Faces: KEELEY HAWES

Americans may have never heard of Keeley Hawes… well not yet anyhow, but I bet a lot of you have heard her voice. That is because my geeky Internet surfing friends, Keeley Hawes was/is the voice of the sexiest video game babe ever… Lara Croft (the babe from the Tomb Raider games).

Here in the UK though we know Keeley as the face of Boot’s No. 7 cosmetics as well as from her many television roles… but something tells me 2008 is going to be the year Keeley goes mainstream in the UK, and maybe even the year that Keeley goes Hollywood!

Yes I predict 2008 will be the year of the Keeley here in the UK. Sure she has made ripples in the past as Zoe Reynolds in the wonderful MI5 drama Spooks, but now thanks to Ashes to Ashes, the spin-off of the sci-fi cop drama Life on Mars, Keeley is making waves, and home-perming kits a must have medicine cabinet accessory again. Keeley even showed up during Cbeebies bedtime hour a couple of weeks ago to read the kiddies a bed time story (it was a wonderful tale about a girl who doesn’t like peas).

Later this year admirers of this stunning beauty from London town will get even more Keeley to watch, for Ms Hawes has been a very busy girl the past few months, doing work not only for television (Ashes to Ashes and Mutual Friends), as well as work for the big screen (The Bank Job and Flashbacks of a Fool)… not to mention another Tomb Raider game for my geeky video game loving friends.

UPDATE *8/Sep/2008*

Following on from her big screen adventures in The Bank Job and Flashbacks of a Fool earlier in the year, the gorgeous Keeley can now be seen in the BBC1 dramedy, Mutual Friends.

UPDATE 23/April/2009

Keeley is back on our screens and looking FANTASTIC in series 2 of the BBC sci-fi drama Ashes to Ashes now which began Monday.

Mutual Friends: Introducing Patrick

Yes I know he looks like the guy from the Pimm’s ads… probably because he is, but Patrick is so much more:

• Patrick is one of those men for whom everything just seems to work out.
• Patrick’s natural charm, wit and insouciance have enabled him to avoid confronting adult responsibility almost entirely.
• Patrick one of those people who’s kidding himself that he’s still in his early twenties.
• Patrick’s He’s still very happy to be sleeping with three different women a week – it doesn’t bother him at all – while his friends have all settled down and had children.
• Patrick has a flash E-Type Jaguar convertible…. cool!
• Patrick  appeals to the inner child in us all, making us slightly envious.
• Patrick’s ex-business partner has also stolen his girlfriend (more on her later).
• Patrick is Martin’s best friend.
• Patrick is played by the wonderful actor Alexander Armstrong.

Mutual Friends: Introducing Jen

Continuing my look at the characters in the wonderful new BBC1 dramedy Mutual Friends this week I thought I would introduce you to Jen…

Meet Jen Grantham

• Jen is married to Martin… apparently for fifteen years, hard to believe as Keeley Hawes is only just in her thirties.
• Jen has one son, Daniel.
• Jen slept with her best friend’s husband – who also happens to be her husband’s best friend.
• Jen is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
• Jen has a constant, nagging sense that things ought to be better.
• Jen blames everyone else and usually Martin for her little indiscretion.
• Jen asks Martin not to tell anybody about her affair because the people it involves are close friends so it would destroy all the friendships.
• Jen’s affair though is exposed, by someone quite unexpected.
• Jen is played by OtB favourite Keeley Hawes.

Mutual Friends: Introducing Martin

Mutual Friends the wonderful new BBC1 drama/comedy about a group of 30-something friends finally arrived to our televisions on Tuesday, and it was wonderful. So to celebrate I thought I would introduce you all to our Mutual Friends.

Meet Martin Grantham

• Martin is a lawyer.
• He has a wife Jen (we will meet her later) and a son named Dan.
• Martin is a series of contradictions, not least because he himself dislikes inconsistency.
• Martin is neurotic, yet smug.
• Martin is a control freak whose life is dictated to him by others notably his wife and his boss.
• Martin thinks he’s cleverer than everyone, but can’t stop telling himself so – so he’s not that clever.
• Martin is a bright under-achiever, he has married above himself, but then took his wife for granted.
• Martin constantly tries to do the right thing and is left confused and distressed when it turns out that doing all these doesn’t stop things from going wrong.
• Martin is a beta male who worries about everything and is slightly neurotic and anal.
• Martin’s glass is always half empty.
• Martin’s mutual friends is Patrick, who’s a bit of a womaniser.
• Martin had a mutual friend called Carl, but he committed suicide.
• Martin’s wife slept with Carl.
• Martin is played by the superb actor Marc Warren.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE BBC PRESS OFFICE

About Marc Warren

Marc Warren (born 20 March 1967) is an English actor probably best known for his role as Danny Blue in the 2004 British TV series Hustle. Warren is also known for his roles as Dougie Raymond in the hard hitting British television series The Viceand Albert Blithe in HBO’s blockbuster mini-series Band of Brothers. He first appeared on television in the long running British television series Grange Hill. In June 2006 he played the character of Elton Pope in an episode of Doctor Who titled “Love & Monsters”. This was a return to the show for Warren, as one of his earliest TV roles was as an uncredited extra in the 1989 Doctor Who story “Battlefield”. In December 2006 he appeared as the crazed assassin Mr. Teatime in Sky One’s adaptation of Hogfatherby Terry Pratchett. The same month he played Count Dracula in a new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel, produced by ITV Productions for BBC Wales.  In 2007 he appeared as casino-operating villain Tony Crane in the second series of BBC drama Life on Mars. In January 2008 Warren starred in the Messiah series (“Messiah V: The Rapture”) taking over the main role from Ken Stott. He played a small role as member of The Fraternity “the repairman” in the 2008 U.S. film Wanted.

INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THE WIKIPEDIA.ORG WEBSITE

If you would like to know more about Marc Warren and get some background information on his role in Mutual Friends see the Timesonline article; Marc Warren talks about his career and latest role in the new BBC comedy drama Mutual Friends.