Biography
The grandson of
Bernard Lee (better known to the world as M in the James Bond movies), Jonny Lee Miller ironically became famous for his portrayal of the
Sean Connery-obsessed Sick Boy in the 1996 film
Trainspotting. Contrary to popular belief, the actor is English, not Scottish, and was born outside of London on November 15, 1972. Interested in the theater from an early age, Lee Miller participated in a number of school productions and made his television debut at the age of 11, in the miniseries
Mansfield Park. Following appearances in a number of other productions, including 1993's
Prime Suspect 3, Lee Miller made his film debut in
Iain Softley's
Hackers in 1995. His turn as a cyberpunk gave the actor both a wider audience and an introduction to co-star
Angelina Jolie, whom he would marry in 1995 (they divorced in 1999).
Lee Miller's big break came with his casting as Sick Boy, in director
Danny Boyle's film adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel
Trainspotting. The film became an international hit, boosting the careers of Lee Miller and his co-stars,
Ewan McGregor and
Robert Carlyle. Lee Miller chose to remain on Scottish soil for his next project, Gillies MacKinnon's
Regeneration (1997). Subsequently, Lee Miller headlined an all-star cast in the relationship drama
Afterglow, in which he co-starred with
Nick Nolte,
Lara Flynn Boyle, and the formidable
Julie Christie. In 1999, the actor reunited with
Trainspotting co-star
Robert Carlyle to star in Plunkett & Maclean, which also featured
Liv Tyler. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide