British actor Jamie Bell isn’t someone who typically goes along with convention. Leaping (literally) into our consciousness as Billy Elliot in 2000, the then-14 year old sauntered, swayed and pranced through the early passages of acting education looking every bit the Wayne Sleep or Rudolf Nureyev of a film generation.

And yet, in segueing into rather grittier dramatic territory as adulthood arrived, Bell has shown himself as accomplished and on point with a script as he is in a pirouette.

What, undoubtedly, has helped the 33 year old elevate himself from family-film staple (Nicholas Nickleby, Jane Eyre) to blockbuster heavyweight (Flags of our Fathers, Fantastic Four, Rocketman) is fatherhood, pure and simple. He admits that before having his first child – with Evan Rachel Wood, in a marriage that sadly lasted less than two years before the couple split in 2014 – he was always searching for what is probably best defined as ‘something else’. “I wouldn’t say that before parenthood there was something missing, as such, more than whatever I did never truly fulfilled me,” he begins. “It’s like there was there was nothing permanent out the other side of it. Obviously when you have a child, that whole thing changes. There’s a permanence – there’s someone there who needs you and who will always be there.

“Having a baby also put into perspective some of the things I’d complain about in everyday life. Being late, getting stuck in traffic, feeling tired – in the grand scheme of things, these thing don’t matter one bit, and if you let them affect your life you’re only taking energy, time and fuel away from the people around you who really need you.”

With his son Jack Matfin Bell being the anchor, Jamie’s aforementioned unwillingness to fit convention means he was never afraid to move on as a single dad in the wake of the split from Wood. “When you have a child to look after, that becomes the sole focus. If you can look after this little person then you’re living the dream.”

Meeting Kate Mara in 2015 when the two starred in Fantastic Four gave the Teesside-born actor a chance to build again, and after the couple got engaged in January 2017, it was only a further six months before they wed.

And with their daughter arriving in May 2019, Bell was able to reflect again on the emotions that flood over a parent when a newborn comes along. “You want to enjoy the moment but your mind is flying ahead years imagining this and that. Your excitement is for that little person and the life that lays before them – the opportunities, the discoveries, the encounters… they have so much to discover and that’s so exciting for a parent.”

As for Kate, the New York-born actress had undertaken a prolific run of work, averaging three films a year dating back to what many would deem her big-screen breakthrough in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain. Prior to that, and since, her television projects took in the likes of Law & Order, Nip/Tuck, CSI, Entourage and House of Cards.

Her willingness to step back from the screen to start a family came without hesitation. “I know how hard I’ve worked and at the back of my mind was always that thought of finding the right person and starting a family, so when it happens the relief is palpable. After being so busy for so many years, taking a sidestep to a new kind of schedule has been a really lovely thing for me – it’s a new happiness.”

In the months after the birth of their daughter, whose name still hasn’t been revealed publicly, Mara was happy to open up about complications during the pregnancy, which led to the couple’s little girl being born at 36 weeks with an emergency caesarean. This came about because of a period of intense itching, whereby doctors diagnosed cholestasis, a liver disease that can develop in the late stages of pregnancy and can harm an unborn baby.

The decision to take urgent action is often voluntary, but as Mara revealed in an interview with US TV doctor Elliot Berlin, it was a decision the actress had to battle intensely with.

“We were into day three of this situation and I knew there were complications that, if allowed to develop, may have affected the health of my child. In that situation you want to just switch into auto-pilot but it was a struggle because I guess I was dealing the devastation of not being able to experience the birth in the way that I’d hoped. I have friends that have had unplanned c-sections. And most of those people have said, ‘I just want the baby out’, but it wasn’t like that for me.”

Ultimately, their baby was delivered safely. “In reflection, I was tired and the way it worked out was that my daughter came along healthy and full of life, and that’s all any parent really wants.”

The couple, who have properties in Los Angeles and New York City are easing back into work. Mara is, if anything, bettering her husband’s desire to move away from convention, by returning in A Teacher, the story of a teacher’s inappropriate relationship with a student.

“The fact is that as soon as that kid comes out, you’re planning the next step for them, and you’re always grateful that this amazing person is in your life.”

Truffle French fries.

She may be vegan, but the health-conscious beauty admits she can’t live without this (not-sohumble) French fry.

Getting older.

While many starlets fight the passing of time, the radiant 36-year-old absolutely relishes the confidence and grace that comes with age. In fact, she admits that she’d hate to go back to being in her twenties.

Missing the game.

Given her family connections, it’s unsurprising that Kate lets nothing get in the way of watching her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. There’s even a clause in her contract stipulating time off in the event of a game.

Being challenged.

He loves the thrill of stepping out into the unknown, even if it means dodging bullets while playing a member of an SAS crack team in 2017’s 6 Days.

His hometown.

It’s easy to forget that the star had a modest upbringing in Billingham, County Durham. Yet for BAFTAwinning Bell there’s no place like home, as he admits to going back as often as possible.

Watching his own films.

He may have been in Hollywood for almost two decades, but the star showcases British humility, admitting to never ever watching his own work.