Ralph pays tribute to Minghella - Mar 19 2008
Ralph Fiennes has paid tribute to director Anthony Minghella, who has died aged 54.

Ralph, who starred in Anthony's film The English Patient, said: "I am devastated and shocked to hear of Anthony Minghella's death."

He added: "Anthony possessed a sensitivity and alertness to the actor's process that very few directors have. He directed most of The English Patient with an ankle in plaster, never losing his gentle humour and precision.

"He delighted in the contribution of everyone - he was a true collaborator. His films deal with extreme aloneness and the redemptive power of love, even at the moment of death. I will remember him as a man who always wanted to get to the heart of the matter."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown also paid tribute.

He said: "I was deeply saddened to be told of Anthony's death. My thoughts are with his wife, Carolyn, his children Max and Hannah, and his other family and friends.

"He was one of Britain's greatest creative talents, one of our finest screenwriters and directors, a great champion of the British film industry, and an expert on literature and opera. I counted him as a great friend, as did Sarah and our family. He will be deeply missed, but his contribution to British culture will be remembered for many years to come."

Ralph caused a splash in Belgium - Mar 6 2007
Ralph Fiennes is in hot water again over his sexual conquests, it seems - this time he was apparently caught naked in his hotel pool with four young women.

The 44-year-old - who had already caused a storm after an air stewardess sold her story about their liaison in an aeroplane toilet - woke other guests at a Bruges hotel who then complained to the manager, according to the Sun.

The paper reports that the Oscar-nominated star stripped off and jumped into the pool with other actors and the girls, all in their 20s, after drinking in the hotel bar.

The manager, Patricia Homble, told the paper: "I wasn’t happy about it."

A hotel guest added: "There was a lot of screaming, shouting and loud music."

A representative for the actor, who is staying at Hotel Tuilerieen whilst filming comedy In Bruges in the city, declined to comment.

Fiennes incident loses air hostess job - Feb 19 2007
Qantas has fired a flight attendant who gave a detailed account of a mid-air tryst with Ralph Fiennes in a toilet cubicle to a newspaper.

The Australian airline had earlier suspended Lisa Robertson pending an investigation into reports she had sex with the actor during a flight from Darwin to Mumbai, India, on January 24.

Qantas said in a statement that her employment contract had been terminated.

The statement came a day after Lisa’s account of a fling with the Oscar nominee on board the flight and later at a hotel in India was published in a Sunday newspaper.

The actor has not commented on the incident, but spokeswoman Sara Keene was quoted as saying in News Ltd papers that the British actor was seduced by the airline stewardess.

"She initiated the encounter," the spokeswoman was quoted as saying. "She was the sexual aggressor."

Romance for Ralph and Ellen? - Nov 29 2006
Rumours of a budding romance between Ralph Fiennes and stunning US actress Ellen Barkin have been fuelled by reports that the twosome enjoyed a romantic evening in New York recently.