Adam James (born 9 September 1972) is an English actor.
Early life James was born in London on 9 September 1972.
James's godfather was Jon Pertwee. He trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was a contemporary of Dominic West and Daniel Evans, graduating in 1996.
Career His credits include Band of Brothers, The Mother of Tears, Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, Bonekickers, Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant and a long running storyline in Casualty, as well as an episode of ITV2 drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl. He appeared in Extras, as the new agent of Ricky Gervais's character, as well as appearing in Ashes to Ashes as Edward Markham in the first episode. James also had a role as Rupert in an episode of Miranda.
In 2009, James appeared in the Doctor Who episode "Planet of the Dead" with David Tennant, the pair having first worked together in Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre 1999 production of King Lear. James's other theatre work includes Blood and Gifts (2010) and Much Ado About Nothing (2011), alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate. He has recently appeared in a few rehearsed readings at the Royal Court and Finborough Theatre.
He portrayed Monsieur de Barra in the feature film A Little Chaos, and Jeremy Heywood in Coalition, a Channel 4 drama about the 2010 election. In November 2015, he reprised his role as Prime Minister Mr Evans in King Charles III on Broadway, New York. In 2016, he portrayed Hovstad in An Enemy of the People at Chichester Festival Theatre.
In 2024, James played Galinda's father in the two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked. He also had a role as Jeremy Whitelock in the Peacock series The Day of the Jackal. In 2025, he made his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he played Duke Vincentio in William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.
Personal life In September 2015, he married former actress and psychotherapist Victoria Shalet. Their first child was born in September 2016. James also has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Forbidden Territory Albert Barney 1999 Gregory's Two Girls Phil 2000 High Heels and Low Lifes Rupert 2003 Three Blind Mice 1st Exec Uncredited Prima Dammi Un Bacio Stephen 2004 De-Lovely Horsegroom 2006 The Road to Guantánamo Chris Mackay Docu-drama 2007 Mother of Tears Michael Pierce Nominated as Best Actor at the David di Donatello Awards2008 Broken Lines Toby Last Chance Harvey Josh Hillman 2011 Much Ado About Nothing Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon 2012 Tad, the Lost Explorer Max Mordon Voiceover, animated film 2013 Kilimanjaro Thomas Samuelson Shown at the SXSW, Dallas and Newport Film Festivals 2014 A Little Chaos Monsieur de Barra 2015 Capture the Flag Scott Goldwing English version, voice2018 Johnny English Strikes Again Pegasus Hunter Killer Captain Forbes Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero Additional voices Animated film 2019 The Kill Team Hardin 2023 The Penitent Richard Marlow 2024 We Live in Time Simon Maxson 2024 Wicked Glinda's Father 2025 Wicked: For Good
Television Year Title Role Notes1996 Cold Lazarus Militia man Sharpe's Regiment Captain Carline The Bill PC Kelleher Episode: "A Good Night Out"Episode: "No Assistance Required" 1997 Island Ross 6 episodes1998 Silent Witness Eden Blackman 2 episodes Life of the Party Winston Spencer Churchill Television film 1999 Let Them Eat Cake Marquis de Bonvie Episode: "The Pox"2000 The 10th Kingdom Beantown Man 2 episodes I Saw You Kevin Television film2001 Murder on the Orient Express William McQueen Television film Table 12 Chef Episode: "After Hours" Band of Brothers Pvt. Cleveland O. Petty Episodes: "Currahee", "Day of Days","Carentan" and "Crossroads" The Lost Battalion Capt. Nelson Holderman, Co. K, 307th Television film2003 Holby City Tim Preston Episode: "Think Again" Doctors Bryan Evans Episode: "Grievous Loss" Reversals Dr. Glen Morrow Television film2004 England Expects Daniel Isaacs Television film As If Richard Episode: "Alex's POV"2005 Meucci William Ryder Italian television film Casualty Pete Guildford 17 episodes Love Soup Guy Cassidy Episode: "The Reflecting Pool"2006 Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in my Heart Rupert Television film Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire Titus Flavius Episode: "Rebellion" The Amazing Mrs Pritchard Mark McCaffrey Episode #1.42007 Judge John Deed Major General Waters Episodes: "War Crimes" Parts 1 & 2 Waking the Dead Michael Leonard Episodes: "Deus Ex Machina" Parts 1 & 2 Desperados David Barclay 2 episodes The Commander Tony Lattice Television film Sold Darius Bowmore Episode #1.4 Extras Tre Cooper Episode: "The Extra Special Series Finale"2008 Ashes to Ashes Edward Markham Episode #1.1 My Family Daniel Episode: "The Parent Trap" Harley Street Calvin Morgan Episode #1.1 Bonekickers John Episode: "The Lines of War" Consuming Passion: 100 Years of Mills & Boon Mick Television film Wired Simon Penvell 2 episodes 2008, 2011 