James Ronald Gordon Copeland (born 1947), known professionally as James Cosmo, is a Scottish actor. Known for his character work, he has played supporting roles in films such as Highlander (1986), Braveheart (1995), Trainspotting (1996), Troy (2004), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Ben-Hur (2016), and Wonder Woman (2017). On television, he appeared as Father Kellan Ashby on the third season of Sons of Anarchy (2010), Jeor Mormont on HBO's Game of Thrones (2011–2013), Farder Coram in the BBC series His Dark Materials (2019), Luka Gocharov on the third season of Amazon Prime's Jack Ryan (2022) and Fraser Warren on the first season of Nightsleeper. Cosmo appeared as a contestant on the nineteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2017, finishing in fourth place.
Early life Cosmo is the son of actor James Copeland and Helen Goodlet Findlay. He attended Hartfield Primary School in Dumbarton. Through his father, young James played cricket on Hampstead Heath with Sean Connery while his father was in the pub with Peter O'Toole. He has a sister. When he was 11, he moved back to Glasgow and later he worked for a time at Arnott Young shipbreakers in Dalmuir.
Career At the start of his career he adopted Cosmo, the middle name of his mother Helen, as his stage surname. Cosmo is best known for his film roles as Angus MacLeod in Highlander, Campbell in Braveheart and as Father Christmas in the adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Over the years he has also had roles in other films such as Trainspotting, The Last Legion and 2081. He appeared in Troy with future Game of Thrones cast members Sean Bean and Julian Glover. He also appeared in UFO as SHADO operative Lieutenant Anderson, in Take the High Road as Alex Geddes from 1982 until 1983 and in 1984 played Jock McLeish in the Minder episode Senior Citizen Caine. He appeared as Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Drysdale in the seventh series of Soldier Soldier.
From 2011–2013, Cosmo portrayed Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and father of Jorah Mormont (played by Iain Glen), in the HBO series Game of Thrones. He was involved in the filming of the thriller Breakdown in which he appeared alongside Craig Fairbrass, Bruce Payne, Emmett Scanlan, Olivia Grant and Tamer Hassan. He played the antagonist in the Indian film, Jagame Thandhiram, which released in 2021. He played a Russian intelligence officer named Luka Gocharov in season 3 of the Amazon show Jack Ryan.
He is a patron of the charity Chance for Childhood.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1969Battle of BritainJamie Waller 1971AssaultDet. Sgt. Beale 1972DoomwatchBob Gillette Young WinstonOfficer on Train 1982Living Apart TogetherPriest 1986HighlanderAngus MacLeod 1988Stormy MondayTony 1990Mr. Bowring1995BraveheartCampbell GangsterShort film1996TrainspottingDavid RentonEmmaMr. Weston 1997Santa/ClawsSanta ClausShort film1998Urban Ghost StoryMinister Babe: Pig in the CityThelonius (voice) 1999Sunset HeightsMacDonald Billy Bailey Billy and ZorbaZorbaShort filmOne More KissFrank 2000HonestTommy Chase Reflections Upon the Origin of the PineappleNarrator (voice)Short film2001To End All WarsLt. Col. Stuart McLean All the Queen's MenArchie 2002Once Upon a Time in the MidlandsBilly Col. Sutch 2003SkagerrakRobert Man Dancin'Donnie McGlone The ReckoningLambert Solid AirFinn 2004One Last ChanceBig John TroyGlaucus 2005James Brown Father Christmas 2006Half LightFinlay Murray Free JimmyHudMaSpecs (voice)AKA Slipp Jimmy fri (Original title)Mr. Karva 2007Hrothgar Dawson Where Have I Been All Your Life?JohnShort film20092081George BergeronHector McKinley 2010OutcastLairdDonkeysAlfie Sutherland 2011No Saints for SinnersMurphy Pecco 2012CitadelPriest Songs for AmyMurdo 2013Get LuckyMr. Zigic Judge Wellington Hammer