Dance all days
Jamie comes from a family of dancers in Billingham and began dancing at the age of six - and his life has certain parallels with that of Billy Elliot - including the fact that he kept his talent as a secret from his mates at school.

First steps
Bell grew up never knowing his dad but luckily, a new father figure in the shape of Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry came into his life who unofficially adopted him. Daldry picked him out of more than 2000 boys who had auditioned for the role and landing the part of Billy, apart of course from changing his life, at least helped him get one over the lads at school who had been taunting him all these years. "The other boys called me 'poof,' 'ballerina boy,' "Get on your tutu, Jamie" he once said. "It gave me more determination to prove it wasn't just for girls. It was for boys as well."

King Gong
Bell ended up proving a lot more than that. Apart from conquering the hearts of movie goers the world over with his startling performance, he also won over various movie award panel judges. Aged just 14, gongs that came his way include a Best Male Performance at the BAFTAs in 2001, beating off competition from former Oscar winner Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas and Geoffrey Rush. He was also only the second actor ever to be awarded Outstanding Performance by a Young Actor from the National Board of Review in the USA.

Get wood
You might have a shock if you've seen the recent Green Day video for the song "Wake Me Up When September Ends" - a much older looking Jamie Bell is the star! Alongside teen star Evan Rachel Wood, the pair add a dramatic angle to the song in a mini-movie about a boy and a girl who fall in love, only for the boy to join the Army and head off to war. Rumour also has it that Wood found real love with our Jamie on the set, the star of "Thirteen" recently confessing "we're still hanging out".

Nip it in the bud
If the video passed you by, perhaps you should check out Bell's latest work, starring in the Thomas Vinterberg's drama "Dear Wendy", written by Lars von Trier. Bell plays a young boy in a nameless, timeless American town who establishes a gang of youthful misfits united in their love of guns and their code of honour. Apparently, there was never a dull moment on set as von Trier spent most of his time wandering around in the nude! "I don't think Thomas (Vinterberg) really wanted him around" Jamie recently deadpanned.

Bell's liberty
Recent reports suggest that both Bell and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe are being considered to play spy legend James Bond in a new film about 007's teenage years. The storyline centres around Bond's time at Eton and is an adaptation of "Sliverfin", the first in a series written by The Fast Show's Charlie Higson. While we'd be surprised to that happening, what is confirmed is that Bell will be appearing in another movie charmingly called "The Chumscrubber" and is also cast for the new Peter Jackson movie, King Kong....

....At least the future's financial security sorted then.