Daniel was born and raised in London, England to a family completely immersed in show business. His mother Tessa Shaw was an actress, most notably of the Dr. Who series fame and his father George, was a London's West End scenic designer. With show biz in his blood, Daniel's first big opportunity came as a young boy in front of Franco Zeffereli for the title role in the 1977 classic Jesus of Nazareth, and he was London casting's first choice for the role. He learned early in life that talent was not the only deciding factor in landing a role and was not selected over a technicality of eye colour.