Asa Butterfield: Difference between revisions

From BoyWiki
VisualWikitext
New page: {{Use British English|date=January 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2012}} {{Infobox person |image = Asa Butterfield.jpg |imagesize = |alt = Asa Butterfield at the Hugo premiere in New...
 
 
(32 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Use British English|date=January 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2012}}
'''Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield'''<ref name=birth>''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com</ref><ref>http://www.wilsonpost.com/style/35/7190-singer-phil-collins-could-have-been-a-bugaloo </ref> (born 1 April 1997) is an English actor known for starring in the Holocaust film ''[[The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)|The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas]]'' (2008), playing Norman in the 2010 film ''[[Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang]]'', and taking the title role in Martin Scorsese's 2011 fantasy ''[[Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''. He will also portray Ender Wiggin in the upcoming film adaptation of the science fiction novel ''[[Ender's Game]]'' by Orson Scott Card.<ref name = asacast>http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118046778?categoryid=13&cs=1&cmpid=RSS </ref>
{{Infobox person
|image =  Asa Butterfield.jpg
|imagesize =
|alt = Asa Butterfield at the Hugo premiere in New York City on 21 November 2011
|caption = Butterfield at the ''Hugo'' premiere, New York City, 21 November 2011
|birthname = Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|4|1|df=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Islington]], [[London]], England, United Kingdom
|yearsactive = 2006–present
|occupation = [[Actor]]
}}
 
'''Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield'''<ref name=birth>''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilsonpost.com/style/35/7190-singer-phil-collins-could-have-been-a-bugaloo |title=Singer Phil Collins could have been a Bugaloo |publisher=Wilsonpost.com |date= |accessdate=2012-06-17}}</ref> (born 1 April 1997) is an [[England|English]] [[England|actor]] known for starring in the [[Holocaust]] film ''[[The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)|The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas]]'' (2008), playing Norman in the 2010 film ''[[Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang]]'', and taking the title role in [[Martin Scorsese]]'s 2011 fantasy ''[[Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''. He will also portray [[Ender Wiggin]] in the upcoming [[Ender's Game (film)|film adaptation]] of the science fiction novel ''[[Ender's Game]]'' by [[Orson Scott Card]].<ref name = asacast>{{cite news| url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118046778?categoryid=13&cs=1&cmpid=RSS | work=Variety|first=Jeff|last=Sneider|title=Asa Butterfield locks 'Ender's Game'|date=2011-11-29}}</ref>


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
Asa Butterfield was born in [[Islington]], London, the son of Jacqueline Farr and Sam Butterfield.<ref name="production-notes">{{cite web|url=http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2008/boy_in_striped_pyjamas/cast.php|title=The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Production Notes|year=2008|publisher=[[Miramax Films]]|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090131205632/http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2008/boy_in_striped_pyjamas/cast.php| archivedate= 31 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Clarke|first=Cath|title=Act your age: the new wave of high-powered child stars|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jul/22/new-child-actors-jaden-smith-chloe-moretz|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 July 2010|location=London}}</ref>
Asa Butterfield was born in Islington, London, the son of Jacqueline Farr and Sam Butterfield.<ref name="production-notes">http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2008/boy_in_striped_pyjamas/cast.php</ref><ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jul/22/new-child-actors-jaden-smith-chloe-moretz</ref>


