Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan-Jarvis (born ) is a British actor and former singer-songwriter. He has starred in the films Lady Macbeth (2016), Calm with Horses (2019), Persuasion (2022), and Warfare (2025). In 2024, he portrayed John Blackthorne in the historical drama series Shōgun.
Early life and education Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan-Jarvis was born in in New Jersey, U.S., to an Armenian-American mother and British father. His grandparents were Armenian immigrants. He moved to Britain with his parents at the age of three months, and moved to Totnes, Devon, as a child, with his mother and younger brother. About his nationality, Jarvis has said: "I came here [Britain] when I was a baby. I've never lived [in America] ... I don't feel a connection to anywhere."
Music career
Jarvis confirmed his second album's title as Is the World Strange or Am I Strange? on his official Facebook page. The first single released from the album was "Gay Pirates", which was released on 23 January 2011. The single's music video was directed by Jarvis. The song was featured as Record of the Day and AOL's Spinner video of the day. "Gay Pirates" was voted number 85 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2011, which aired on Australia Day in 2012. The album itself was given an 8.5/10 rating from Soundblab album reviews. He announced in an interview with TNC that he had begun work on his first feature film, called The Naughty Room.
The film premiered on BBC Four on 20 August 2012, shortly after the release of Jarvis' third studio album, titled Think Bigger, the film includes multiple songs/variations of songs from the album in the soundtrack. He toured the UK in late 2012 supporting Mad Dog Mcrea, for whom he penned the song "Waiting on the Hill". The comedy film Hawk(e): The Movie (2013) features several songs by Jarvis. In January 2013, "Love This" came in at number 59 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2012. On 20 November 2020, Jarvis re-released his 2012 album Think Bigger as Think Bigger - (2020 Deluxe Edition), as the 2012 album was never fully released globally. The Think Bigger reissue contains all of its 11 original recordings remastered for 2020, plus a further nine bonus tracks from that same writing period, including five never before heard songs and four acoustic live 'bedroom' versions of key Think Bigger tracks. Jarvis confirmed in 2025 that he is no longer active as a musician.
Acting career In 2015, Jarvis auditioned and was cast to portray the character of Sebastian in William Oldroyd's debut feature film Lady Macbeth. Jarvis has starred in two stage plays directed by Richard Jones, the 2017 production of The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill at Park Avenue Armory in New York and The Twilight Zone at the Almeida Theatre in London.
In 2019, his portrayal of Arm in the independent film Calm with Horses earned him a nomination as Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards 2020 and London Film Critics' Circle. Adapted from the short story of the same name from the collection Young Skins by Colin Barrett, Calm with Horses was received positively, with critics praising both Nick Rowland's work as a debut director and Jarvis' performance as Douglas Armstrong. The film was released in the United States under the title The Shadow of Violence. In 2020, Jarvis was a guest star on the fifth season of Peaky Blinders, as the character Barney. Following Peaky Blinders, Jarvis appeared in Nocturnal, Funny Face, The Evening Hour and Raised by Wolves.
In 2021, Jarvis was announced to star opposite Dakota Johnson in Netflix's adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. He was also cast as John Blackthorne, a leading role opposite Hiroyuki Sanada in FX's 2024 limited-series Shōgun, the second TV adaptation of James Clavell's best-selling novel of the same name. In 2022, Jarvis was nominated for Best Lead Performance in the British Independent Film Awards' new gender-neutral category for his performance in It Is In Us All. He was also nominated for Best International Actor at the Irish Film and Television Awards.
FX's Shōgun premiered in February 2024, receiving critical acclaim worldwide. Jarvis' performance as John Blackthorne was described as a "force to be reckoned with" by IGN and The Washington Post wrote that he "brilliantly channels" his role as the marooned English pilot in the historical drama. Empire described Jarvis as "compelling" and "magnetic". In his review, Nick Clark wrote for the Evening Standard, "Jarvis is one of those actors who is not just chameleonic – anyone who has seen him in Calm with Horses and then Persuasion can attest to his powers of transformation – but always brings so much more to a role than just speaking the words in order. It's the eyes; there's a whole lot going on behind them, and it means he's never less than compelling."
