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Minnie Driver (born January 31, 1970) is an Emmy-, BAFTA and Academy Award-nominated English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.

Early life

Driver was born Amelia Fiona J. Driver in London, the daughter of Gaynor Churchward (née Millington), a designer and former couture model, and Ronnie Driver, a businessman. Her sister, Kate Driver, is a model and producer. Driver has Scottish, Italian and French ancestry. Driver's mother was her father's mistress, and Driver's father's wife was not aware of his other family. She was raised in Barbados, and educated at Bedales school near Petersfield, Hampshire, England, and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Acting career

Before receiving worldwide recognition, she appeared on British television with renowned comedians such as Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci among others. Driver first came to broad public attention when she played the lead role in Circle of Friends and in 1997 in Good Will Hunting. In 2003 and 2004, she had a noted recurring role on Will & Grace as Lorraine Finster, the nemesis of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) and daughter of Karen's lover, Lyle Finster (John Cleese). Driver has also worked on several animated features, including Disney's 1999 version of Tarzan and the 1999 dubbed-English version of the Japanese film Princess Mononoke.

On March 12, 2007, Driver made her return to television starring alongside Eddie Izzard on the FX Network show The Riches, a series about a family of Travellers living in an upscale gated community in the suburbs. She was nominated for the 2007 Emmy Award as Best Actress in a Dramatic Series.

Music career

Early in her career Driver was a member of a band called "Puff, Rocks and Brown"; the band was signed to a development deal with Island Records, which ended without a release.

She began a low-profile return to music in 2000; the following year, she signed with EMI and Rounder Records and performed at SXSW. Canadian music producer Colin Craig assisted in the eventual release of Everything I've Got in My Pocket, which reached No. 43 in the UK, and a second single, "Invisible Girl" peaking at No. 68. The album was backed by a group including members of the Wallflowers and Pete Yorn's band. Driver wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the album and also covered "Hungry Heart" from Bruce Springsteen's The River. In 2004, Driver was the support act for the Finn Brothers on the UK portion of their world tour.

In 2004, Driver played Carlotta Giudicelli in Joel Schumacher's film of The Phantom of the Opera. Because of the vocal requirements of the role, Driver was the sole cast member to have her voice dubbed. However, she did lend her own voice to Learn to be Lonely, a song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber specifically for the film version of his musical (it plays over the closing credits of the movie). Driver released her second album entitled Seastories on July 17, 2007. The 12-track set is produced by Marc "Doc" Dauer, who also produced Everything I've Got in My Pocket. Ryan Adams and Liz Phair are among the list of collaborators for the album.

Personal life

Driver has been linked romantically with several of her costars, including John Cusack, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon. A false rumour circulated that Driver found out that Damon had broken up with her when he announced it on The Oprah Winfrey Show —a version of events that both Damon and Driver have repeatedly denied. Driver was engaged to marry Brolin before a sudden breakup in 2001. Driver has said her relationship with Brolin's stepmother, Barbra Streisand, was difficult. On March 13, 2008, during an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, she announced that she is currently expecting her first child in August. This announcement ended weeks of speculation that she was pregnant. Minnie is also cousin to American singer/songwriter/actor Josh Driver.