Butterfield first started acting at the age of 7 on Friday afternoons after school at the Young Actors' Theatre, in his hometown. Later, he secured minor roles in the 2006 television drama ''[[After Thomas]]'' and the 2007 film ''[[Son of Rambow]]''.<ref name="production-notes" /><ref name="tvhits-interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212|title=Star Interview: Asa Butterfield|work=TVhits.co.uk|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090122181244/http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212| archivedate= 22 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> In 2008 he also had a guest role playing Donny in ''[[Ashes to Ashes (TV series)|Ashes to Ashes]]''.<ref name="bbc-ashes">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml|title=Ashes to Ashes: Series 1, Episode 6|publisher=BBC Online|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090204201024/http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml| archivedate= 4 February 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name="abc-review">{{cite news|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=6464390|title=Janet's Spotlight: "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas"|last=Davies|first=Janet|date=23 October 2008|publisher=ABC 7 News|accessdate=20 January 2009}}</ref>
Butterfield first started acting at the age of 7 on Friday afternoons after school at the Young Actors' Theatre, in his hometown. Later, he secured minor roles in the 2006 television drama ''[[After Thomas]]'' and the 2007 film ''[[Son of Rambow]]''.<ref name="production-notes" /><ref name="tvhits-interview">http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212</ref><ref>http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212</ref> In 2008 he also had a guest role playing Donny in ''Ashes to Ashes ''.<ref name="bbc-ashes">http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml</ref><ref name="abc-review">http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=6464390</ref>


In that same year, aged 10, he played the lead role in ''[[The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)|The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas]]''. Director [[Mark Herman]] said that they came across Butterfield early on in the audition process. He was on the first audition tape he received and he was the third hopeful he met in person. Herman thought Butterfield's performance was outstanding, but only decided to cast him after auditioning hundreds of other boys, "so no stone was left unturned".<ref name="lastbroadcast">{{cite web|url=http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html|title=The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas – Casting the characters|publisher=Last Broadcast|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090131205043/http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html| archivedate= 31 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
In that same year, aged 10, he played the lead role in ''[[The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)|The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas]]''. Director Mark Herman said that they came across Butterfield early on in the audition process. He was on the first audition tape he received and he was the third hopeful he met in person. Herman thought Butterfield's performance was outstanding, but only decided to cast him after auditioning hundreds of other boys, "so no stone was left unturned".<ref name="lastbroadcast">http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html</ref><ref>http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html </ref>


Producer [[David Heyman]] and director [[Mark Herman]] were looking for someone who was able to portray the main character's innocence, so they asked each of the children what they knew about the Holocaust. Butterfield's knowledge was slim and it was purposely kept that way throughout filming so it would be easier for him to convey his character's innocence. The final scenes of the film were shot at the end of the production period to prepare both him and [[Jack Scanlon]] for the dramatic ending of the film.<ref name="mark-david-indielondon-interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview|title=The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas – Mark Herman and David Heyman interview|last=Carnevale|first=Rob|publisher=indieLondon|accessdate=23 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090108150914/http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview| archivedate= 8 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref name="irishtimes">{{cite news|url=http://www.johnboyne.com/articles/Pajama%20Drama.pdf|title=Pajama Drama|date=1 June 2007|work=The Irish Times |accessdate=23 January 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> He beat hundreds of boys to the role and also successfully passed the auditions for a role in ''[[Mr. Nobody (film)|Mr. Nobody]]'' for which he auditioned at the same time. He chose not to pursue the latter role.<ref name="tvhits-interview" />
Producer David Heyman and director Mark Herman were looking for someone who was able to portray the main character's innocence, so they asked each of the children what they knew about the Holocaust. Butterfield's knowledge was slim and it was purposely kept that way throughout filming so it would be easier for him to convey his character's innocence. The final scenes of the film were shot at the end of the production period to prepare both him and Jack Scanlon for the dramatic ending of the film.<ref name="mark-david-indielondon-interview">http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview</ref><ref>http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview </ref><ref name="irishtimes">http://www.johnboyne.com/articles/Pajama%20Drama.pdf </ref> He beat hundreds of boys to the role and also successfully passed the auditions for a role in ''Mr. Nobody'' for which he auditioned at the same time. He chose not to pursue the latter role.<ref name="tvhits-interview" />


