You’ve seen his face on Netflix for four seasons, but the actor behind Otis Milburn is a study in controlled access — generous with his craft, guarded about his private life. This guide pieces together his career arc, ancestry, personal life, and the numbers that define his public profile, with no speculation, just what’s confirmed.
Age: 27 (born April 1, 1997) ·
Height: 5′8″ (1.73 m) ·
Famous for: Sex Education and Hugo ·
Net worth: Included in Heat’s 2025 Rich List
Quick snapshot
- Breakout in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Lead role in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo (2011) (Wikipedia)
- Starring role in Netflix’s Sex Education (2019–2023) (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Appeared in Ender’s Game, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and The Space Between Us (IMDb)
- Born in Islington, London on April 1, 1997 (IMDb Biography)
- Mother is Jewish, father is English (Tuko)
- Height 5′8″ (1.73 m) (Wikipedia)
- No publicly confirmed relationship (Tuko)
- Listed in Heat’s 2025 Rich List under 30 (Heat World)
- Estimated net worth in millions (Screen Dollars)
- Award nominations for Hugo and Sex Education (Wikipedia)
- Current relationship status (Tuko)
- Exact net worth figure (Screen Dollars)
- Religious affiliation (if any) (Tuko)
- Specific plans for 2026 (The Times)
Seven key facts, one pattern: a single source often offers a fragment, never the whole picture.
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield | IMDb Biography |
| Born | April 1, 1997 in Islington, London, England | IMDb Biography |
| Occupation | Actor | The Hollywood Reporter |
| Years active | 2006–present | Wikipedia |
| Notable works | The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Hugo, Sex Education | Wikipedia |
| Mother | Jacqueline Farr (psychologist) | IMDb Biography |
| Father | Sam Butterfield (advertising copywriter) | IMDb Biography |
Butterfield’s public profile is a study in controlled access: generous with his craft, guarded about his private life. Fans get the performances; reporters get the boundaried answers.
What is Asa Butterfield most known for?
Breakout role in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
- Butterfield was 10 when he landed the lead role of Bruno in the 2008 Holocaust drama The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (The Hollywood Reporter).
- The film adaptation of John Boyne’s novel earned critical acclaim and introduced Butterfield as a serious child actor (Rotten Tomatoes).
Acclaimed performance in Hugo
- In 2011, Martin Scorsese cast Butterfield as the title character in Hugo, a 3D adventure set in 1930s Paris (Wikipedia).
- The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning five (IMDb).
- Butterfield’s performance was praised for carrying the emotional weight of a story about grief and wonder (Rotten Tomatoes).
Sex Education fame
- Butterfield played Otis Milburn, a socially awkward teenager who becomes an amateur sex therapist, across all four seasons of Netflix’s Sex Education (2019–2023) (The Hollywood Reporter).
- The show became a global hit and made Butterfield a household name among young audiences (Wikipedia).
- His co-stars included Connor Swindells Biography and Aimee Lou Wood.
Other notable films and TV shows
- Butterfield appeared as Ender Wiggin in Ender’s Game (2013), as Jake in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016), and as Gardner in The Space Between Us (2017) (IMDb).
- He also starred in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) in a minor role and has a growing theatre resume (Rotten Tomatoes).
The implication: Butterfield’s filmography traces a deliberate path from child star to adult lead, each role a strategic leap rather than a stumble.
How rich is Asa Butterfield?
Net worth estimates and sources
- Multiple entertainment bios estimate Butterfield’s net worth at about $5 million (Screen Dollars).
- This figure is not publicly confirmed by Butterfield or his representatives (Heat World).
Inclusion in Heat’s 2025 Rich List
- Butterfield was named in Heat’s 2025 Rich List of wealthiest stars under 30 (Heat World).
- The list does not disclose exact financial figures, only inclusion (Heat World).
Income from acting and endorsements
- Butterfield’s primary income derives from film and television roles, particularly his long-running Sex Education contract (Screen Dollars).
- He has not publicly disclosed endorsement deals or other revenue streams (Tuko).
The catch: without audited financials or a public statement, the $5 million estimate remains a best guess from aggregators, not a verified floor or ceiling.
Is Asa Butterfield in a relationship?
Current relationship status
- A 2024 lifestyle profile states Butterfield is single (Tuko).
- Butterfield has not publicly confirmed a current relationship as of 2026 (Tuko).
Previous reported relationships
- Butterfield was reportedly in a relationship with actress Ella Purnell from 2015 to 2016 (Bored Panda).
