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By Humphrey Carter KIERA Chaplain never knew her grandfather, but the 22-year-old, hailed as one of the top ten most beautiful women in the world, has certainly been blessed with Chaplin family's artistic genes.

Kiera has spent the past week mixing business with pleasure in Ibiza and is about to release a new electro-rock single; her father was musical producer for Queen, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie “I guess I'm a rock chick having grown up with all that kind of music in the background,” she said.

However, while having enjoyed great success as a singer and a model, she has turned her back on the latter, “it was just a bit of fun for a few years, it paid the rent but never really satisfied me,” she said.

Singing is also a bit of a hobby.
But modelling brought her massive acclaim, she graced the front pages of all the top magazines, including Elle, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, as well as the 2002 Pirelli calender, and modelled for likes of Vogue, Armani and Tommy Holher with David Bailey and Herb Ritts behind the lens.

It was GQ who named her the seventh most beautiful woman in the world.
But, away from the catwalk, Kiera's heart is in film. She grew up in Switzerland in Charlie Chaplin's 20-bedroom mansion. Her father, Eugine, took over the running of one of the country's largest properties following the actor's death with no clear indication as to how the family was supposed to care for the house. Two years ago she quit modelling and swapped Switzerland for Los Angeles to resurrect Charlie Chaplin's production company Limelight Films, ploughing much of her own savings into the business.

Over the years she has acted in a number of films, including The Importance of Being Earnest alongside Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. While she still plans to accept the occasional role, it is in the production office where she really wants to be.

Despite being based in Hollywood, her company's focus is not on the American market, but Europe and developing countries. “We plan to make three quality, low-budget films a year and we're looking to the new developing film markets, such as South America and Eastern Europe,” she said. “We're looking for films and directors who have a story to tell from new cultural and linguistic backgrounds that the mainstream would never entertain.” she said. “We have also just bought the libraries from 20th Century Fox and Columbia,” she added.
She knows she has a big name to live up to, but she is not afraid of filling the Chaplin shoes. “Growing up I used to get picked on quite a bit at school, but you learn to deal with it. There is no way I would ever try and shy away from who I am, who my family is and our name. Why should I. ”I want to help and keep his legacy alive along with the Chaplin name,” she said.
So much so, she not only petitioned the Los Angeles City Government for the recognition of her grandfather's contributions to Hollywood, but is also about to release a line of t-shirts sporting the name Charlie Chaplin as the logo. “I made myself one recently and everywhere I went people said they wanted one too. So I have designed a range of t-shirts and further down the line am planning to do the same with other famous names like Monroe etc, as a tribute to them all” she said.

She may only be 22, but her business mind never stops working.
Which is why she is in Ibiza. “I know the island well and I love it here, we come often, but this time of year it's perfect to do business. “Everybody's here so we can sit around on the beach or in the bars talking business in this great atmosphere,” she said.
But more importantly, she and her boyfriend, the Swiss photographer Ale De Bassiville, have been talking to the island's top club owners.
Ale explained that they are planning to develop a macro-Ibiza in Las Vegas. MGM have already taken to the idea of creating an Ibiza-theme project in the middle of the Nevada desert. “I know Ibiza probably would not appeal to most Americans, but it will appeal to the people who go to Las Vegas,” Kiera said. “All of the people I have already spoken to think it's a great idea. Of course, all the people here in Ibiza right now just love it, so we're talking to all the big clubs and seeing what we can do. I think it would be a fantastic project. The whole essence of Ibiza is unique and the island is world famous for its style, culture, music and fashion,” she said.

Now back in Los Angeles, Kiera is busy preparing Limelight's entries for this year's Sundance Film Festival while her new single will be released on the forthcoming Cool Keys album.