In 2008, at the age of 10, Butterfield appeared in the ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' episode "[[The Beginning of the End (Merlin)|The Beginning of the End]]", he plays a young druid boy sentenced to death by [[Uther Pendragon]] because he feels threatened by the boy's magic. Despite the Great Dragon's advice and the warning that Arthur cannot survive if the boy does, Merlin and Arthur, with the help of [[Morgana (Merlin character)|Morgana]], help the boy escape to rejoin the Druids. When they are about to disappear into the forest, Arthur asks him for his name, which he says is [[Mordred]],<ref name="bbcone-listing">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90|title=Programmes: Merlin, The Beginning of the End|publisher=BBC One|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090131111722/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90| archivedate= 31 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> an important character from the Arthurian legends who is supposed to kill King Arthur. Butterfield appeared as Mordred in a number of subsequent episodes; however the role has now been recast, with [[Alexander Vlahos]] playing Mordred as an adult character.
In 2008, at the age of 10, Butterfield appeared in the ''Merlin'' episode "|The Beginning of the End", he plays a young druid boy sentenced to death by Uther Pendragon because he feels threatened by the boy's magic. Despite the Great Dragon's advice and the warning that Arthur cannot survive if the boy does, Merlin and Arthur, with the help of Morgana, help the boy escape to rejoin the Druids. When they are about to disappear into the forest, Arthur asks him for his name, which he says is Mordred,<ref name="bbcone-listing">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90</ref><ref>  http://web.archive.org/web/20090131111722/</ref><ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90 </ref> an important character from the Arthurian legends who is supposed to kill King Arthur. Butterfield appeared as Mordred in a number of subsequent episodes; however the role has now been recast, with Alexander Vlahos playing Mordred as an adult character.


In 2010, he had a small part in ''[[The Wolfman (2009 film)|The Wolfman]]''.<ref name="timesonline">{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4618434.ece|title=Meet the child stars of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas|date=30 August 2008|work=The Times |location=London |first=Kevin|last=Maher |accessdate=1 November 2008 }}</ref> He starred as Norman Green at the age of 12 in ''[[Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang]]'' (2010), working together with [[Emma Thompson]]. The film, and his performance, both received positive reviews. At the age of 13 he played the main and title character in [[Martin Scorsese]]'s ''[[Hugo (film)|Hugo]]'', adapted from the novel [[The Invention of Hugo Cabret]].  Hugo was filmed from June 2010 to January 2011, it was released on 23 November 2011, and achieved critical and box-office success. Butterfield will play the title role of [[Andrew "Ender" Wiggin]] in the [[Ender's Game (film)|upcoming film adaptation]] of the [[Orson Scott Card]] novel [[Ender's Game]], which completed filming in the first half of 2012, and is scheduled for theatrical release on 1 November 2013.
In 2010, he had a small part in ''[[The Wolfman (2009 film)|The Wolfman]]''.<ref name="timesonline">http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4618434.ece</ref> He starred as Norman Green at the age of 12 in ''[[Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang]]'' (2010), working together with Emma Thompson. The film, and his performance, both received positive reviews. At the age of 13 he played the main and title character in Martin Scorsese's ''[[Hugo]]'', adapted from the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret.  Hugo was filmed from June 2010 to January 2011, it was released on 23 November 2011, and achieved critical and box-office success. Butterfield will play the title role of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin in the upcoming film adaptation of the Orson Scott Card novel [[Ender's Game]], which completed filming in the first half of 2012, and is scheduled for theatrical release on 1 November 2013.


===Other Work===
===Other Work===
Butterfield enjoys making music, and released a [[mashup (music)|mashup]] of the songs “[[Teenage Dirtbag]]” by [[Wheatus]] and “[[Making Plans For Nigel]]” by [[XTC]] in 2004.<ref name="teen.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.teen.com/2011/11/23/celebrities/the-new-star/asa-butterfield-hugo-bio-facts-trivia-photos|title=8 Things To Know About Hugo’s Asa Butterfield!|date=November 23, 2011|work=Alloy Media, LLC |location=Los Angeles |first=Kristen|last=Kraemer |accessdate=4 April 2013 }}</ref>
Butterfield enjoys making music, and released a mashup of the songs “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus and “Making Plans For Nigel” by XTC in 2004.<ref name="teen.com">http://www.teen.com/2011/11/23/celebrities/the-new-star/asa-butterfield-hugo-bio-facts-trivia-photos </ref>
 
In late 2012, Butterfield co-designed a [[turn-based strategy|turn-based]] video game for [[iPad]] with his father and brother called Racing Blind.<ref name="Racing Blind">{{cite web|url=http://www.racingblind.com/108860/home|title=Racing Blind - find out all about it|year=2012|publisher=Sam Butterfield|accessdate=16 April 2013 }}</ref> The game was released to the App Store on April 7, 2013.


