To prepare for the role, Law read the complete works of Kierkagaard and a play by Sartre. "I did it for very selfish reasons. I left school early and it's a hang-up of mine - I feel better if I can learn and devour as much information about the world that the director or writer has created. Then, I can relax and operate within it comfortably," says Law, who quit high school at age 16 after landing a role on a television soap opera. "I'm not a great believer of becoming the part and staying in the part. But, I am a believer in learning and understanding. The film I did after, I was playing the saxophone. It was just a good excuse to learn [and] someone was paying for me to learn the saxophone and they taught me to sail, too. I said, great, get me a boat. I'm not just going to act."

That film, "The Talented Mr. Ripley" with Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow will open later this summer. At 26, Jude Law, who was born in London, where he started working at the National Youth Music Theatre when he was 14, has been touted as the next big thing in many Hollywood quarters. His appearance as Oscar Wilde's lover in "Wilde," as the sexy, violent Savannah hustler in Clint Eastwood's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and the embittered paraplegic opposite Ethan Hawke in "Gattica," has made Law a hot, sought-after talent. But, the handsome, young actor claims that the hype hasn't really affected his choices when it comes to work.

"I'm at a different point now although I don't quite know why. It's never affected me in the past. I usually go for stuff that I like as a part and I think that's going to be a bit of a challenge. I'm all for challenge at the moment. I've got years to do easy walk on parts and get paid loads of money for it, if that ever arise," he says. "But, right now, I want to do stuff that stretch me. If being the next big thing opens the door to doing good parts then, I'm delighted to be the next big thing. And, working with big directors, then that's great by me."

Law got his first brush with the intense spotlight of fame in Italy last summer while working with his American co-stars and says he feels lucky that he's British and can retreat.

"Well, first of all, I couldn't have had a better person to meet because Matt is a real gentleman and a sweet down-to-earth nice guy, really. And, he's great to work with because he's such a hard worker. If anything -he'd say so himself - fame kind of gets in the way. He's just an actor from Boston and he writes a bit and he's good. Suddenly, all this [makes hurricane sound] starts going on, it gives you a lot of pressure, you know.

"Poor Matt. He was so embarrassed that paparazzi would follow him around and get in the way of filming - the only time I saw him get angry - we'd be doing this intense scene in the middle of the ocean and boats would be passing by. And, with Gwyneth, it was much the same. To be honest, she found it all a little bit - they deal with it brilliantly. I was in awe because it is something that's really alien to me

"Unless, you go for it in England, they won't make you the new big thing. They'll take pleasure in knocking you down, if you came to be. Great pleasure! And, they'll take photos, too," he says laughing. "They don't revel in the fact that you have a new chapter in your life because you have a lot of money and acclaim - which is kind of unfair. But, I think they expect you to still be one of the lads or girls - which is nice.

"A friend of mine is in the band, Oasis and he's now worth 56 million pounds and he grew up on a counsel estate. How could he possibly be the same person? They have a go at him because he drives a Rolls Royce. They have a problem with success. They give sports heroes are hard time and yet, someone who just made an effort, they'll say, 'oh, isn't he great.' I don't know. It's this kind of self-denial things - which I hate. If someone does well, relish it and encourage it."

Law admits that he hasn't talked to best friend, Ewan McGregor about fame, either because it's too ackward. "You don't wanna say, 'Come on, mate. What's it going to be like? Are you prepared? Because you don't want to be aware of it and you also don't want to bring it up and put the fear of God in him. I think there's a side of him that can't wait - it's a very exciting year. But, I also think there's a side of him that's kind of fearful because you lose a lot of your privacy because it's all gone. It puts pressure on your family, too because you're in the spotlight.

"You know what I mean when I say we haven't really talked about it. I'll say, I saw your trailer but I wouldn't say are you ready? He probably needs to hear that from a friend. It's quite intimidating, really. The amount of interest already in the film is unbelieveable. God! Like wow! I can really feel it - especially here. I'd want to hear it from him because you can't just say, it won't affect me because it will somehow."

He has thought about his future in this business. After subsequently appearing on stage in the West End and with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and making his feature film debut in "Shopping," Law decided to form his own production company in 1995. The London-based company, Natural Nylon is a co-operated with his wife, Sadie Frost, McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller and Sean Pertwee. Natural Nylon co-produced "eXistenZ" and will begin work on their first feature, "Nora" starring McGregor this month. There are six other projects slated.

Meanwhile, he's taken a break since the end of last year to spend time with his family. "Sadie's doing a film with Lauren Bacall and Harvey Keitel and running her own clothing design company called 'Frost French,' but mostly, she's been busy having babies," he says proudly. "We've got two boys."