Jamie Bell(I)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Described by top film critic Mark Kermode as an "unbelievably versatile" actor, Jamie Bell was born in 1986 in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England, UK, to Eileen
(Matfin) and John Bell, a toolmaker. He comes from a family of dancers
including his grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister. It was at his
sister's dance practices that he would stand outside the door and
imitate the movements of the dancers inside. At age six, he was
encouraged to step inside the door and, thus, his dance career began.
His own story parallels that of
Billy Elliot (2000) in that Jamie
kept his dancing a secret from his friends at school. His mother had
him when she was 16 and, unfortunately, he never knew his father.
When he met Stephen Daldry, director of
Billy Elliot (2000), Jamie adopted
him as his father. Once the word about his dancing got out, he was
harassed, but this only made him more determined to prove that dancing
wasn't just for girls. He has proven a lot by landing the title role of
Billy Elliot (2000), winning the
role in an audition that included more than 2,000 boys from the
northeast of England. His ensuing performance certainly justified the
selection since he has not only won the hearts of moviegoers all over
the world, he has also been nominated for and won a number of awards,
including a Best Newcomer Award and then a Best Male Performance at the
BAFTA awards.
(Matfin) and John Bell, a toolmaker. He comes from a family of dancers
including his grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister. It was at his
sister's dance practices that he would stand outside the door and
imitate the movements of the dancers inside. At age six, he was
encouraged to step inside the door and, thus, his dance career began.
His own story parallels that of
Billy Elliot (2000) in that Jamie
kept his dancing a secret from his friends at school. His mother had
him when she was 16 and, unfortunately, he never knew his father.
When he met Stephen Daldry, director of
Billy Elliot (2000), Jamie adopted
him as his father. Once the word about his dancing got out, he was
harassed, but this only made him more determined to prove that dancing
wasn't just for girls. He has proven a lot by landing the title role of
Billy Elliot (2000), winning the
role in an audition that included more than 2,000 boys from the
northeast of England. His ensuing performance certainly justified the
selection since he has not only won the hearts of moviegoers all over
the world, he has also been nominated for and won a number of awards,
including a Best Newcomer Award and then a Best Male Performance at the
BAFTA awards.