Raised in Billingham, Durham, England

Began taking ballet classes at age six

Auditioned for leading role in "Dancer/Billy Elliot"; was selected for part after more than 2000 boys had auditioned

Feature debut, "Billy Elliot" (formerly known as "Dancer") playing a miner's son who becomes a ballet dancer

Second feature, "Deathwatch" as a WWI soldier trapped in a German trench

Portrayed Smike in Douglas McGrath's adapatation of Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby"

Starred with Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroney in the dramatic thriller "Undertow"

Starred in Thomas Vinterberg's "Dear Wendy"; scripted by Lars von Trier

Co-starred in Arie Posin's ensemble "The Chumscrubber"

Cast in Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic "King Kong"

Cast as one of the men who lifted the flag at the battle of Iwo Jima in Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers"

Co-starred with Hayden Christensen in Doug Liman's "Jumper"

Co-starred in Edward Zwick's World War II drama "Defiance"