In her acceptance speech, she said she would give the Oscar she won for Michael Clayton (2007) to her agent Brian Swardstrom.

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival 1988.

On her days off from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), she could be seen on-set, offering encouragement to her young co-stars.

Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003.

Functioned as the muse and mascot of Dutch fashion designers Viktor and Rolf, who made an entire collection inspired by her (2003).

Does not always play women; she has played Mozart on stage, an Elizabethan nobleman in Orlando (1992) and an androgynous angel, Gabriel, in Constantine (2005).

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004

Delivered the seminal State of Cinema Address in 2006 at the San Francisco International Film Festival, discussing the relationship of dreams, inarticulacy and film.

Gave birth to twins, a daughter named Honor Byrne and a son named Xavier Byrne, in 1997.

Won the Venice Film Festival award for Edward II (1991).

Reached great artistic acclaim through her art installation/performance piece "The Maybe", for which she lay sleeping in a glass case on public display for a week, once at the Sepentine Gallery in London and once at the Museo Barracco in Rome. The piece is often erroneously credited to artist Cornelia Parker, whom Swinton invited to collaborate for the installation in London (1995).

While at Cambridge University, she appeared in student productions of plays such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Duchess of Malfi" and "The Comedy of Errors".

Since 2004, she has been in a relationship with Sandro Kopp, a painter from New Zealand. She continues to live, platonically, with John Byrne, with whom she brings up their two children.

Has three brothers.

Spent two years in South Africa and Kenya as a voluntary worker in children's schools, before studying at Cambridge.

Member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 1998.

Was declared one of the ten best dressed women in the world by Vanity Fair in 2007.

In the top ten of the 2008 International Best-Dressed List.

Can trace her paternal ancestry back 35 generations, to the ninth century. Her father, Major-General Sir John Swinton, is the former head of The Queen`s Household Division and Lord-Lieutenant of Berwickshire.

Lived in Germany when she was a child because her father was posted there.

Attended West Heath Girls` School, with Princess Diana as one of her classmates, and later Fettes College.

The father of her children, John Byrne, is a Scottish artist and writer.

Her family is one of the oldest in Scotland.

Daughter of Major-General Sir John Swinton, whose ancestral home has been within the family since the 9th century.

Has 3 brothers.

Mother is Australian.

Lives an hour north of Inverness in Scotland, with John Byrne and their 2 children, Xavier and Honor.