===Awards===
In late 2012, Butterfield co-designed a turn-based strategy video game for iPad with his father and brother called Racing Blind.<ref name="Racing Blind">http://www.racingblind.com/108860/home</ref> The game was released to the App Store on April 7, 2013.
Butterfield was nominated in the category "Most Promising Newcomer" of the [[British Independent Film Awards]],<ref name="award-in-metro">{{cite news|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/films/article.html?Hunger_dominates_nominations_for_British_Independent_Film_Awards&in_article_id=376520&in_page_id=27|title=Hunger dominates nominations for British Independent Film Awards|date=28 October 2008|work=Metro.co.uk|accessdate=20 January 2009}}</ref><ref name="indieLondon">{{cite web|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/british-independent-film-awards-2008-nominations-in-full|title=British Independent Film Awards 2008: Nominations in full|last=Foley|first=Jack|publisher=IndieLondon|accessdate=20 January 2009}}</ref> but he was beaten by [[Dev Patel]] from ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]''.<ref name="slumdog-wins">{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5263820.ece|title=Slumdog Millionaire wins at British Independent Film Awards|last=Hoyle|first=Ben|date=1 December 2008|work=The Times Online|accessdate=20 January 2009 | location=London}}</ref> He was also nominated for the [[NSPCC]] Award (Young British Performer of the Year) in the [[London Critics Circle]] Film Awards,<ref name="award-in-guardian">{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/dec/19/london-critics-circle-awards|title=Slumdog Millionaire leads London critics' nominations|last=Child|first=Ben|date=19 December 2008|work=The Guardian |location=UK|accessdate=20 January 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090122193032/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/dec/19/london-critics-circle-awards| archivedate= 22 January 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref name="NSPCC">{{cite press release |title=Nominations for London Film Critics' Awards held in aid of NSPCC |url=http://www.nspcc.org.uk/whatwedo/mediacentre/pressreleases/2008_18_december_nominations_for_london_film_critics'_awards_held_in_aid_of_nspcc_wdn62533.html |publisher=NSPCC |date=18 December 2008 |accessdate=20 January 2009}}</ref> which was ultimately won by [[Thomas Turgoose]] for his roles in ''[[Eden Lake]]'' and ''[[Somers Town (film)|Somers Town]]''.<ref name="variety-turgoose">{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/VR1117999560.html|title=londonloves 'Wrestler,' 'Slumdog'|last=Thomas|first=Archie|date=4 February 2009|work=Variety |accessdate=6 February 2009| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20090206032101/http://www.variety.com/VR1117999560.html| archivedate= 6 February 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> [[MTV Networks]]' NextMovie.com named him one of the 'Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/breakout-movie-stars-of-2011/|title=25 Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011|last=Evry|first=Max|date=5 January 2011|publisher=Next Movie|accessdate=11 April 2011}}</ref>
He was nominated for "Best Young Actor/Actress" for the CCMAS, but the award went to [[Thomas Horn]].


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
Line 65: Line 48:
-Nominated Saturn Award for Best Performance by a younger Actor  
-Nominated Saturn Award for Best Performance by a younger Actor  
|-
|-
|2013 || ''[[Ender's Game (film)|Ender's Game]]'' || [[Ender Wiggin]] ||
|2013 || ''[[Ender's Game]]'' || Ender Wiggin ||
|}
|}


