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Adam James

Acting

Born September 9, 1972 · London, England

Biography

Adam James was born on 9 September 1972. Adam trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1996. He worked extensively in both TV and Theatre early on in his career, receiving a Best Newcomer nomination at the M.E.N awards for his work at the Royal Exchange and then coming to prominence in 2001 in 'Band of Brothers'. This followed a string of notable guest leads in such popular shows as Extras, Ashes to Ashes, Hustle, Dr. Who and Foyles War. In 2010 he performed in New York in 'The Pride' along side Ben Whishaw and Andrea Riseborough for which he won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role and also received the Drama Desk Nomination. He would return in 2013, this time Off Broadway with the critically acclaimed and Olivier Award winning play "Bull", only to return to Broadway once more in 2016 with the Olivier and Critics Circle award winning play "King Charles III" in which Adam played the Prime Minister, and later received the Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2015, the same year in which he appeared in another Mike Bartlett hit "Dr.Foster", he married the former actress Victoria Shalet. Their first child was born in September 2016, and Adam has an adult daughter from a previous relationship. Adam then continued his collaboration with Mike Bartlett by filming both the much anticipated second series of Dr.Foster alongside a TV film version of King Charles III for BBC2. He has since returned to the stage and London's West End in the Olivier Award Winning "Girl From The North Country" at the Noel Coward Theatre and the hugely critically acclaimed "Consent" having transferred with it from the National Theatre. More recently he reunited with Rupert Goold for the world premiere of Anne Washburn's new play "Shipwreck" at the Almeida Theatre. His most recent Television work includes Julian Fellowes' new period drama "Belgravia" for ITV and Epix in the US (produced by Carnival the team behind Downtown Abbey) and also the hugely successful and critically acclaimed 12 part series "I May Destroy You" for the BBC and HBO, written, performed, produced an co-directed by Michaela Coel.

Awards & recognition

  • Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Featured Actor · 2010

Filmography50+ titles

Band of Brothers

2001as Cleveland O. Petty

The Day of the Jackal

2024as Jeremy Whitelock

Endeavour

2013as Kent Finn

Mr Bates vs. The Post Office

2024as Patrick Green QC

You

2018as Elliot Tannenberg

Sharpe

1993as Cpt. Philip Carline

Young Sherlock

2026as Doctor Maltby

Foyle's War

2002as Major Wesker

Ashes to Ashes

2008as Edward Markham

Hustle

2004as Carlton Wood

Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

2006as Titus

Inspector Lewis

2006as Ethan Croft

The Long Shadow

2023as Desmond Wilcox

The Crimson Field

2014as Colonel Charles Purbright

Death in Paradise

2011as Rick Mayhew

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead

2009as DI McMillan

A Touch of Frost

1992as Gregory Salmond

Life

2020as Neil Baker

The Game

2014as George

Hotel Babylon

2006

Murder Before Evensong

2025as Bernard De Floures

We Live in Time

2024as Simon Maxson

Vigil

2021as Lt Commander Mark Prentice

I May Destroy You

2020as Julian

Grantchester

2014as James Heath

Waking the Dead

2001as Michael Leonard

The Buccaneers

2023as Colonel St. George

Belgravia

2020as John Bellasis

Wicked

2024as Galinda's Popsicle

Hunter Killer

2018as Captain Forbes

Vexed

2010as Charlie Brewer

Treason

2022as Patrick Hamilton

Dalgliesh

2021as Alex Mayer

Law & Order: LA

2010as Max Steinberg

Secret Diary of a Call Girl

2007as Matt

The Lost Battalion

2001as Capt. Nelson Holderman

Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart

2006as Rupert

Wicked: For Good

2025as Galinda's Popsicle

The Suspect

2022as Dr. Gerald 'Jack' Owens

Hotel Portofino

2022as Jack Turner

Wired

as Simon

The Kill Team

2019as Hardin

Thicker Than Water

as Gavin Leonard

Family Tree

2013as Ronnie Chadwick

Consuming Passion

2008as Mick

Johnny English Strikes Again

2018as Pegasus

A Little Chaos

2014as Monsieur De Barra

Last Chance Harvey

2008as Josh Hillman

The Amazing Mrs Pritchard

as Mark McCaffrey

The Couple Next Door

2023as Ben Gregston