of the GodsKing Bagsecg Justin and the Knights of ValourBlucher (voice) Herbert Hopewell Sea OutOld JoeShort filmDying LightPoliceman 2014Dr. HarperShort filmWe Still Kill the Old WayArthur HoleCooperShort film2015MoonwalkersDawson CarriedHenry HunterShort filmJames Henderson Ray JanuaryAlbertAKA Estranged (Original title)2016Project 12: The BunkerBrian Balanowsky BreakdownAlbert Chapman MikelisMikelisShort filmDark SignalAlan Ben-HurQuintus Whisky Galore!MacAlister, the Minister MonochromeRoger Daniels EliminatorsCooper2017London HeistRay Dixon T2 TrainspottingDavid RentonLast Respects Philip Drummond (voice)Short filmWonder WomanField Marshal Haig 2018Rogue Trooper: The Quartz MassacreNarrator (voice)Short filmIn DarknessNiall Outlaw KingRobert Bruce Senior Ashes in the SnowMr. Stakas MalevolentGrandpa Sayers TomorrowMr. Charles 2019Des Brady Forget Me NotBenedictShort filmGet Duked!Farmer Off GridJohn TannerShort filmShadow BoxerEddie RoyceShort film2020SkylinesGrant 2021Jagame ThanthiramPeter SprottTamil filmFrank Menzies 2022 BreathNick My Sailor, My LoveHoward Scrooge: A Christmas CarolMr. Fezziwig (voice) 2023 The Three Musketeers Cardinal Richelieu 2024 Can You Hear Me? JohnnyThe Beast Within WaylonThe Last Redemption Lord Goran 2025 Salvable Welly The Morrigan Francis Crowley2026 Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead Dida Preschool Joe Voidance Agent Polo
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1965Dr. Finlay's CasebookPeter RandallEpisode: "The Vision"1966Ransom for a Pretty GirlCharlie MilneMini series, 6 episodesThis Man CraigDouglas McGrathEpisode: "Nurinder"1967St. IvesDalmahoy2 episodesAndrewEpisode: "A Pretty Flat Kind of Existence"1968DetectiveDet. Sgt. MacGregorEpisode: "Dover and the Deadly Poison Pen Letters"Splash O.K.Hamish MacPhersonTelevision film1969Dr. Finlay's CasebookPrivate DavidsonEpisode: "Single or Return"Softly SoftlyMcBrideEpisode: "In at the Death"1970HectorEpisode: "A Woman or an Epitaph"Senior Under Officer PattersonEpisode: "Sovereign's Company"1971Long Voyage Out of WarThorpeEpisode: "Battle at Tematangi"UFOLt. AndersonEpisode: "Reflections in the Water"Inspector WilliamsEpisode: "Element of Risk"Det. Con. SandersonEpisode: "A Tale of Two Cities"1972Sutherland's LawIan CampbellTelevision filmCliff Dow1973ITV PlayhouseSgt. RobbinsEpisode: "Professional"Sutherland's LawIan CampbellEpisode: "The Sea"1973–1977WarshipLeading Regulator ("Sheriff") Pat Fuller21 episodes1974Play for TodayLochEpisode: "The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil"1975Churchill's PeopleRobert BruceEpisode: "The Wallace"QuillerHamiltonEpisode: "Target North"1976SurvivorsLenny CarterEpisode: "The Chosen"Orde WingateBrigadier Calvert3 episodes1977George & MildredKeithEpisode: "The Dorothy Letters"James MackenzieMini series, 5 episodes1977–1978Midnight Is a PlaceDavey Scatcherd3 episodes1978Harry BrayEpisode: "New Standards"Det. Sgt. Davy FreethEpisode: "Hard Men"KidnappedBeggarMini series, episode: "Uncle Ebenezer"1979Dick Barton: Special AgentJock Anderson29 episodesThundercloudCPO Hawkins13 episodesGlasgow McDadeEpisode: "To Honour and Obey"GloverEpisode: "Runner"1980Hammer House of HorrorWillisEpisode: "The Thirteenth Reunion"1981Sergeant Carch4 episodesBonfieldEpisode: "Semper Fidelis"StrangersDet. Sgt. GalbraithEpisode: "A Dear Green Place"1982King's RoyalColin Lindsay4 episodes1982–1984Take the High RoadAlex Geddes42 episodes1984MinderJock McLeishEpisode: "Senior Citizen Caine"Murder Not Proven?Sergeant MunroEpisode: "Death on the Mountain"Scarecrow and Mrs. KingDr. Ian McCarranEpisode: "The Legend of Das Geisterschloss"Fairly Secret ArmyCrazy Colin Carstairs2 episodes: "Romance Plughole" and "The Pulses Quicken"The Master of BallantraeHorseman (uncredited)Television film1985Lytton's DiaryHarry OwenEpisode: "Daddy's Girls"Big