Aaron Taylor-Johnson's life and career in pictures: From his marriage to his many memorable film roles
From a high school heartthrob in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging to a Marvel superhero in Avengers, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has assumed many roles across his over two decades in acting.
2024 has marked a busy one for the star, with three major movies, including his leading role in the action superhero film Kraven the Hunter, and rumours swirling he could be cast as our next 007.
And it looks like we can get used to the actor staying in the spotlight, with his first project of 2025 set to be the highly-anticipated horror film 28 Days Later.
Taylor-Johnson, now 34, has been around in Hollywood since the early noughties, starting out as a child actor.
Over the years he's made headlines not only for his variety of acting roles, but for his marriage.
With the actor making waves with his movie career, let's take a look back at how he got to where he is now.
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2003: Hollywood debut in Shanghai Knights
Aaron Johnson started out as a child actor in theatre productions before earning some television roles in the UK on shows like Feather Boy.
In 2003, when he was just 10 years old, the child star made his Hollywood film debut in Shanghai Knights.
He played a young Charlie Chaplin.
For his major movie debut, Johnson acted alongside the likes of Hollywood greats Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan.
Here he is pictured front and centre with the cast of Shanghai Knights at the film's Hollywood premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in 2003.
A few years later he starred in the 2006 film The Illusionist, playing a younger version of American actor Edward Norton.
At the age of 15, Johnson left school to pursue a career in Hollywood.
2008: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
When he was 18 Johnson landed one of his most memorable roles – at least, if you were to ask any teen girl at the time anyway.
The actor starred as high school heartthrob Robbie in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, based on the book series of the same name.
The film has become a rom-com classic in the years since and arguably put Johnson on the map.
Johnson starred in the film alongside Georgia Groome, who aptly played the leading lady also named Georgia.
The pair were rumoured to have dated from 2008 to 2009 after meeting on set, though neither confirmed the speculation.
Even though it was years ago, Johnson recently spoke out to defend one detail in the iconic 2008 film...
15 years after Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging premiered, Johnson addressed a storyline that has copped his character some backlash.
During a December 2024 appearance on BBC Radio 1, one fan called up to tell the star the character Dave 'The Laugh', played by Tommy Bastow, "deserved better".
In the film, Dave is romantically interested in Georgia but she ultimately ends up choosing Johnson's character Robbie by the end of the movie.
"What mate takes another guy's crush?" the fan asked, who happened to be named Georgia.
"I almost feel like, Georgia, you didn't feel like that back in the day," Johnson defended his character's actions.
"I think you're lying. I think that you didn't care for Dave at all, not one bit, when you watched that movie.
"And now, when you recently watched it, you went 'aww' and you just felt sympathetic for poor Dave. And now you're thinking, 'Well actually…'"
2009: Met his future wife Sam Taylor-Wood
One of the most talked-about parts of the actor's life is his relationship with wife Sam Taylor-Wood. The longtime couple have a controversial 24-year age gap.
Johnson reportedly first met his wife Sam when he auditioned for her 2009 film Nowhere Boy.
Johnson was 19 when he starred in the musical biopic, while Sam was 42.
In a 2019 interview with Harper's Bazaar, the director opened up about the early days of their relationship, revealing Johnson proposed after the movie wrapped.
"We were very professional through the entire film," she told the outlet.
"But everyone on set knew. And as soon as we finished, he told me he was going to marry me. We had never been on a date, or even kissed."
2009: Nowhere Boy
Nowhere Boy came out in 2009.
Johnson starred as a young John Lennon in the musical movie, which became his breakthrough role in Hollywood.
At just 19, his performance as The Beatles icon earned him several awards nominations and a win for the Best Newcomer trophy at the 2010 Empire Awards.
At the London Film Festival premiere of Nowhere Boy on October 29, 2009, Johnson walked the red carpet with Sam.
The director also brought her two daughters, Angelica and Jessie Phoenix along to the special event.
Sam shares the girls with her ex-husband Jay Jopling, who she split from in 2008 after 11 years of marriage.
Here, Johnson is pictured with the trio.
January 2010: Expecting first child
2010 marked a big change in Johnson's life: he was going to be a first-time dad.
A spokesperson for Johnson and Sam announced in January they were expecting their first child together.
"We can confirm that Sam is pregnant with her and Aaron's first child. Both are very, very happy," the statement read.
Johnson told People at the time ahead of becoming a father: "It's not scary, I'm already a stepdad to [Sam's kids Angelica and Jessie] anyway.
"So the nerves have sort of gone".
The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Wylda Rae, in July 2010.
Here the expecting parents are pictured in April, 2010 at the premiere of Johnson's new film, Kick-Ass.
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