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Jamie Bell
Jamie Bell-8448 (cropped).jpg
Bell at the 2019 Berlinale
Born
Andrew James Matfin Bell

(1986-03-14) 14 March 1986 (age 39)
Occupation Actor
Years active 2000–present
Spouse(s)
Children 3

Jamie Bell is a famous English actor, born on March 14, 1986. He became well-known for his very first movie role in Billy Elliot (2000). For this role, he won a big award called the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He was one of the youngest people ever to win it!

You might also know him as Tintin in the animated movie The Adventures of Tintin (2011). He also played Ben Grimm / Thing in the superhero film Fantastic Four (2015). Jamie has been in many other popular movies like King Kong (2005), Jumper (2008), and Rocketman (2019). On TV, he starred as Abraham Woodhull in the historical drama series Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017).

Early Life

Jamie Bell was born in Billingham, England, on March 14, 1986. He grew up there with his mom and older sister. Jamie first got interested in dance because he would go with his sister to her ballet lessons.

Career Highlights

Early Roles (2000s)

In 1999, Jamie was chosen from over 2,000 boys to play the main character in Billy Elliot. He played an 11-year-old boy who loves ballet, even though his dad and brother want him to do other things. Jamie's acting in Billy Elliot was praised by many. At just 14 years old, he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. This was a huge achievement for such a young actor!

After Billy Elliot, Jamie continued to act in different movies. In 2002, he played a character named Smike in Nicholas Nickleby. He also appeared in a war film called Deathwatch. In the next few years, he was in movies like Undertow and Dear Wendy. In 2005, he played young Jimmy in the adventure movie King Kong. That same year, he was in the music video for Green Day's song "Wake Me Up When September Ends".

In 2007, Jamie starred in Hallam Foe. He also had roles in two films in 2008: the science fiction movie Jumper and the World War II drama Defiance. In Defiance, he played Asael Bielski, who helped save many lives during the Holocaust. In 2009, it was announced that Jamie would play Tintin in a special motion-capture film. This movie, The Adventures of Tintin, came out in 2011.

Recent Work (2010s)

Jamie appeared in several films in the early 2010s. These included The Eagle and Jane Eyre, both released in 2011. In 2013, he acted alongside James McAvoy in Filth and played Edgar in Snowpiercer.

From 2014 to 2017, Jamie starred as Abraham Woodhull in the TV series Turn: Washington's Spies. This show was about spies during the American Revolutionary War. In 2015, he played The Thing in the superhero movie Fantastic Four. Jamie later said that this movie was not very good.

In 2017, Jamie had main roles in 6 Days and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. For Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, he was nominated for another BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In 2019, he played Bernie Taupin in Rocketman, a musical film about the life of Elton John.

Personal Life

Jamie Bell was married to American actress Evan Rachel Wood. They got married in 2012 and had a son in 2013. They later separated in 2014.

In 2015, Jamie started dating his Fantastic Four co-star Kate Mara. They got engaged in 2017 and married that same year. They have two children together: a daughter born in 2019 and a son born in 2022.

Jamie is a big fan of football and supports the team Arsenal F.C..

Selected Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
2000 Billy Elliot Billy Elliot
2002 Nicholas Nickleby Smike
2005 King Kong Jimmy
2008 Jumper Griffin O'Conner
2011 The Adventures of Tintin Tintin
2013 Snowpiercer Edgar
2015 Fantastic Four Ben Grimm / The Thing
2017 Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Peter Turner
2019 Rocketman Bernie Taupin
2023 All of Us Strangers Adam's father

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2014–2017 TURN: Washington's Spies Abraham Woodhull Main role, 40 episodes
2022 Shining Girls Harper Curtis Main role, 8 episodes

Awards and Nominations

Jamie Bell has won and been nominated for many awards throughout his career. Here are some of his most notable ones:

Year Nominated work Award Result
2000 Billy Elliot BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Won
British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer Won
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer Won
Empire Award for Best Debut Won
Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer Won
London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Newcomer of the Year Won
National Board of Review Award for Outstanding Young Actor Won
Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in an International Film Won
2004 Undertow Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor Won
2018 Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated

See also

  • List of British actors
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