Saffron Burrows & Fiona Shaw		Articles/Text Add info
Daily Mail, May 13th, 2004: (excerpt from article) "They seem to be very much in love" On Monday night Saffron Burrows took her place among Hollywood's elite as she joined Brad Pitt, his wife Jennifer Aniston and Orlando Bloom at the New York premiere of Troy, the epic blockbuster about to open in Britain. She certainly looked every inch a film goddess on the night, wearing a modern designer version of a Greek toga. The only thing missing, however, was Saffron's long-term partner and the person she has come to regard as the love of her life - celebrated stage and screen actress Fiona Shaw. Fiona, 45, who plays Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter films, has similarly been omitted from any interviews Saffron has given to publicise the new film. And unlike other partners of the film's stars, she will not be by Saffron's side when she walks down the red carpet for Troy's official world premiere in Cannes tonight. Instead, 31-year-old Saffron has done her best to keep the relationship hidden. "I don't think who I sleep with is of any interest to anyone," she said when asked about her love life this week. "I have a beautiful life and it is precious and private. I am terribly happy. 'That is all." Now she seems to have found contentment: she and Fiona Shaw live together in a £500,000 penthouse flat in Clerkenwell, central London. "Saffron and Fiona have been here for some time," said one neighbour. "They are a lovely couple, very friendly, but I don't see much of them because they are busy with work or out socialising together." ............... One of her next jobs was a small role as a model in top British director Mike Figgis's film One Night Stand, in 1997. Within a few months Figgis - who is more than 20 years older than Saffron - had separated from his wife Bienchen Ohly. But their relationship was never conventional. Even while they were still together, she admitted she generally preferred women to men. "If I was going to make a broad generalisation," she said, "I'd say that I prefer the company of women. People know now that I live with Mike Figgis, but I prefer not to talk about it. " The biggest upheaval in her relationship with Figgis came at the start of 2002 when she started rehearsals for a stage adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's novel about lesbian love, The PowerBook, which co-starred Fiona Shaw. Within a few weeks, Saffron had moved out of Figgis's Islington flat and temporarily moved in with Fiona who, until then, had been linked with the show's producer Deborah Warner. In an emotional interview, Figgis made it clear he was heartbroken. Fifteen years older than Saffron, Fiona has the kind of acting kudos that her younger lover can only dream of. Awarded a CBE three years ago, she has won countless theatre awards and has an impressive film background ranging from My Left Foot to Three Men And A Little Lady. And there is no doubt that since they have been a couple, Saffron's career has finally moved up a notch. Her personal life, too, seems more stable than it has been for many years. "It is a very calm relationship," said one friend last night. "Saffron is pretty excitable, while Fiona is older and wiser. They seem to be very much in love. They are always laughing together and are completely at ease in each other's company."