James Northcote (born James Walker; 10 October 1987) is an English actor and producer who has appeared in Wuthering Heights (2011), Anna Karenina (2012), Nymphomaniac (2013), The Imitation Game (2014), and The Last Kingdom (2017–2022).
Early life and family Northcote, born in London, was brought up and went to school at King's College, Taunton in the West Country. He went into drama at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied English. He is the great-nephew of the artist Marie Walker Last and great-great-nephew of Ronald Walker, Eric Walker and artist Hilda Annetta Walker. As a member of the National Youth Theatre, he played celebrity chef Alexis Soyer in their 2010 production of Relish, written by James Graham about the life of Soyer under the direction of Paul Roseby. At university, he appeared with the Cambridge Footlights notably as the evil Nalu in the 2009 pantomime "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" and the Marlowe Society as Mercutio in a production of Romeo and Juliet. At the Edinburgh Fringe he played Toad in The Wind in the Willows, winning an Edinburgh NSDF Commendation - Emerging Artists Award.
Professional career In 2011, he made his professional debut as Edgar Linton in Wuthering Heights directed by Andrea Arnold. His theatre work includes appearing in the Trevor Nunn production of Rosencratz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht at Chichester Festival. Stage roles include Caleb in the UK premier of The Whipping Man under the direction of Tom Attenborough at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, as Mr. Darcy in the Crucible Theatre Sheffield production of Pride and Prejudice, Millais in Lizzie Siddal at the Arcola and Yolland in the production of Translations by Brian Friel with the English Touring Theatre. Northcote appears in the controversial Lars von Trier film Nymphomaniac and as Mr. Vaughan in Belle. In 2018, he appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath as Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van.
Northcote appears in the BBC drama SS-GB, based on the book of the same name by Len Deighton and in series 2 to 5 of The Last Kingdom as the character Aldhelm, a Mercian lord and advisor to the monarchy. He also appeared in The Imitation Game as mathematician Jack Good, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing and Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke. Northcote appeared as the lead in the French film The Open directed by Marc Lehore. As a producer, he has completed a short film Morning is Broken, which was selected at British Film Institute Flare in 2015 and subsequently was used in the global Five Films 4 Freedom Campaign with the British Council.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 2011 Wuthering Heights Edgar Linton Professional debut 2012 Anna Karenina Princess Betsy's Footman2013 Nymphomaniac Young Lad 1 on Train Belle Mr. Vaughan 2014 The Imitation Game Jack Good2015 The Open Ralph Also associate producer Patient Zero Pete Townshend Morning is Broken Producer 2016 A United Kingdom Roberts 2017 Ostrich Producer 2018 Patient Zero Pete Townshend 2023 The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die Aldhelm
Television Year Title RoleNotes 2012 Silk Tom McFarland Episode: "In the Family Way" 2013 Endeavour Johnny Broom Episode: "Rocket"2014 The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Ties That Bind Linus Finch TV film The Game Waiter Episode #1.1 2015 Life in Squares Adrian Stephens 2 episodes 2017 SS-GB John Spode 3 episodes 2017–2022 The Last Kingdom Aldhelm Series 2–5, 34 episodes 2019 Catherine the Great Alexander Bezborodko 2 episodes 2023 Fool Me Once Neil Burkett 5 episodes 2025 Marie Antoinette (Season 2) Calonne 7 episodes Andor Pono Episode: 'Welcome to the Rebellion' Maigret (2025 TV series) Joseph Moers 2 episodes
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