Asa Butterfield
At age 11, he anchored a Holocaust drama that grossed $44 million globally, then headlined a Netflix series viewed for 200 million hours in its first month.
Born 1997 (age 29)·English actor·Birthday: April 1·Generation Z
Biography
Asa Butterfield carried the 2008 film 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' as Bruno, a role that required him to sustain the narrative perspective opposite veteran actors. The film earned $44 million worldwide against a $12.5 million budget. He transitioned to leading roles in major studio productions: Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' (2011) and the science fiction film 'Ender's Game' (2013). In 2019, Butterfield secured the part of Otis Milburn in Netflix's 'Sex Education.' The first season reached 40 million households within its first month of release; the fourth season accumulated over 200 million viewing hours in its debut month. The series distinguished itself for its frank treatment of adolescent sexuality and mental health. Butterfield's performance charted Otis's evolution from a socially awkward teenager to a more confident young adult across 32 episodes. The show's international success on Netflix cemented his transition from child actor to adult lead without a significant career hiatus.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Asa was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Asa Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Asa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for 'Hugo' (2011).
- Played the titular character in 'Ender's Game,' a film adaptation of the classic Orson Scott Card novel.
- His series 'Sex Education' remained in Netflix's Global Top 10 for four consecutive seasons.
Did You Know?
Is an avid player of the video game 'EVE Online' and has referenced it in interviews.
Holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Built his own gaming PC and streams occasionally under a pseudonym.
“Acting is about finding the truth in a character, no matter how small the moment.”
