British actor Jeremy Irvine (born Jeremy Smith) is catching people’s attention in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster war movie War Horse. Jeremy went from growing up in a small English village to landing on the big screen. Find out more in his Kidzworld Bio!
British Boy
Jeremy Smith, who we know as Jeremy Irvine, grew up in Gamlingay, a small English village. Jeremy took his stage name from his grandfather, using his grandfather’s first name as his last one. Jeremy’s mother Bridget is a local politician and his dad is an engineer. He has two younger brothers, and loves the village he came from.
"There's nothing nicer than coming back to your village, where people like my mum's friends take the mick out of me [making fun of me]. I prefer that to the craziness of Hollywood", he says.
Drama and Diabetes
When Jeremy was just six years old he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, and has lived with it his whole life. He was involved in medical trials for the use of the artificial pancreas, but he’s never let his condition get in the way of his acting dream.
"I have an insulin pump. I've never let it affect anything I'm doing. I'm sure there are times when it maybe makes things a little bit more difficult, but as soon as you let it affect what you're doing, then I think it affects everything. Sure it sometimes takes a little more work, it's sometimes a little bit difficult - but so be it."
Jeremy attended the National Youth Theater and went on to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He quickly landed his first role in the British TV series Life Bites.
War Horse
After two years of working in the industry Jeremy landed his breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s most recent World War II epic, War Horse. He plays a young man with a strong connection to a noble horse that gets sent to war with a young lieutenant. Before being discovered by Spielberg he was playing a tree on stage for a Royal Shakespeare Company production!
"I had been a struggling actor for two years, so to go from that to being on the set of a Steven Spielberg film, where he treated me like part of one big family, was amazing."
Jeremy is set to star in a new adaptation of the classic Great Expectations and was recently cast in a movie called The Railway Man alongside British heavyweight Colin Firth. He will also be on the big screen next to starlet Dakota Fanning in Now is Good!
Did You Know...
Jeremy collects World War I and II memorabilia.
Check out the trailer for War Horse below!
Have Your Say
What do you think of Jeremy Irvine? Let us know in the comments section below!
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