Billy Elliot: Suitable for miners

Though only 14, Jamie Bell, the ballet-dancer-turned-actor bred in Billingham, Teesside, is a relaxed, cocky interviewee. Bell unveiled his startling, fleet-footed feature-film debut as Billy Elliot at Cannes earlier this year. His role as the teenager who quickly discovers the transforming power of dance in a macho pit village during the miners' strike became the toast of the Croisette. 'There was a lot of French and Japanese girls wanting to get my autograph. It went well - I've always liked the attention.'

Bell first saw an opportunity to bask in the limelight while attending dance competitions with his single mum and sister. 'I said I could do better and my mum bought me a pair of tap shoes.' Competition prizes followed but, like Billy, he led a double life, hiding his new-found vocation from school friends. 'When they heard, they said, "It's not right Jamie, it's not for boys, you shouldn't be doing it." I didn't have time for them. I just wanted to get on with dancing.' Since then they've all become friends again - important for Bell who says he has only seen his father once and then by accident.

'My mum read the script and she cried and laughed, went through all the emotions. I didn't know anything about the miners' strike but doing the film I learned a lot about it. I was shocked by all the violence that went on on my doorstep. It's all still very sad.'

Though Billy Elliot is sure to make him a national and international hot property - and he's just finished a TV series with Robson Green - Bell has GCSEs to consider before a return to the big screen. 'Look at Macaulay Culkin - what a disappointment he turned out to be. I won't be ending up like that, no way.

'But this film has completely changed my life. I did it while going through puberty, everything starting to happen and I shared it with great people. When we were doing a reshoot I had actually started growing hairs on my legs. They had to get a razor and shave them off.'