Jamie Parker (born 14 August 1979) is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Harry Potter in the original West End and Broadway productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Early life Parker was born in Middlesbrough, Cleveland, on 14 August 1979 and brought up in Darlington. He attended Loretto School before training in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), from which he graduated in 2002.
Career Parker originated the role of Scripps in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys. He was involved in The History Boys from the play's first reading, initially reading the part of Rudge before taking on the role of Scripps in the original London stage production as well as in the Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong productions and radio and film versions of the play. Parker put his musical talents to use in The History Boys, playing piano and singing in several scenes. His other National Theatre credits include a 2008 revival of The Revenger's Tragedy.
In 2008, he appeared as Werner von Haeften in the film of the historical thriller Valkyrie. He can also be seen in the BBC/HBO production of Parade's End.
In 2011, he appeared at Chichester in Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with fellow History Boy Samuel Barnett. The production subsequently moved to London for a West End engagement. In the autumn of 2012 he appeared as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. In the first part of 2013 he appeared in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Proof and in Candida at the Theatre Royal, Bath. He played the role of Mike Connor in High Society at The Old Vic in London. He also sang several numbers in the Late Night Sinatra concert given by the John Wilson Orchestra during the 2015 BBC Proms season at London's Royal Albert Hall.
In 2015, he appeared alongside his fellow History Boys co-stars in the film adaptation of Alan Bennett's The Lady in the Van. He had a cameo as an estate agent.
He originated the role of Harry Potter in the original West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, London. On 9 April 2017 Parker won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the play. He reprised his performance on Broadway at the Lyric Theatre in 2018, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play.
In 2023, he took the stage as Benjamin Button in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the Southwark Playhouse in London. The show opened on 22 May and closed on 1 July.
Later in 2023, he played Dan Goodman in the Donmar Warehouse's production of the musical Next to Normal. He reprised the role for the show's West End transfer in 2024.
In 2025, he played The Baker in the Bridge Theatre's production of Into The Woods, for which he was nominated for the 2026 Best Actor in a Musical
Shakespeare In 2009 he played Oliver in As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe.
He returned in 2010 to play Prince Hal in both Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2. His musical talents were further exhibited (briefly) when he played a wooden recorder in an early tavern scene.
During the spring of 2012 he toured the UK in the Globe production of Henry V, a production which subsequently played at Shakespeare's Globe on London's Southbank during the summer of 2012 thereby completing his traversal of the Prince Hal story arc in Shakespeare's history plays at the Globe. Parker was also featured in two of the six episodes of the BBC Four's production Shakespeare Uncovered (2012). Each episode explored and revealed the extraordinary world and works of William Shakespeare and the still-potent impact they have today.PBS. Shakespeare Uncovered, New York Public Media, 2013. Shakespeare Uncovered: About The series combined interviews with actors, directors and scholars, along with visits to key locations, clips from some of the most celebrated film and television adaptations, and illustrative excerpts from the plays staged specially for the series at Shakespeare's Globe in London.
He played Hamlet in BBC Radio 4's production of Hamlet, directed by Marc Beeby. It was first broadcast in March 2014.
He also played Mark Antony in BBC Radio 4's production of Julius Caesar, directed by Marc Beeby, first broadcast in July 2018.
Personal life He married actress Deborah Crowe in 2007, with whom he has a son, William.
Parker's great-grandfather was the English footballer Alf Common.
