Jonny Lee Miller's Real Name: Jonathan Lee Miller

Quick answer: Jonny Lee Miller's real name is Jonathan Lee Miller. He was born on November 15, 1972, in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey (now Greater London), England. "Jonny" is a short form of Jonathan.

Jonny Lee Miller's real name

Miller was born Jonathan Lee Miller and works under the shortened Jonny Lee Miller. He comes from a theatrical family: his grandfather was Bernard Lee, who played M in the early James Bond films (BBC).

Early life and first roles

Miller grew up in London and began acting as a child, including an early part in the BBC drama Mansfield Park (1983). He left school at 16 to pursue acting and worked steadily in British television, including an appearance on EastEnders.

Hackers and Trainspotting

His film breakthrough came in 1995 with Hackers, where he starred as Dade Murphy ("Zero Cool"/"Crash Override") opposite Angelina Jolie. The next year he played the bleach-blond, James Bond–obsessed Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in Danny Boyle's Trainspotting (1996), one of the defining British films of the decade. He reprised Sick Boy in T2 Trainspotting (2017).

Miller and Jolie married in 1996 and divorced in 1999; they have remained friends.

Frankenstein on stage

In 2011 Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch starred in Danny Boyle's production of Frankenstein at London's National Theatre, alternating the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature night by night. The two shared the Laurence Olivier Award for best actor (BBC; Olivier Awards).

Elementary and other TV

From 2012 to 2019, Miller played Sherlock Holmes in CBS's Elementary, a modern New York take on the detective co-starring Lucy Liu as Joan Watson. It ran for seven seasons and 154 episodes. His other TV work includes the title role in Eli Stone (2008–2009), Dexter (2010) and Mr. Knightley in the BBC's Emma (2009). In 2022 he played Prime Minister John Major in The Crown.

Personal life

After his marriage to Jolie, Miller married actress Michele Hicks in 2008; they have a son and later divorced. He is a keen long-distance runner and has completed ultramarathons for charity.

Trainspotting (1996) Blu-ray Elementary: The Complete Series DVD