They made your hands clammy, your knees quiver and sent your hormones spinning when you were a dyke-in-training. It’s time to pay homage at the altar of dyke icons. From Derek Jarman's muse to red carpet glory at the Oscars, this actress is always one step ahead.
Name:
Katherine Mathilda Swinton.
Also known as:
Best Supporting Actress; the one who looks a bit like an alien; the one who plays men and women.
Not to be confused with:
An angel or an alien.
Last seen:
Looking completely embarrassed by all the attention she's attracted by winning the 2008 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her turn in Michael Clayton.
Best feature:
It's a toss up between her extreme gingeryness and her commitment to her art.
Candy Bar or Kenric?
Neither, it's likely that Swinton would eschew such places in favour of an intimate gathering at an upscale art gallery, or an evening studying classical French poetry in front of a roaring fire in her library. In short, she's highbrow, baby!
Most likely to:
Maintain her integrity whilst working in a business that is famous for lacking that very quality.
Least likely to:
Marry a cosmetic surgeon.
Is she a sista?
This question seems quaintly irrelevant given that Swinton currently maintains an unorthodox set of relationships with two blokes. As the unwitting poster girl for polyamory, you could say that Swinton is beyond such mundane concerns as gay or straight. In addition, she's renowned for playing edgy, gender-defying roles, was once the best friend of queer film legend Derek Jarman, and it wouldn't surprise anyone to hear that she might have been into the ladies at some point in her life.
Phwoarrr rating?
Pretty high, but is she beautiful? Is she weird-looking? Sometimes it's hard to say.
Do mention:
Born into privilege (she went to the same school as Diana, Princess of Wales) Swinton seems to have rejected the expectations that might have been thrust upon her because of her class. Instead, she became part of the bohemian art set that included Derek Jarman, Andrew Logan and later members of London's punk scene. This led to early forays onto the stage and screen as Jarman's muse and as a performance artist.
Finding critical success in Sally Potter's Orlando, Swinton has moved further towards the mainstream as she's become older, with a string of outstanding performances in such diverse films as Thumbsucker, The Chronicles of Narnia and now Michael Clayton.
Don't mention:
That black dress. Catch Tilda's Oscar-winning turn in Michael Clayton. Buy the DVD online and save money!