Line 81: Line 64:
|}
|}


==Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:30px;"|Year
! style="width:80px;"|Result
! style="width:200px;"|Award
! style="width:200px;"|Category
! style="width:200px;"|Work
|-
|2008 || {{nom}}<ref name="award-in-metro" /><ref name="indieLondon" /> || [[British Independent Film Award]] || Most Promising Newcomer ||rowspan=2|''[[The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (film)|The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas]]''
|-
|2009 || {{nom}}||[[National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children|NSPCC]] Award {{check|date=October 2012}}||Young British Performer of the Year
|-
|2011 || {{won}}<ref name=LCFCS>{{cite web|title=2011 Sierra Award winners|url=http://www.lvfcs.org/lvfcs/2011.html|accessdate=15 March 2012}}</ref>  || [[Las Vegas Film Critics Society]] || Best Youth in Film || rowspan="5"|''[[Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''


|-
|rowspan=4|2012 || {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/awards2012/winners/malenewcomer.asp |title=Tom Hiddlestone (Thor) &#124; Best Male Newcomer &#124; Jameson Empire Awards 2012 |publisher=Empireonline.com |date= |accessdate=2012-06-17}}</ref> || [[Empire Awards]] || Best Male Newcomer
|-
|{{nom}}<ref name="Critic'sChoice">{{cite web|title=17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (2012)|url=http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/17th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2012/|accessdate=15 March 2012}}</ref>  || [[Broadcast Film Critics Association]] || Best Young Actor/Actress
|-
|{{nom}}<ref name="Young Artist Awards">{{cite web|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms33.html|title=33rd Annual Young Artist Awards|accessdate=31 March 2012|work=YoungArtistAwards.org}}</ref> || [[33rd Young Artist Awards|Young Artist Award]] ||[[Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film|Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor]]
|-
|{{nom}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/saturn-award-nominations-2012/148931/|title=Saturn Award Nominations Announced; HUGO and HARRY POTTER Lead with 10 Nominations Each|work=Collider|author=Goldberg, Matt |date= 29 February 2012|accessdate=1 March 2012}}</ref> || [[38th Saturn Awards|Saturn Awards]] || [[Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor|Best Performance by a Younger Actor]]
|}


==References==
==References==
Line 110: Line 70:


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|2633535|Asa Butterfield}}
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Butterfield http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Butterfield]
 
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDuapYNd6OE The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas trailer (YouTube)]
{{Authority control|VIAF=102355897}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM5bERiRU7QAsa Butterfield Interview: Young Hollywood Awards 2012 (YouTube)]
 
*[http://www.teenidols4you.com/pictures.html?g=Actors&pe=asabutterfield TeenIdols4You.com]
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butterfield, Asa}}
{{Persondata
[[Category:Film actors]]
|NAME              = Butterfield, Asa
[[Category:Boys]]
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = English actor
|DATE OF BIRTH    = 1 April 1997
|PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Islington]], London, England
|DATE OF DEATH    =
|PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}

Latest revision as of 13:53, 24 October 2016

Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield[1][2] (born 1 April 1997) is an English actor known for starring in the Holocaust film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008), playing Norman in the 2010 film Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, and taking the title role in Martin Scorsese's 2011 fantasy Hugo. He will also portray Ender Wiggin in the upcoming film adaptation of the science fiction novel Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.[3]

Life and career

Asa Butterfield was born in Islington, London, the son of Jacqueline Farr and Sam Butterfield.[4][5]

Butterfield first started acting at the age of 7 on Friday afternoons after school at the Young Actors' Theatre, in his hometown. Later, he secured minor roles in the 2006 television drama After Thomas and the 2007 film Son of Rambow.[4][6][7] In 2008 he also had a guest role playing Donny in Ashes to Ashes .[8][9][10]

In that same year, aged 10, he played the lead role in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Director Mark Herman said that they came across Butterfield early on in the audition process. He was on the first audition tape he received and he was the third hopeful he met in person. Herman thought Butterfield's performance was outstanding, but only decided to cast him after auditioning hundreds of other boys, "so no stone was left unturned".[11][12]

