Born:
March 14, 1986
in
Billingham, Stockton on Tees
Best Known For:
Playing the title role in Billy Elliot.
Early-life:
Jamie was born on March 14, 1986 in Billingham, Stockton on Tees. He came from a family of dancers, including his grandmother, mother, aunt and sister, and began his own career in dance at an early age. In 2000, he took his talent to the big screen when he won the title role in Billy Elliot, a film about a young boy with a gift for ballet dancing that he tries to keep a secret, which paralleled Jamie's own story.
Career:
Billy Elliot was a huge hit, garnering Jamie vast critical praise. He went on to star in numerous independent movies such as Undertow, Dear Wendy, The Chumscrubber and Hallam Foe. He also took the lead role in the 2002 horror film Deathwatch, played Smike in an adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby that same year and Jimmy in Peter Jackson's remake of adventure classic King Kong in 2005. He has also played real-life figures in two war films; US Marine Ralph Ignatowski in 2006's Flags of Our Fathers and Asael Bielski in 2008's Defiance. He appeared alongside Hayden Christensen in sci-fi drama Jumper that same year. His recent work includes Man on a Ledge, Snowpiercer and Nymphomaniac.
Quote:
"My biggest fear was that I would not be able to take the step from a child actor to an adult. I think it happened when I was able to play a soldier in Deathwatch."
Trivia:
He voiced the title character in Steven Spielberg's animated film The Adventures of Tintin (2011).