Born in Vancouver, Canada to British Parents (Richard and Sue Baily), but he moved to Squamish, BC at a young age, where he would be known for playing many kind of sports such snowboarding and jetskiing competitively. He also studied and participated in theatre productions such as the Improv group.

He was awarded with an American Football scholarship to study in Gannon University (located in Erie, Pennsylvania) but he didn´t stay long because of a football accident involving his left leg. After his accident, he decided to return to Vancouver to continue with his studies in dramatic arts.

While studying he landed small roles on commercials and as background characters in some television shows, but his big break came with the X-men movies, when director Bryan Singer choose him to play the Russian mutant Colossus.