British actress and producer, 1971-
With a name that reads kinda like Ford Prefect, it gives the impression that her parents had a wry sense of humour when they named her. But, no. Minnie was born as Amelia Driver on January 31st, 1971 to Ronnie Driver, a financier, and Gaynor Driver, an interior designer and former model. The name Minnie is thanks to her sister's childhood inability to pronounce Amelia.
Being the youngest daughter of a wealthy businessman, Minnie endured a public school education at Badales School in Petersfeild followed by The Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London which led to her first major acting role in God On The Rocks, a TV film for Channel 4 in 1990.
A number of other television roles beckoned before her big-screen debut in 1995, opposite Chris O'Donnel in the romantic drama Circle Of Friends. Her filmography highlights also include Sleepers (1996), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Hard Rain (1998), High Heels and Lowlifes (2001) and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it singing and dancing role behind Robbie Coltrane in GoldenEye (1995). She also provided the voice of Jane in Disney's Tarzan and said "I farted once on the set of Blue Lagoon" as Brooke Shields for South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
Her numerous minor British TV appearances include Casualty, Lovejoy, Murder Most Horrid, The Day Today and an unforgettably hilarious role as Daniella Forest, a transsexual sex columnist on Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partidge.
With her older sister, Kate, she set up Two Drivers Productions and co-produced the films Beautiful (which they both appear in), Christian Ford's independent thriller Slow Burn and John Huddles' At Sachem Farm.
"...You get to meet really cool people. You get to hang out with technicians. You get to learn a craft other than your own. If I wanted to be a director one day, I could have no better training than the training I've been having for the past four years. That's incredible."
- Minnie on the extra-curricular benefits of acting.
here comes the cheesey showbiz gossip bit that you can find sliming across the pages of probably a billion celebrity worship magazines. my apologies.
Now living in Los Angeles, Minnie has previously been romantically linked to John Cusack and Matt Damon, up until he ceremoniously dumped her while on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Which, if you ask me, makes Matt Damon something akin to complete bastard, but that's just my opinion. In April 2001, she was engaged to Josh Brolin but the relationship lasted an impressive seven months before they broke up in October.
research thanks cannon
http://www.imdb.com (as always)
http://cosmo.women.com (quotes)