Iain Armitage bio, age, height, parents, family, Young Sheldon, girlfriend, siblings 2025

Iain Armitage Biography

Iain Armitage is a young American actor whose career began at the age of nine. He first gained fame as the young Sheldon Cooper from the series "Young Sheldon," a prequel to the iconic show "The Big Bang Theory." He has also played Ziggy Chapman in the drama "Big Little Lies" and Theo Lasher in the series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Childhood and Family

Iain was born in the summer of 2008 to parents Ewan Morton and Lee Armitage in Arlington, Virginia. His parents are creative people. His father is a well-known theater actor of Scottish descent, his mother is a theater producer. His maternal grandfather, politician Richard Armitage, held a high position in the US government from 2001 to 2005.

When he was just 4 years old, his parents helped him launch a YouTube channel called "Iain Loves Theater." He reviewed various performances such as "Othello," "Dear Evan Hansen," "Cats," and "Home Alone." His mostly glowing reviews attracted a substantial following, and Armitage later shared with his signature charming smile:

I just loved theater, so I started sharing my comments. I plan to continue doing this for every show. Some agents watched my videos and saw a boy who loves to talk and knows how.

One of those agents was Jamie Pillet from New York, who reached out to the talented youngster's parents to discuss his acting potential.

Young Iain Armitage with a theater program

Though Iain's mother had reservations initially, in 2014 the family made the trip to New York for a theater show—and while there, he signed his first professional contract. At that moment, he was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. Around the same time, he participated in the entertainment program "Impractical Jokers," and not long after, he served as a guest judge on a talent show for kids.

4 year old Iain performs Stars (Les Miserables)

Acting Career

Iain Armitage made his television debut in 2017 on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." He appeared as the young Theo Lachere, a child kidnapped by criminals.

Iain Armitage in the series 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'

Around the same time, he landed the role of Ziggy Chapman, the son of one of the main characters in HBO's drama series "Big Little Lies." with Shailene Woodley as his on-screen mother.

Iain Armitage in the series 'Big Little Lies'

When asked how he prepared for his significant role, the young actor replied:

My main tool is my imagination. I love to play. Like 'Transformers,' for instance. Movies are basically just playing, but on a bigger scale with an audience.

Armitage's filmography later included movies like "I'm Not Here" (Stevie), "The Glass Castle" (young Brian Walls), and "Our Souls at Night" (Jamie Moore). This Netflix release starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Reflecting on playing Fonda's character's grandson, Iain shared:

I get so happy just saying her name. I mentioned that I like fishing, but I don't want to harm any fish. She said, 'Well, there's such a thing as fly-fishing with barbless hooks so the fish won't feel pain.' The next day she booked a fly-fishing trip for the two of us.

The first project where Armitage played the lead role was the "The Big Bang Theory" spin-off called "Young Sheldon." The show follows a child prodigy misunderstood by his parents and wild twin sister, played by Raegan Revord.

Iain Armitage in the series 'Young Sheldon'

When discussing their collaboration, Revord gushed about working with her co-star:

It honestly feels like I really do have a twin brother. I'm an only child like Iain, and we're so alike... I swear, I'm amazed we have different blood types! Yes, we're literally the same! We like exactly the same things, play the same games...

In 2018, he won the Young Artist Award as the leading young actor for the best role in a series.

Beyond "Young Sheldon," Armitage has also made his mark in voice acting for animated films. He voiced young Shaggy Rogers in "Scoob!" and Chaser in "PAW Patrol: The Movie."

Iain Armitage voiced Chaser in the movie 'PAW Patrol: The Movie'

Iain Armitage's Personal Life

Despite his large fan following, the young actor keeps his personal life private and doesn't share details about dating. Iain continues running his video blog and practicing tap dancing. His friends include actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway musical "Hamilton." After Armitage praised the production, the two became friends.

In an interview, the actor stated that he is a huge fan of the band Queen and David Bowie, and at home, he has twin hamsters named Romeo Marx and Julian Spencer.

Iain Armitage Now

In 2023, Armitage kept filming the seventh and final season of "Young Sheldon." The season premiered in February, with the series finale airing in May 2024. The final season ran for fourteen episodes. Series creators Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, who also wrote the original "Big Bang Theory," developed the show. As the show wrapped up, Iain shared a heartfelt post on social media with a photo of his on-screen siblings, writing:

In case you wondered, I love my family. There's about 200 more people who make Young Sheldon happen and I'm grateful for each of them. We will make the best 7th season we can possibly make- and behind the scenes there will be lots of laughter and lots of tears because I love all of these people so much.

Meanwhile, "Big Little Lies" fans were buzzing about a potential third season that would bring back Iain's character.

Iain reviews Evita (Shakespeare Theatre)

Interesting Facts

Iain Armitage has a clear preference for live theater over film:

Right now, I'm happy doing both. The good thing about being a child is that you don't have to say, 'Okay, this is going to be my job.' You get so lost in it that you actually think it's reality. And, in my opinion, that's much better than television or movies because it's really happening right in front of you.
Many fans were shocked to discover that despite starring in a hit primetime series, Armitage's salary wasn't as high as they'd expected. According to TMZ, the young actor was paid $30,000 per episode, while more well-known and experienced actors can earn up to $500,000 per episode. Iain earned $660,000 for the first season and approximately $686,000 for the second.

When asked how easy it is to play a child genius, Armitage admitted he and Sheldon share some traits – they both enjoy getting under people's skin and use persistence to get their way.