Clive Owen is derailed

Clive Owen is far too much of a gentleman to divulge intimate details of Jennifer Aniston's anguish while filming their latest film, Derailed. But he is fiercely protective of her and makes no secret of where his sympathies lie in the Pitt-Aniston bust-up Owen on Aniston Owen on married life and privacy Owen on losing the Bond race Owen on Derailed Owen on being a sex symbol

Owen on Aniston
'She's a lovely lady' he says. 'She's extremely generous, very loving, and entirely professional on the set. Very grounded.'

It might sound like typical Hollywood back-slapping but Owen - all six feet two inches of him - is obviously sincere. 'Considering all that she was going through at the time, all I thought was that others would have cracked. And Jen didn't. She was a joy to work with, and if there was any hurt there, well, it never showed at all.'

Aniston was obviously much influenced by comments about the 'Owen charm' from Julia Roberts, with whom he worked on the film Closer. He colours a little and shuffles in his chair. 'I did hear that Julia was very complimentary about me to Jennifer,' he says. 'Did she recommend me for the role in Derailed? I don't know about that - but all I can say is very nice things about her in return!'

He says: 'I was always a big fan of Jennifer when she was in Friends. Her sense of comic timing is second to none. Working with her at close hand made me realise what a fine dramatic actress she was as well. She moved from Friends into a totally different discipline with ease, which demonstrates what a versatile actress she is.'

Owen on married life and privacy
Clive is married to actress Sarah-Jane Fenton, and has two daughters, Hannah and Eve. 'I met my wife when we were at drama school together, back in 1988. She was playing Juliet to my Romeo, in a production at the Young Vic, and it was instant, we just clicked. It just doesn't get any more schmaltzy than that, does it? You couldn't make it up - but it's true.'

They married a few years later, and are about as un-showbiz a couple as you'll find, shunning the celebrity circuit, and preferring to stay with their children in their North London home.

'A lot of the work I do these days is in the States, but I've no intention of relocating there permanently. Home is here in the UK. I go where the work is - wherever it may be.'