other desperately," Miller told British
Vogue, "and it makes me sad that the press are so cruel and negative."