Sean Bean: one of the most sought after British actors; cast in such roles as '006' in 'Goldeneye', Sean Miller in 'Patriot Games', and one of his more recent roles as Boromir in the first part of 'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.'

But how did it all start? Was Sean a great talent when he was a school?

'He was a very quiet, shy little boy who avoided the spotlight at all times,' said Ted Danson one of Sean's teachers.

Infact Sean didn't even think about acting until he got to college. At school he was never in any school plays and he didn't like drama. When he left school he agreed to join the family's welding business.

His father sent Sean on a training course at the local college, but Sean dropped out of it almost immediately and joined the art course instead. That was when he discovered drama.

'As soon as he was performing he absolutely shone. He had inuitive presence.' Tutor Paul Daniels.

Soon after Sean applied for a place at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he got in after besting off 11,000 others.

He spent the next few years performing in various plays with the RADA, including Romeo and Juliet. Then he landed a part in his first film, 'Winterflight.' Soon after he managed to get the part of Richard Sharpe in the Napoleonic war-time drama 'Sharpe.'

Over the years Sean Bean managed to get quite a few leading roles under his belt, and with that became a very well known actor.

No role, however could have prepared him for one of the most awaited films of 2001, the trilogy they're calling the new Star Wars, 'The Lord of the Rings.'

'It was quite an undertaking. It was a large part of my life spent on The Lord of the Rings,' says Sean.

Sean Bean plays Boromir, eldest son of Denethor who is the Steward of Gondor. Boromir, is a human, he is a great warrior and is Captain of the Tower Guard and is respected greatly throughout the city of Minas Tirith.

'Boromir has a vulnerability and many insecurities,' says Sean when describing Boromir.

Before filming of 'The Lord of the Rings' could begin, Sean Bean when along with the rest of the cast went on a five week training course to prepare them for all the action scenes and stunts they had to endure.

'Sean Bean is so determinded, he has so much stamina!' Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) on Sean Bean as Boromir.

It took 16months to film all three films in sequence. Sean Bean was only in New Zealand for 12 months of the filming as he character is mainly in the first film, 'The Fellowship of the Ring.'

But Boromir is set to return in 'The Two Towers,' the second part of the trilogy, as a flashback in his brother, Faramir's, dream.

43 last April, Sean is currently working on some new projects. After twelve years of break from the stage, Sean returns this Autumn as Macbeth.

There has been much publicity about the stage production on the internet; fans of Macbeth and Sean are sure to be flocking to the Milton Keynes theatre before its West End run.

Recently Sean joined the board of directors at Sheffield United football club. Sean is a lifelong 'Blade' and proudly sport the tatoo '100% Blade' on his upper left arm.

'Sean is excited about our plans for the future of the club-we are delighted that another true Blade has joined the board of the football club,' says Kevin McCabe acting chairman of Sheffield United plc.

Sean showed his love for the club in 1996 by starring in the film 'When Saturday Come.' The film is about Jimmy Muir (Sean Bean) who dreams of becoming a player for Sheffield United, but old habits let him down and it looks like his hopes have been shattered by it, will his dreams ever come true?

But Sean doesn't just love football, he also loves Shakespeare and reading poetry. He showed his for poetry at a small charity event this year. He read the poems 'Money' and 'Dockery and Son' by Philip Larkin. He read alongside fellow actors Edward Fox, Simon Williams, Eleanor Bron and Julian Glover.

He is also well known for his 'bad guy' roles which he takes on. The most well known is him as Alec Trevelyan or 006 in the James Bond films 'Goldeneye.'

Along side Pierce Brosnan (007), Sean Bean plays a '00' agent gone bad. Thought to be dead, Alec steals the weapon 'Goldeneye' to try and destroy London. Before doing so he wants to transfer all the money out of the Bank of England via computer. James Bond is set the task of stopping Alec, before the whole of London is destroyed. But, Alec, being an ex-agent knows all the moves and it looks like this time James Bond won't save the world.

Expect to see Sean in the films 'Tom and Thomas,' in 2003, 'The Big Empty' 2003 (TBC) and 'The Two Towers' December 2002.