‘Hollywood’s a hungry machine,” says Jude Law, snarling, with eyebrows raised, the syllables rolling off his tongue with relish. “Always looking for the new kid on the block.” He shrugs. There was a stretch, at the turn of the century, when Law was that new kid — in The Talented Mr Ripley, Closer, Cold Mountain, Road to Perdition and AI.
And then came the 2004 remake of Alfie, which bombed, and for which the actor says he was probably paid too much ($8 million). A year later Law became the butt of a Chris Rock joke at the Oscars, as the comedian compared him unfavourably with Tom Cruise: “Why is he in every movie I’ve seen in the last four
