Jude Law has admitted feeling "frustrated" by the objectification he faced in his early career.
The 51-year-old actor first gained attention as a Hollywood heartthrob, starring in films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Alfie, and the holiday romcom The Holiday.
In a recent interview with Variety, Law opened up about his concerns when he was cast as the charismatic playboy Dickie in The Talented Mr. Ripley, fearing the role might prevent him from being taken seriously in the industry.
Reflecting on that time, he highlighted a double standard in the way he was objectified, suggesting there would have been outrage if he had been a woman.
He said: “Interestingly, I was talking about this to a friend, he made a good point. He said: ‘If you were a woman, people would have been told off for objectifying you.’
“I think it frustrated me because I was this young guy desperately keen to have an acting career and for people to talk about that, as opposed to what I looked like.”
One instance of this objectification occurred during his 2004 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The host remarked: “I know you hear all the time just how handsome you are” and then revealed: “When men go get their lips redone with plastic surgeons, your lips are the most requested. Did you know that?”
Law looked visibly taken aback, responding: “It’s kind of staggering that men go and get their lips redone, isn’t it?”
The comedian then asked the cameraman to zoom in on his lips, leaving the British star trying to suppress his laughter.
In the same interview, Law shared that he has "moved on" from his time with Sienna Miller.
The pair ended their engagement in 2006 after his affair with his children’s nanny, Daisy Wright, became public in 2005. Reflecting on the ordeal in 2020, Miller admitted the scandal was "really hard" for her.
Speaking about their engagement now, Law said: “That time is now over, and I've moved on from it. And so has, fortunately, the attention of the photographers and the prying eyes on me.
“But I’ve had to learn to live in a certain way that keeps them at bay. And I have to handle my kids’ and my partner’s privacy in the same way.”
The Alfie actor is set to star in the action thriller The Order, debuting on Prime Video this December.
The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, features Law as an agent facing off against the real-life white supremacist group, The Order.
The movie also stars Alison Oliver, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, and Nicholas Hoult.
