Nolan mụrụ na Westminster, London, ma tolite na Highgate. Nna ya bụ onye Bekee, Brendan James Nolan, bụ onye na-akpọsa mgbasa ozi, na nne ya bụ onye America, Christina (née Jensen), rụrụ ọrụ dị ka onye na-ahụ maka ụgbọ elu na onye nkụzi Bekee. A na-ekewa nwata ya n'etiti London na Evanston, Illinois, o nwekwara ma British na US amaala. O nwere nwanne nwoke tọrọ ya, Matthew Francis Nolan, onye omekome mara ikpe, na nwanne ya nwoke nke nta, Jonathan. Ọ malitere ime ihe nkiri na afọ asaa, na-agbaziri igwefoto Super 8 nke nna ya ma na-agbapụ obere ihe nkiri na ihe oyiyi ya. Na-etolite, Nolan nwere mmetụta dị ukwuu site na 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) na Star Wars (1977). N'ihe dị ka afọ asatọ, o mere ka a kwụsị ihe nkiri na-akpali akpali nke a na-akpọ Space Wars.
asaa