When you’re the child of a world-famous celebrity, it isn’t always easy when you want to choose a career. When Duncan Jones, son of musician and actor David Bowie, won a BAFTA award for directing his first film, Moon, he said: ‘It's taken me a long time to work out what I wanted to do with my life. And I think I've finally found it.’ Since he won that and other awards for Moon in 2009 and 2010, he has directed Source Code, a futuristic thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal, and has been involved in other film projects.
Jones was born in 1971 to David Bowie and his first wife, model Mary Angela Barnett. He went to primary school in Switzerland, and several other places. When his parents divorced in 1980, he lived with his father until going to boarding school in Scotland when he was 14. As a child he was called 'Zowie Bowie', but he decided to use his other first name, Duncan, when he was about 18.
Another interesting thing about Jones is that he has always been determined to have a successful career without the help of his famous father. He went to university in the UK, and later – after studying in the United States – graduated from the London Film School in 2001 with a degree in directing. Since then he has worked as a cameraman, and a director for computer games, ads, and films.
One interesting connection between Jones and his famous father is science fiction. David Bowie's music was influenced by science fiction: he made an album called Space Oddity, and starred in a film called The Man Who Fell to Earth, about an alien visitor to our planet. Duncan Jones' major film projects have all been science fiction or about the future. It’s certainly clear that he has some of his father’s interests!