British teen actor Thomas Sangster (photo) has been chosen to play Tintin in a big screen adaptation of comic adventures of the fictitious young Belgian reporter.

Seventeen-year-old Sangster, who has appeared in films as Love Actually and Nanny McPhee, was picked by Steven Spielberg, who is directing the first in a trilogy of Tintin films, reports said.

?I loved Tintin when I was younger,? Sangster was quoted as saying by the British press.

?I didn?t read any of the books but I really got into the (television) cartoon. I wasn?t good at reading when I was younger but the cartoon was a good memory for me,? he added.

Meanwhile, an original artwork for a Tintin comic book fetched a record 764,200 euros at a Paris auction. The 1932 oil painting, executed for the iconic cover of Tintin in America smashed the previous world record for an original comic book work.

That was set in March 2007 when a drawing by artist Enki Bilal called Bleu Sang fetched 177,000 euros. Judged a ?museum piece? in Artcurial?s auction catalogue, the painting by Tintin?s creator Herge finally sold for 764,200 euros.