Selected credits
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Notes 2002 After the Dance Peter Oxford Playhouse, Oxford 2003 The Coffee House Eugenio Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Holes in the Skin Dominic The Gondoliers Giuseppe Palmieri Between the Crosses Ian Jermyn Street Theatre, London 2004 Singer various roles Tricycle Theatre, London 2004–2006 The History Boys Scripps Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre, South Bank (2004–5)Lyric Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (2006)St. James Theatre, Wellington (2006)Sydney Theatre, Sydney (2006)Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway (2006) 2008 The Revenger's Tragedy Hippolito Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre, South Bank 2009 As You Like It Oliver Shakespeare's Globe, Southwark A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine Thomas Jefferson/Timothy Matlack 2010 My Zinc Bed Paul Peplow Royal Theatre, Northampton Henry IV, Part 1 Prince Hal Shakespeare's Globe, Southwark Henry IV, Part 2 2011 Racing Demon Rev Tony Ferris Sheffield Crucible Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Guildenstern Chichester Festival Theatre and Theatre Royal Haymarket Alongside Samuel Barnett, fellow 'History Boy' 2012 Henry V Henry V Shakespeare's Globe, SouthwarkCat on a Hot Tin Roof Brick West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds 2013Proof Hal Menier Chocolate FactoryCandida Reverend James Morell Theatre Royal, Bath 2014 Guys and Dolls Sky Masterson Chichester Festival TheatreAssassins The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald Menier Chocolate Factory 2015 A Little Night Music Count Carl Magnus Palace Theatre, London Concert production High Society Mike Old Vic Theatre 2015–2016Guys and Dolls Sky Masterson Savoy Theatre, London Nominated - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical 2016–2017Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Harry Potter Palace Theatre, London Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play2018Lyric Theatre, Broadway Nominated — Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play2023The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonBenjamin ButtonSouthwark Playhouse, LondonNext to NormalDan Goodman Donmar Warehouse2024Wyndham's Theatre 2025–2026 Into the Woods The Baker Bridge Theatre Nominated - Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical
Radio Year Title Role Station Notes 2007 Life Class Paul Tarrant BBC Radio 4 Ten 15 min episodes 2010 Doctor Who - Leviathan Wulfric Big Finish 2 episodes 2012 Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein BBC Radio 4 2 episodes 2014 Pride and Prejudice Mr Darcy BBC Radio 4 3 episodes Hamlet Hamlet, Prince of Denmark BBC Radio 4 5 episodes2022Hall of MirrorsJohn Maynard KeynesBBC Radio 41 episode
Television Year Film Role Network Notes 2007 American Experience Philip Hamilton PBS Series 19, Episode 15 "Alexander Hamilton" Maxwell Farquhar BBC TV film Silent Witness Alan Peters BBC Series 11, Episodes 5–6 "Hippocratic Oath" 2009 Horne and Corden BBC Series 1, Episode 4 2010 Van Gogh: Painted with Words Theo van Gogh BBC TV film 2011 The Hour Peter Darrall BBC Series 1, Episode 1 (Appears in Episodes 2 and 4 on a recorded tape) 2012SilkCaptain CassidyBBCSeries 2, Episode 2 Shakespeare Uncovered: Derek Jacobi on Richard IIBBC Four. Shakespeare Uncovered: Derek Jacobi on Richard II, Episode 3 of 6, BBC, 30 June 2012. BBC Shakespeare UncoveredAs himself and Richard IIBBC FourEpisode 3 of 6Shakespeare Uncovered: Jeremy Irons on the HenrysBBC Four. Shakespeare Uncovered: Jeremy Irons on the Henrys, Episode 5 of 6, BBC, 8 July 2012. BBC Shakespeare UncoveredPrince Hal/Henry VBBC FourEpisode 5 of 6Parade's EndBrownlieBBC TwoEpisodes 2–3 2014 Silent Witness Ben Morgan BBC Series 17, Episodes 9–10 "Fraternity"EndeavourDr Matthew Copley-BarnesITVSeries 2, Episode 1 "Trove" 2015 Count Arthur Strong Aide BBC Series 2, Episode 3 "We're Listening" Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Grant BBC Series 1, Episodes 3–5 BBC Proms 'Late Night Sinatra' Himself BBC Prom 30 2020 Des Allan Green QC ITV Series 1, Episode 3 2022 Becoming Elizabeth John Dudley Starz 2023 The Crown Robin Janvrin Netflix Season 6 2024 Masters of the Air Dr. Huston Apple TV Season 1 2026 Ride or Die David Amazon Prime Video
Film Year Film Role Notes 2006 The History Boys Scripps 2008 Valkyrie Werner von Haeften2013Dirty WeekendMike2015The Lady in the VanEstate agent20191917 Lieutenant Richards
References
External links http://www.jamieparkeractor.com/
BBC Four: Shakespeare Uncovered (for UK users) PBS: Shakespeare Uncovered (for US users)