In 2025, Jarvis starred in the Australian prison drama Inside, The Alto Knights, starring alongside Robert De Niro and directed by Barry Levinson, and Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland's Warfare. Jarvis' performance in Warfare as Navy SEAL veteran Elliot Miller was widely acclaimed by critics, with Aiden Kelly writing "Every actor does a fantastic job, particularly Cosmo Jarvis in a part that once again shows the rising newcomer’s incredible range." for Collider.
In January 2025, Jarvis joined the cast of Guy Ritchie's Wife & Dog. In March 2025, Jarvis joined the cast of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, although he would drop out shortly before filming commenced due to scheduling conflict. In April 2025, Jarvis was officially confirmed to return as John Blackthorne for the second season of Shōgun alongside Hiroyuki Sanada. In May 2025, Jarvis was announced to star as future Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in Young Stalin, a film based on the biography of the same name by historian Simon Sebag Montefiore. In October 2025, Jarvis joined Paul Greengrass' The Uprising (formerly titled The Rage) led by Andrew Garfield, an action period drama film set in during the Peasant's Revolt.
Personal life Jarvis is married and has one child.
Jarvis is a fan of metal band System of a Down.
Views Jarvis has stated an aversion to social media and contemporary U.K. politics.
In an interview with Crush Fanzine in 2021, Jarvis spoke about recognition of the Armenian genocide: “I do find it fascinating that the Armenian genocide… is still not acknowledged by some nations… certain genocides and tragedies can be openly minimized or discounted all together while others happen to become essential architecture of a pop culture and society.”
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2015 Spooks: The Greater Good Dani Tasuev 2016 Lady Macbeth Sebastian 2017 The Marker Steve Hunter Killer Fathometer Operator 2018 Annihilation Special Ops Soldier (uncredited) Farming Jonesy 2019 Calm With Horses Douglas Nocturnal Pete 2020 The Evening Hour Terry Rose Funny Face Saul 2022 It Is In Us All Hamish Considine Persuasion Frederick Wentworth 2024Inside Mark Shepard 2025 The Alto Knights Vincent Gigante Warfare Elliot Miller2026 Joseph Stalin Post-ProductionThe Uprising Wat Tyler 2027 Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 2016 Moving On Verno 14 Episode "Taxi for Linda" Humans Martin Episode 3 (Series 2) My Mother and Other Strangers Lieutenant Steiger Episodes "The Price" and "God Rest You Merry" 2017 Vera Woody Episode "The Blanket Mire" 2019 Peaky Blinders Barney Series 5 2020 Raised by Wolves Campion Sturges Episodes "Infected Memory", "Lost Paradise" and "Mass" 2024–present Shōgun John Blackthorne Main role
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Nominated work ResultRef.The Astra Awards2024Best Actor in a Streaming Drama SeriesShōgun British Independent Film Awards 2017 Most Promising Newcomer Lady Macbeth 2020 Best Actor Calm with Horses 2022 Best Lead Performance It Is In Us All 2025 Best Ensemble Performance Warfare International Cinephile Society Awards 2023 Best Actor It Is In Us All Irish Film and Television Awards 2023 Best International Actor London Critics Circle Film Awards 2021 British/Irish Actor of the Year Calm with Horses Screen Actors Guild Awards 2025 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Shōgun
Discography Albums YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications UK IRL200619 Songs By Cosmo Jarvis Release date: 2006 Label: None Format: CD, digital download--2009Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch Release date: 16 November 2009 Label: Wall of Sound Format: CD, digital download--2011Is the World Strange or Am I Strange? Release date: 26 September 2011 Label: 25th Frame Format: CD, digital download2012Think Bigger Release date: 17 July 2012 Label: 25th Frame Format: CD, digital download2013They Don't Build Hearts Like They Used To - 4 Track E.P Release date: 29 September 2013 – Aus / NZ, 17 November 2013 Rest Of The World Label: Speed Vs Angle Format: Limited Edition CD, digital download
Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Album UK IRL EU US2009"She's Got You" ————Humasyouhitch/Sonofabitch"Problems/You Got Your Head" ————2010"Crazy Screwed Up Lady"————2011"Gay Pirates"————Is the World Strange or Am I Strange?"Sure as Hell Not Jesus"————"My Day"————"She Doesn't Mind"————2012"Love This"————Think Bigger2013"Collaborating With Rihanna"————Single2020"Tell Me Who To Be"Think Bigger - (2020 Deluxe Edition)
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