When he won Best Actor at the 2001 British Academy Awards (BAFTAs), not only did he beat the Best Actor Oscar winner of that year, Russell Crowe, but the other three nominees he beat out - Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas and Geoffrey Rush - had also won the Best Actor Oscar in past years.

First decided to act when he was nine.

Was ranked #19 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list.(2008).

Divides his time between London and New York.

Was chosen out of 2000 boys to play "Billy Elliot" over a series of seven auditions. Criteria that the casting director was looking for were acting ability, dancing ability and the right Northern English accent.

Met his former girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood, while filming 'Green Day''s music video for "Wake Me Up When September Ends" where they played an actual couple.

Very good friends with Anne Hathaway, Romola Garai and Charlie Hunnam whom he met while filming Nicholas Nickleby (2002).

Only the second actor ever to be awarded Outstanding Performance by a Young Actor from the National Board of Review, USA. The first was fellow Brit Christian Bale in 1987 (then titled Outstanding Juvenile Performance) for Empire of the Sun (1987).

Prefers tap dancing over ballet. Has been in many tap-dancing competitions and won many awards.

Was Honorary Jury President of the 2001 Giffoni Film Festival.

A former student at the Stagecoach Theater School.

He became interested in baseball when he visited the United States for the first time, and he began collecting all of the teams jerseys.

Lives in Billingham with his mother Eileen and older sister Cathryn. He has no contact with his father John whom his mother divorced before Jamie was born.

He was accompanied by his then girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood to the King Kong (2005) premiere in New York.

First acting performance is reported to be part of the London stage production of Bugsy Malone in Christmas 1998.

Named among Fade In Magazine's "100 People in Hollywood You Need to Know" in 2005.

Started dancing when he was six. Dancers have been in his family for ages. His sister, his mother, grandmother, and aunt all danced before him.

Was teased by classmates when they found out that Jamie took ballet, and called him "Ballerina Boy".