Full name: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone
Occupation: singer, songwriter, actress, record producer
Date of birth: 16 August 1958
Birthplace: Bay City, Michigan

Singer, songwriter, and actress whose eroticism, determination, and provocative concert performances have brought her huge commercial success and made her a pop icon. Her albums include Madonna (1983), Like a Virgin (1984), Bedtime Stories (1995), Like a Prayer, Ray of Light, Music, two Greatest Hits albums and many more. Her films include Desperately Seeking Susan (1986), the critically acclaimed Evita (1996), and The Next Best Thing (2000).

Facts about Madonna:

Madonna and her Maverick Films partner Guy Oseary are set to remake George Bernard Shaw classic PYGMALION and set it in South America. (September 2002)

Madonna's title theme - which they claim isn't even finished - for the next James Bond adventure, DIE ANOTHER DAY, has been leaked to radio stations across the country. (October 3, 2002)

Has demanded her character be made a lesbian in the new James Bond film Die Another Day because she didn't even get to kiss the suave spy in the script.

She had her first rape encounter at 14.

Has angered London's theatre bosses by pulling out of a much-hyped West End show.

Her movie co-stars are singing her praises - after realizing working with her was nowhere near as tough as they feared.

As of 2002, Madonna has had 15 solo albums: the debut album "Madonna" (1983); her claim to fame "Like a Virgin" (1984); "True Blue" (1986); the soundtrack "Who's That Girl" (1987); "You Can Dance", a remix album (1987); "Like a Prayer" (1989); "I'm Breathless" (1990) with music from and inspired by the movie Dick Tracy; her first greatest hits album "The Immaculate Collection" (1990); the controversial "Erotica" (1992); "Bedtime Stories" (1994); "Something to Remember", a collection of new and previously released ballads (1995); the soundtrack for the movie "Evita" (1996); "Ray of Light" (1998); "Music" (2000) and her second greatest hits collection "GHV2: Greatest Hits Volume 2" (2001).

Her life has been deemed too dull by the pop queen's fans - the Material Girl's 1988 diary has failed to sell at auction.

Her long-term spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg has quit -- she wants to move on to low key stars on the Warner Records label.

Donated the proceeds of her concerts in Los Angeles, believed to be about $1.4 million, to children orphaned in the wake of the disasters that have beset America in September 2001.

Always one to cause controversy, Madonna's racy video for "Justify My Love" was banned from MTV. She also caused a stir when her video for "Like A Prayer" was released. Although MTV didn't object to the burning crosses, Pepsi did. The much-hyped ad that the singer filmed for the cola company never aired.

Madonna and Sean Penn were approached to star together in BLIND DATE (1987), but producers wanted to cast Bruce Willis in the male lead, so Madonna backed out.

Co-wrote the theme song This Used To Be My Playground for the film A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992) in which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Campaigned for the role of Mary Corleone in THE GODFATHER: PART III (1990), and had a meeting with Coppola and Robert De Niro to discuss how to adapt the role to their ages.

(DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN (1985)) She was trying to lose weight, or rather not to gain any. So when the script called for her to be eating, she'd spit out the food at the end of the take.

Was considered for the role of Ginger in CASINO (1995), but Sharon Stone convinced director Martin Scorsese to give her the role.

Was cast in EVITA (1996) after she wrote a long and desperate letter to director Alan Parker convincing him she was perfect to play the role.

In EVITA (1996) she changed costumes 85 times, more than Elizabeth Taylor in CLEOPATRA (1963). Madonna wore 39 hats, 45 pair of shoes and 56 pairs of earrings.

(EVITA (1996) In the original album and stage play, there is a line referring to Evita as the new world Madonna with the golden touch. In the film, it was changed to she's Our Lady of the new world with the golden touch.

Was originally approached for the role which was picked up by Michelle Pfeiffer in THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS (1989). Madonna turned it down because the plot was too mushy.

Auditioned for a role in FAME (1980) but was turned down.

It was Madonna who first made America aware of Antonio Banderas. She gushed that he was the sexiest man she'd ever met and vowed to seduce him.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Rupert Everett, Donatella Versace and Sting were among the celebrities who witnessed the union of Madonna and Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle in Scotland.

A September 2000 Rolling Stone article estimated her worth as $650 million. Since then, she has released the album "Music", which sold 12 million copies, has had a 47-date sold-out worldwide tour, completed a movie, and released a greatest hits compilation.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie thrilled America last night with a comedy interview skit as part of an MTV SWEPT AWAY movie special -- film fans were treated to a hilarious 30 minutes as the couple interviewed each other, staged a mock argument and aired candid family home video footage of their kids Rocco and Lourdes on the set of the movie in Sardinia.

Grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. When the house got too small for the growing Ciccone family they moved to Rochester Hills, Michigan. Her father and step-mother still live in this house.

She grew up with seven siblings in a traditional Italian family. After her mother died, her father raised them all with a solid (sometimes strict) Catholic background.

She trained in dance and won a scholarship to the University of Michigan. She didn't finish college, though, and instead left for NYC with only $35, dance shoes and a dream.

Before she took center stage, she played the drums for a band called The Breakfast Club.

Madonna is the most successful female singer-songwriter of all time, with 33 Top Ten hits on the Billboard charts. The only artists who beat that are The Beatles and Elvis Presley.

She has two children: a daughter named Lourdes and a son named Rocco.

Has an IQ of 140.

Madonna is the most successful female chart act of all time and has enjoyed worldwide sales of 160million records.

Her love affair with all things British is still going strong — she has splashed out on a sporty Mini Cooper. Madge took delivery of the £20,000 electric blue motor — including £4,000 of luxury extras — at the end of July 2002. Her choice of the Mini — a classic British icon, despite being owned by BMW — shows just how much she feels at home in the UK.

Madonna also loves British fashion. She recently wore a red, white and blue tracksuit with Great Britain emblazoned across it, as she left a theatre in London’s West End.

Personal quotes: 

"A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That's why they don't get what they want." (from her book SEX)

"I wouldn't have turned out the way I was if I didn't have all those old-fashioned values to rebel against."

"Everyone probably thinks that I'm a raving nymphomaniac, that I have an insatiable sexual appetite, when the truth is I'd rather read a book."

"People say, 'He turned my head.' My head spun around on my body!" [of husband Guy Ritchie]- US Weekly. Issue 307.

"[My daughter Lourdes and I] listen to Britney Spears songs together." - People. 10.16.00.o

"I suppose I sometimes used to act like I wasn't a human being... Sometimes I look back at myself and remember things I used to say, or my hairstyle, and I cringe."

"Ah... zero." [on how she rates as a wife 1-10]

"There are moments when I can't believe I'm as old as I am. But I feel better physically than I did 10 years ago. I don't think, Oh God, I'm missing something." US Weekly. Issue 294.

"He's very relaxed at the table, throwing his salad around willy-nilly. I didn't find him stiff at all." [on Prince Charles]

Madonna

"Do I think she's a great performer? Yes. Do I think she's a great actress? No." [Jennifer Lopez on Madonna] Movieline.