DealMcFeeEpisode: "Down and Under"Operation JulieLongfellowTelevision film1985-1986C.A.T.S. EyesMcNeill / Howard2 episodes1986Running ScaredDetective Inspector McNeill6 episodesLost EmpiresInspector FurnessMini series, episode: "#1.6"1987Super GranMr. McBiggEpisode: "Supergran Snookered"BrondPrimo3 episodes1988Codename: KyrilBonhamMini series, episode: "#1.1"TaggartVictor BairdEpisodes: "Dead Giveaway"1989William TellAntonAKA Crossbow (Original title). Episode: "Silver Rider"Winners and LosersFrank KerrMini series, 3 episodesGlen4 episodesSaracenMiekeraEpisode: "Into Africa"CasualtyJohn BreckmanEpisode: "A Grand in the Hand"D.C.I. CameronEpisode: "Seen to Be Done"James SmithsonTelevision film1990Sgt. HendersonEpisode: "Old Ways and New"El C.I.D.SandsEpisode: "Getting Even"Treasure IslandRedruthTelevision film1991CarmichaelMini series, 8 episodesStay LuckyBigmacEpisode: "Hard Times, Hard Men"1992ScreamingMedicsHarry LiveregeEpisode: "#2.4"HeartbeatMatthew ChapmanEpisode: "Nowt But a Prank"Rab C. NesbittTeacherEpisode: "Lesson" 1993SceneReception OfficerEpisode: "Pig Boy"Between the LinesD.C.C. BirmanEpisode: "Manoeuvre 11"CasualtyTonyEpisode: "Cat in Hell"1994James MaxtonEpisode: "#3.5"Alleyn MysteriesMajor Keith BallantyneEpisode: "Dead Water"Screen TwoJerryEpisode: "Sin Bin"1994–1995RoughnecksTom13 episodes1996Bad BoysTam DevlinEpisode: "Dead Men Don't Wear Bunnets"1997IvanhoeCedricMini series, 5 episodesAin't Misbehavin'Malky FraserMini series, 3 episodesSoldier SoldierLt. Col. Philip Drysdale9 episodes1998Two LivesEddieEpisode: "Golden Wedding"1999CleopatraAgrippaMini series, 2 episodes: "Parts 1 & 2"Comedy LabDavid (voice)Episode: "Heart and Sole"Patrick Grainger: Lennox's StoryEpisode: "Haunted"Split SecondDonald PatersonTelevision film2000Blind WoodsmanMini series, 2 episodes: "#1.4" and "#1.10"Tales from the MadhouseThe CenturionMini series, episode: "The Centurion"BadgerCharlie MaddoxEpisode: "Predators" McNabTelevision film2000–2001RebusMorris Gerald Cafferty2 episodes2001Best of Both WorldsWilliam Landucci2004BiographyNarrator (voice)Documentary series, episode: "Tchaikovsky"2005Little House on the PrairieMr. ScottMini series, 4 episodes2007Midsomer MurdersJack 'Axeman' McKinleyEpisode: "The Axeman Cometh"Impact EarthBrenden KellyTelevision film2008Galder WeatherwaxMini series, episode: "Part 1: The Colour of Magic"2009MerlinHengistEpisode: "Lancelot and Guinevere"The Narnia CodeNarratorTelevision film2010CastleFinn RourkeEpisode: "Sucker Punch"FlashForwardPhilipEpisode: "Revelation Zero: Part 2"Sons of AnarchyFather Kellan Ashby8 episodesOne Night in EmergencyTelevision filmNick2011–2013Game of ThronesJeor Mormont12 episodes2012Silent WitnessArnold MearsEpisode: "Paradise Lost"2013Death in ParadiseRoger SeymourEpisode: "Murder on the Plantation"Case HistoriesLen LomaxEpisode: "Started Early, Took My Dog"2014New WorldsGoffeMini series, episode: "#1.1"2015Magnum OpusMoshe NavonEpisode: "Fuck Da Babylon" (Pilot)2016ShetlandArthur McCall4 episodesStagThe GamekeeperMini series, episodes 1 & 2Jules Trouvier4 episodes2016, 2018–2019Captain Creech2017Celebrity Big BrotherHimselfSeries 19 finalist and third runner-up, 19 episodesSS-GBHarry WoodsMini series, 5 episodes2018Mystery of the Lost PaintingsNarrator (voice)Documentary series, 8 episodes2018–2019Hold the SunsetBob9 episodes2019Jorge da Burgos8 episodesChernobylMinerEpisode: 'Open Wide, O Earth'His Dark MaterialsFarder Coram6 episodes2021 Bill Bradwell2022 Tom Clancy's Jack RyanLuka Gocharov8 episodes2023–2025Highland CopsNarrator (voice)Documentary series, 18 episodes (3 Series)Six FourJim MackieMini series, 4 episodes2024 Nightsleeper Fraser Warren 6 episodes2025 Fear Allan Berwick 2 episodes Karen Pirie Brodie Grant Snr 3 episodesHostageMax DaltonTalamascaDirector Houseman1 episode
References
External links
Official Website