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Matt Hexton 2 episodes2009 Hotel Babylon Carlton Foreman 2 episodes Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant Henry VIII 2 episodes Jonathan Creek Alec Episode: "The Grinning Man" Hustle Carlton Wood 2 episodes Doctor Who D.I. McMillan Episode: "Planet of the Dead" The Execution of Gary Glitter John Carter QC Television film Sleep with Me MacDara Television film2010 A Touch of Frost Gregory Salmond Episodes: "If the Dogs Run Free" Parts 1 & 2 Foyle's War Major Wesker Episode: "Killing Time" Lewis Ethan Croft Episode: "Your Sudden Death Question" Trinny and Susannah: From Boom to Bust Dinner Guest Television film Miranda Rupert "the bear" Episode: "Let's Do It" 2011 Law & Order: Los Angeles Max Steinberg Episode: "Benedict Canyon" 2012 Vexed Charlie Brewer Episode #2.32013 Silent Witness Dr Richard Fell 2 episodes Holby City Alan McLaren Episode: "Promises, Promises" Law & Order: UK Michael Gennis Episode: "Tracks" Churchill's First World War(a.k.a. Churchill: The War Letters) Winston Churchill Television film Family Tree Ronnie Chadwick Episode: "Country Life"2014 The Crimson Field (formerly The Ark) Colonel Charles Purbright 2 episodes The Game George Episode: "Episode 3" The Assets Walt Escott Episode: "A Small Useless Truth" Grantchester James Heath Episode #1.6 Gunpowder 5/11: The Greatest Terror Plot State Inquisitor Television film2015 Coalition Jeremy Heywood Television film Drifters Julian Episode: "Roomies" Catherine Tate's Nan Charles Wilmott Episode: "Knees Up Wilmott-Brown" 2015, 2017 Doctor Foster Neil Baker 7 episodes 2016, 2018 Home from Home Robert Dillon 7 episodes2017 Endeavour Kent Finn Episode: "Game" King Charles III Prime Minister Tristan Evans Television film 1066: A Year to Conquer England Harold Godwinson Miniseries; 3 episodes Eric, Ernie and Me Ernest Maxim Television film 2019 Deep State Adam McKay 6 episodes2020 I May Destroy You Julian 4 episodes Belgravia John Belassis 5 episodes Life Neil Baker Miniseries; 3 episodes 2021 Vigil Lieutenant Commander Mark Prentice 6 episodes2022 Treason Patrick Hamilton Miniseries, 5 episodes The Suspect Gerald Owen 5 episodes 2022–2024 Hotel Portofino Jack Turner 7 episodes2023 You Elliot Tannenberg 2 episodes The Long Shadow Desmond Wilcox Episode #1.7 The Buccaneers Colonel St. George 4 episodes2024 Mr Bates vs The Post Office Patrick Green QC Episode #1.4 Belgravia: The Next Chapter John Bellasis Episode #1.8 2024 The Day of the Jackal Jeremy Whitelock 4 episodes2025 Death in Paradise Rick Mayhew Episode #14.2 Murder Before Evensong Bernard De Floures Main 2026 Young Sherlock Dr. Charles Maltby In production
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1990 Coriolanus Meninius 1995 A View from the Bridge Rudolpho 1995 Tamburlaine 1996 Lone Star Cletis 1996 Private Wars Gately 1996 Unseen Hand Cisco 1997 Poor Super Man Matt nominated as Best Newcomer at the MEN Awards 1998 Chimes at Midnight Hotspur 1998 The Glass Menagerie Gentleman Caller 1999 King Lear Edmund 2000 Snake in the Fridge Randy 2002 Original Sin Eugene Black 2002 Time and the Conways Robin Conway 2004 The Importance of Being Earnest Algernon Moncrieff 2006 Rabbit Richard playing the same role in the Brits off-Broadway season at the 59E59 Theaters in New York City, June/July 2007 2007 French Without Tears Lt. Commander Bill Rogers 2007 My Child Karl Played the only named character. 2008 Now or Later Marc 2009/9 Gethsemane Geoff Benzine 2010 Blood and Gifts Simon Craig nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the Whatsonstage Awards 2010 The Pride Peter/Man/Doctor Drama Desk nomination; won the 2010 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actor 2011 Tiger Country John 2011 Much Ado About Nothing Don Pedro 2011 13 Mark 2012 Don't Dress for Dinner Bernard Sequel to Boeing Boeing. 2013 Bull Tony Rehearsed reading in 2010. Crucible Theatre, February 2013, then off-Broadway transfer. 2013 Chan Various roles Royal Court reading of Chilean play which took place on 13 September 2013 2013 Death at Whitbridge Fred Wallis One off performance at Finborough Theatre, Sunday 6 October 2014 Rapture, Blister, Burn Don Harper A Hampstead Theatre Production, which ran from 16 January – 22 February 2014 2014 King Charles III Prime Minister Almeida Theatre, transferred to the Wyndhams Theatre and then to Broadway. 2015 Bull Tony Young Vic Theatre. 2016 An Enemy of the People Hovstad Chichester Festival Theatre 2017 Consent Jake Royal National Theatre 2019 Shipwreck James The Almeida Theatre
Radio Year Title Role Notes ???? The Nature of Vikings 2004 Selling Immortality 2010 Deep Cut Colonel Nigel Josling (Radio 4) Re-broadcast in November 2011. 2011 Our Country's Good Robert Sideway Our Country's Good and The Recruiting Officer shared the same cast when they were broadcast on Radio 3 & 4 in December 2011 2011 The Recruiting Officer Mr. Worthy 2012 Twelfth Night Sir Andrew 2012 Romeo and Juliet Benvolio
Other Year Title Role Notes 2008 9/11: The Bronx Series narrator 2009 Doctor Who Confidential (Planet of the Dead) Himself 2009 Theatre Live
References
External links
– National Theatre