Paul Christopher James Terry (born 7 November 1985) is an English former child actor. He is best known internationally for starring as James in the 1996 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. He also starred in the four seasons of the children's sitcom Microsoap (1998–2000).
Paul Terry | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 November 1985 |
| Occupation(s) | Former child actor, engineer, teacher |
| Years active | 1994–2000 |
| Known for | James and the Giant Peach Microsoap |
Early life
editTerry was born in and grew up in Watford, Hertfordshire, north of London, and persuaded his parents to let him attend acting classes when he was five years old.[2] He made his stage debut the following year in a regional production of Turgenev's A Month in the Country.[2] In 1994, his father heard about the auditions for a screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's popular children's novel James and the Giant Peach, and thought his son would be perfect: "Like James", he said, "Paul can act like a little boy lost."[2]
Performing career
editDirector Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) chose Terry out of hundreds of child actors to play the part of James in James and the Giant Peach.[2] The role required live acting as well as animation voice-work and singing. The live-action sequences were filmed in San Francisco, and the shoot took six weeks.[2] For his role in the film, which included singing one solo song and two ensembles on the soundtrack,[3] Terry was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voiceover.[4][5]
Terry later starred in the 26 episodes of the children's sitcom Microsoap, co-produced by the BBC and the Disney Channel, from September 1998 through February 2000. The program aired in the UK, the U.S., and other countries. Terry gave up acting after the series ended.[6]
In the 2000s he was the bass guitar player for the indie band Glassapple. The group gigged in the London area, toured in the U.S., and in 2005 released a 3-track EP.[7][8][9][6]
Later career
editTerry received a master's degree in civil engineering from Cardiff University, and his employment has included BAE Systems.[6][10] As of 2017 he is a mathematics teacher and aspiring novelist, and lives in County Durham in northeast England.[6][10]
Filmography
edit- James and the Giant Peach (1996, as James Henry Trotter)
- Microsoap (1998–2000, 26 episodes, as Joe Parker)
References
edit- ^ "Paul Terry" in England & Wales Births 1837-2006. GenesReunited.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e "Life's a Peach: As Disney's Orphaned James, Paul Terry Finds Life's a Peach". People. 20 May 1996; Vol. 45 No. 20.
- ^ James and the Giant Peach – Soundtrack. Internet Movie Database. [unreliable source?]
- ^ Eighteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards, 1995-1996 Archived 2 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Young Artist Awards. YoungArtistAwards.org.
- ^ Paul Terry – Awards. Internet Movie Database. [unreliable source?]
- ^ a b c d "What Ever Happened To... the boy from James and the Giant Peach?". Showbiz Geek. 16 November 2013.
- ^ Glassapple at MySpace via GlassappleMusic.com (archived August 2008 at the Internet Archive).
- ^ Glassapple (EP) at AllMusic.
- ^ "See Through" (video) by Glassapple at ARTISTdirect.
- ^ a b Our Staff: Mr Paul Terry, Teacher of Mathematics. DiscoverySchool.org.uk.