Born in north wales 1978, his father a builder and his mother an artist. JD's grandfather Felix Roth was a member of the Magic Circle, officer in the British army and a dentist, who became a great inspiration to him along with his great aunt, Dorothy Round Little, the 1930's tennis ace and Wimbledon Champion. JD worked as a builder and a stage hand in the theatres in Manchester and London for more than 10 years where his taste for acting grew. He began to pursue an acting career in 2006 with private tuition in Manchester and again in 2010 when moving to London, starting out as a sword fighter on such films as 'Snow White and The Huntsman' and 'Maleficent' performing basic stunts. He has since gained small walk-on roles in TV and film and landed the lead in the TV pilot '2024'. JD is also a professional screenwriter and novelist, who once trained on the controversial Ivana Chubbuck masterclass, later training at the widely recognized Identity Acting School in London, where the likes of John Boyega and Letitia Wright had previously attended.