2007 has provided twenty two year old actor Emile Hirsch with the breakthrough performance he was looking for when he was cast in Sean Penn's Into The Wild.Hirsch began his acting career at the tender age of eight starring in a string of television shows including NYPD Blue and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys was to be his big screen debut in 2002 and was based on Chris Fuhrman's novel.The film follows a group of four 'alter boys' who attend a private Catholic school.He followed this up with The Girl Next Door with Elisha Cuthbert before moving on to an independent release The Mudge Boy.2005 brought the Lords of Dogtown which is based on the influential group of skateboarders, The Z-Boys, who revolutionised the sport.

Hirsch then joined Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone and singer Justin Timberlake in 2007's Alpha Dog.

The film is based on the true story of fifteen year old Nicholas Markowitz who was kidnapped and murdered in 2000 (all the names in the film were altered).

Emile takes the lead role of Johnny Truelove, real life counter part Jesse James Hollywood who awaits trial, who, with the help of his friends, kidnaps then kills Zach Mazursky as revenge on his brother Jake.

But it was for his role as Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild that resulted in critical acclaim for the young actor.

Into the Wild is an adaptation of Jon Krakauer's best selling novel and is directed by Oscar winning actor turned director Sean Penn.

Newly graduated Christopher McCandless walks away from his promising future and privileged lifestyle in search of adventure.

McCandless hitchhikes across America visiting South Dakota, the Colorado River, Slab City California before reaching Alaska where he met his untimely death.

The film has been nominated for a string of awards including the Screen Actor Guild awards and the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

However it was a surprise absentee with no nominations in the main categories at this year's Golden Globes were it had been expected to do well. It similarly missed out in the BAFTA nominations.

In 2008 Emile returns to the big screen in Speed Racer, an adaptation of the 1960s Japanese animated series.

Speed Racer (Hirsch) is a young man who is determined to win The Crucible, a cross country rally that claimed the life of Re Racer, his older brother.

Speed Racer is released this summer.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw