Boy of 15 is picked for top secret movie
A British schoolboy has been selected to play the role of a teenage super spy in a movie based on the books by Anthony Horowitz.
Alex Pettyfer beat 500 other hopefuls to land the role of Alex Rider in the Hollywood version of Stormbreaker - the most sought-after role since Harry Potter.
The 15-year-old will star alongside Ewan McGregor, Alicia Silverstone, Mickey Rourke and Sophie Okonedo in the £25million blockbuster.
Alex has appeared on screen only once before, in the ITV1 adaptation of Tom Brown's Schooldays shown on New Year's Day.
Horowitz's six books have sold eight million copies worldwide and been translated into 28 languages.
In the movie Alex's uncle and guardian is killed in a mysterious car crash. The teenager then discovers he worked for MI6 and finds himself drawn into the secret service.
The blond, blue-eyed schoolboy was at Pinewood Studio in Hertfordshire yesterday, where part of the film will be made.
He said: 'This is going to be such a great experience for me. Alex is an amazing character leading this incredible life as a spy.'
The action-packed role will be the most physically demanding ever undertaken by a child actor.
The character climbs mountains, scuba dives and is an expert in martial arts.
He said: 'I've already started ju-jitsu training and I plan to do as many of my own stunts as I can. '
Mr Horowitz said he was delighted with his new star. He said : 'I saw Alex in Tom Brown's Schooldays and was so impressed by his performance that I emailed the film's producers and said "You have to see this boy".'