- Rumors linked him to Sex Education co-star Mimi Keene in 2021, but neither party confirmed a relationship (Bored Panda).
Privacy and public appearances
- Butterfield generally keeps his personal life private, rarely discussing relationships in interviews (Elle Australia).
- He has described preferring to keep fans guessing about his relationship status (Bored Panda).
The pattern: Butterfield’s romantic life is a closed door. What’s reported is either unconfirmed or dated, making any definitive statement a stretch.
What ethnicity is Asa Butterfield?
Parents’ ethnic backgrounds
- Butterfield’s mother, Jacqueline Farr, is of Jewish descent (Tuko).
- His father, Sam Butterfield, is English (IMDb Biography).
- Biography sources label Butterfield’s ethnicity as White and nationality as British (Bored Panda).
Religious influences
- Butterfield grew up in a family with Jewish heritage through his mother, though he has not publicly identified with any specific religious affiliation (Tuko).
- No confirmed reports detail his current religious practice or beliefs (Tuko).
Origin of the Butterfield surname
- Butterfield is an English surname with possible locational origins tied to places named Butterfield in Yorkshire (Wikipedia).
- The surname is classified as habitational, referring to a person who lived near a field where butter was made or sold (Wikipedia).
Did Asa Butterfield change his name?
- Butterfield’s birth name is Asa Maxwell Thornton Farr Butterfield, and he has never legally changed it (IMDb Biography).
- His professional name is simply Asa Butterfield, a shortened version of his full legal name (Wikipedia).
The trade-off: his mixed ancestry — Jewish mother, English father — is widely reported but rarely contextualized. Fans seeking nuance get labels, not depth.
As Butterfield moves into his late 20s, the traditional pivot is toward more adult roles. His next project choices will reveal whether he maintains the same genre range or narrows his identity as a dramatic lead.
How old is Asa Butterfield?
Date of birth and age
- Butterfield was born on April 1, 1997, in Islington, London, England (IMDb Biography).
- A 2026 profile from The Times lists him as 29 years old (The Times).
Height and physical statistics
- Butterfield’s height is consistently reported as 5′8″ (1.73 m) by Wikipedia (Wikipedia).
- However, other sources show conflicting data: IMDb lists two different figures — 6′1″ (1.86 m) and 6′0″ (1.83 m) — while Bored Panda cites 5′10″ (178 cm) (IMDb; Bored Panda).
- This divergence makes his official height an open question among biography compilers.
Early life and education
- Butterfield attended St. John’s Highbury Vale primary school in Islington (Screen Dollars).
- He later moved to a performing arts school, though the specific institution is not widely cited (Tuko).
- By 2026, he had relocated from Islington to Dalston for a few years (The Times).
The trade-off: conflicting height data across sources — a problem common with actors who haven’t stated their own — means fans comparing him to co-stars are working from inconsistent baselines.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Butterfield was born in Islington, London (IMDb Biography)
- He began acting at age 8 (The Hollywood Reporter)
- He played the lead in Hugo and Otis in Sex Education (Wikipedia)
- He has never legally changed his name (IMDb Biography)
What’s unclear
- Current relationship status
- Exact net worth figure
- Religious affiliation (if any)
- Specific plans for 2026
- Mother’s Jewish heritage and father’s English background
The split between confirmed and unclear reflects Butterfield’s strategy of selective disclosure.
Quotes from Butterfield
Asa Butterfield told Talkhouse that he believes the best filmmaking is when the director’s perspective and the actor’s perspective blend together. (Talkhouse interview)
“I keep my personal life to myself. It’s not about hiding — it’s about having something that’s just mine.”
— Asa Butterfield in a red carpet interview (paraphrased from multiple sources, Elle Australia)
Editor’s note: Quote 1 is drawn from a published interview; quote 2 reflects a sentiment consistently expressed across appearances but not attributed to a single recorded line.
Butterfield’s public statements reveal a performer who values craft over confessional. He gives the work, not himself.
youtube.com, screendollars.com, reddit.com, thegentlemansjournal.com, instagram.com, youtube.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Asa Butterfield’s real name?
Where was Asa Butterfield born?
Did Asa Butterfield go to drama school?
Is Asa Butterfield active on social media?
What awards has Asa Butterfield won?
Does Asa Butterfield have siblings?
What is Asa Butterfield’s height in centimeters?
The questions with solid answers outweigh the uncertainties, but careful sourcing remains essential.