Producer David Heyman and director Mark Herman were looking for someone who was able to portray the main character's innocence, so they asked each of the children what they knew about the Holocaust. Butterfield's knowledge was slim and it was purposely kept that way throughout filming so it would be easier for him to convey his character's innocence. The final scenes of the film were shot at the end of the production period to prepare both him and Jack Scanlon for the dramatic ending of the film.[13][14][15] He beat hundreds of boys to the role and also successfully passed the auditions for a role in Mr. Nobody for which he auditioned at the same time. He chose not to pursue the latter role.[6]

In 2008, at the age of 10, Butterfield appeared in the Merlin episode "|The Beginning of the End", he plays a young druid boy sentenced to death by Uther Pendragon because he feels threatened by the boy's magic. Despite the Great Dragon's advice and the warning that Arthur cannot survive if the boy does, Merlin and Arthur, with the help of Morgana, help the boy escape to rejoin the Druids. When they are about to disappear into the forest, Arthur asks him for his name, which he says is Mordred,[16][17][18] an important character from the Arthurian legends who is supposed to kill King Arthur. Butterfield appeared as Mordred in a number of subsequent episodes; however the role has now been recast, with Alexander Vlahos playing Mordred as an adult character.

In 2010, he had a small part in The Wolfman.[19] He starred as Norman Green at the age of 12 in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010), working together with Emma Thompson. The film, and his performance, both received positive reviews. At the age of 13 he played the main and title character in Martin Scorsese's Hugo, adapted from the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Hugo was filmed from June 2010 to January 2011, it was released on 23 November 2011, and achieved critical and box-office success. Butterfield will play the title role of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin in the upcoming film adaptation of the Orson Scott Card novel Ender's Game, which completed filming in the first half of 2012, and is scheduled for theatrical release on 1 November 2013.

Other Work

Butterfield enjoys making music, and released a mashup of the songs “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus and “Making Plans For Nigel” by XTC in 2004.[20]

In late 2012, Butterfield co-designed a turn-based strategy video game for iPad with his father and brother called Racing Blind.[21] The game was released to the App Store on April 7, 2013.

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
2006 After Thomas Andrew
2007 Son of Rambow Brethren Boy
2008 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Bruno -Nominated British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Performer

-Nominated NSPCC Award for Young British Performer of the year

2010 The Wolfman Younger Ben Talbot
2010 Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang Norman Green
2011 Hugo Hugo Cabret Las Vegas Film Critics Society for Best Youth in Film

-Nominated Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer

-Nominated Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Young Actor/Actress

-Nominated Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film- Leading Young Actor

-Nominated Saturn Award for Best Performance by a younger Actor

2013 Ender's Game Ender Wiggin
Television
Year Film Role Notes
2008 Ashes to Ashes Donny Season 1, Episode 6
2008–2009 Merlin Mordred Season 1, Episode 8："The Beginning of the End"

Season 2,Episode 3、11："The Nightmare Begins"，"The Witch's Quickening"


References

  1. ↑ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.; at ancestry.com
  2. ↑ http://www.wilsonpost.com/style/35/7190-singer-phil-collins-could-have-been-a-bugaloo
  3. ↑ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118046778?categoryid=13&cs=1&cmpid=RSS
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2008/boy_in_striped_pyjamas/cast.php
  5. ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jul/22/new-child-actors-jaden-smith-chloe-moretz
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212
  7. ↑ http://www.tvhits.co.uk/star_interview_arc.php?id=212
  8. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml
  9. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/ashestoashes/episodes/s1_ep6_episode.shtml
  10. ↑ http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=6464390
  11. ↑ http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html
  12. ↑ http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/movies/v/5698-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-casting-the-characters.html
  13. ↑ http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview
  14. ↑ http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-mark-herman-and-david-heyman-interview
  15. ↑ http://www.johnboyne.com/articles/Pajama%20Drama.pdf
  16. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90
  17. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20090131111722/
  18. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ffv90
  19. ↑ http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4618434.ece
  20. ↑ http://www.teen.com/2011/11/23/celebrities/the-new-star/asa-butterfield-hugo-bio-facts-trivia-photos
  21. ↑ http://www.racingblind.com/108860/home

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.boywiki.org/en/index.php?title=Asa_Butterfield&oldid=38095"