Alex Pettyfer
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| Alex Pettyfer | |
| Birth name | Alexander Richard Pettyfer |
| Born | April 10, 1990 (age 16) Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom  |
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Official site | www.alexpettyfer.com |
| Notable roles | Stormbreaker |
Alexander Richard Pettyfer (born April 10, 1990) is an English actor. The son of an actor and former fashion model, he appeared on stage and in television before being cast as Alex Rider, the main character in the film version of Stormbreaker. The film was released worldwide in 2006.
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[edit] Biography
Alex Pettyfer was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, the son of actor Richard Pettyfer and former model Lea Robinson (currently known as "Lee Ireland"); he has a younger half-brother, James Ireland, who plays a lot of Tennis, from his mother's re-marriage to Michael Ireland, a real-estate developer.[1] Stormbreaker author Anthony Horowitz described Pettyfer as coming from "an astonishing gene pool".[2]
[edit] Career
Pettyfer began his career as a child fashion model at the age of seven, modelling for labels such as GAP, after meeting Ralph Lauren in a toy store in New York City.[1] He also did adverts for some yogurt brands. He attended Twickenham Preparatory School in Hampton and later the Mall, a small private school in Twickenham and as a schoolboy, performed in plays, including in the role of Willy Wonka in a production Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
He attended Millfield School in Street, Somerset for a year, but subsequently left after excessive bullying.[citation needed]
In 2005, Alex Pettyfer, after ending his modelling career,[1] made his professional acting debut in the British television production of Tom Brown's Schooldays, playing the lead character, Tom Brown; he received positive reviews for the role.[3] In June 2005, he was cast in his most prominent role so far, that of teenage MI6 spy Alex Rider in the film Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, based on the novel by Anthony Horowitz. He was one of 500 who auditioned for the role.[2] Pettyfer chose to appear in the film over a role in the upcoming film Eragon, noting that he preferred Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker because it would be filmed in Britain in the Isle of Man while Eragon would film in the Czech Republic, and Pettyfer is afraid of flying.[1] Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker was released on July 21, 2006 in the United Kingdom, on October 6, 2006 in the United States and on September 21, 2006 in Australia.
One review of Pettyfer's performance described him as playing the role with an "earnest intensity",[4] although another noted that he "isn't quite at ease as an actor".[5] Media reports have specified that the film is expected to make Pettyfer a "teen idol".[3] Pettyfer will not reprise the role in the next Alex Rider film because he is already too old for the role.[6]
[edit] Personal life
Pettyfer, who has described himself as "athletic",[1] lives in Windsor, Berkshire, and attended Shiplake College boarding school near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. When not working, Pettyfer's hobbies include skiing, dancing and hockey.
As seen on one of his photos, Alex Pettyfer has two tattoos. The one on his right chest is a cross. The other one is located on his right shoulder arm and reads, "What goes around comes around." Alex also smokes and claims it's no big deal and that there are other things to worry about.[7]
After Pettyfer completed filming on Stormbreaker, he did not discuss the film with anyone at his school, citing the advice of his Stormbreaker co-star, Ewan McGregor, who told him to keep his personal and professional life separate. Pettyfer has since decided to leave school and concentrate on his film career,[8] as well as study drama full time at college,[3] saying that "When you have already experienced going out and working in the real world, and you come back to school, you just see it as a playground and you don't want to be there any more".[9]
[edit] Filmography
- 2005: Tom Brown's Schooldays (as Tom Brown)
- 2006: Stormbreaker (as Alex Rider)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e The New York Times. He Was a Teenage Spy, Surrounded by Treacherous Adults. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ a b Scotsman.com. Calm amid the storm. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ a b c ICWales.co.uk. Going down a storm. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ ScreenDaily.com. Stormbreaker. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ The Independent. Stormbreaker (PG). Retrieved on July 22, 2006.
- ^ The Sunday Mail. Young star cruising. Retrieved on September 23, 2006.
- ^ ALEX-PETTYFER.ORG Fansite. Jade (2007-04-03). Retrieved on April 4, 2007.
- ^ ContactMusic. PETTYFER PUTS McGREGOR'S ADVICE INTO PRACTICE. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
- ^ PRInside. STORMBREAKER STAR QUITS SCHOOL. Retrieved on July 20, 2006.
