James Purefoy
James Purefoy | |
---|---|
Born | James Brian Mark Purefoy 3 June 1964 Taunton,England |
Education | Central School of Speech and Drama(BA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1987–present |
Spouses | |
Children | 4 |
James Brian Mark Purefoy[1](born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He playedMark Antonyin theHBOseriesRome,Nick Jenkins inA Dance to the Music of Time,college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the seriesThe Following,Solomon Kanein thefilm of the same name,and Hap Collins in theSundanceseriesHap and Leonard.In 2018, he starred as Laurens Bancroft in thefirst seasonofAltered Carbon,aNetflixoriginal series. Following an uncredited role asVin the 2006 filmV for Vendetta(replaced anddubbed overbyHugo Weaving), he was cast in a main role asCaptain Gulliver "Gully" Troy / Captain Blightyin the 2020–2021secondand 2022third seasonof the television seriesPennyworth,theprequelto bothGothamandV for Vendetta.
Early life
[edit]Purefoy was born inTaunton,Somerset, the eldest son of Anthony Chetwynd Purefoy and Shirley,néeTaylor.
PurefoyboardedatSherborne School,which he left with only oneO-level.He later went to night school and received 11 more O-levels, before taking his A-levels atBrooklands CollegeinWeybridge.He worked as a porter atYeovil District Hospitalbefore studying acting at theCentral School of Speech and Drama.[2]
Career
[edit]Stage work
[edit]Purefoy's early professional roles included Romeo inRomeo and JulietinLeatherhead,Walter inMary Morganat theRiverside Studiosand Alan Strang inEquuson tour. He subsequently joined theRoyal Shakespeare Company(RSC) in 1988 and appeared inThe Constant Couple,Macbeth,The Tempest,The Man Who Came to Dinner(Gene Saks, Barbican) andKing Learas Edgar.
Elsewhere, he has also appeared as Laertes inHamletat theBristol Old Vic(1991), Brian inWilliam Gaminara'sBack Up the Hearse and Let them Sniff the Flowersat theHampstead Theatre(1992), Roland Maule inNoël Coward'sPresent Laughterat theGlobe Theatre(1993), Biff inDeath of a Salesman,alongsideKen StottandJude Law,at theWest Yorkshire PlayhouseinLeeds(1994), Tony inThe Servantat theBirmingham Rep(1995). He returned to the RSC forSimon Callow's stage adaptation of the film classic,Les enfants du paradisat theBarbican.He also played Hugh de Morville in Paul Corcoran'sFour Nights in Knaresboroughat theTricycle Theatre,(1999) and Loveless inTrevor Nunn's production ofThe Relapseat theNational Theatrein 2001.
Between March and June 2011 he starred as Peter inTrevor Nunn's production ofFlare Pathat theTheatre Royal, Haymarket,alongsideSheridan SmithandSienna Miller,as part of the playwrightTerence Rattigan's centenary year celebrations.[3]
He appeared as part of the ensemble cast of the 2019 West and Middle Chinnock Christmas Show, as well as singing several sea shanties fromFisherman's Friends.
Film and television
[edit]In 1991, Purefoy played James McCarthy, a young man accused of murdering his father, in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery,"inGranada'sThe Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.One of his notable roles was Nicholas Jenkins in the four-part miniseriesA Dance to the Music of TimeforChannel 4in 1997. He playedEdward, the Black Princein the filmA Knight's Tale,Rawdon Crawley inVanity FairwithReese Witherspoonand Tom Bertram in the 1999 production ofMansfield Park.He has played major roles in several television costume dramas, includingSharpe's Sword,The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,The Prince and the Pauper,The Mayor of Casterbridge,Blackbeard: Terror at Sea,Beau Brummell: This Charming Man,The Tide of Life,CamelotandRome.
Purefoy wasscreen testedfor the role ofJames Bondin 1995 forGoldenEye,but ultimately lost the role toPierce Brosnan.Throughout 2004 and 2005 Purefoy's name was rumoured as a possible candidate to replace Brosnan as Bond in future films. Speculation suggested that his departure was due to an opportunity to play James Bond in the 2006 filmCasino Royale.[4]He was originally the actor for V in the 2006 filmV for Vendettabut had creative differences with the production team and left the film six weeks into filming. Parts of the film contain (dubbed) scenes of Purefoy.
Purefoy playedMark Antonyin theHBO/BBCoriginal television series,Rome.At the time there were rumours that at least one nude body in the show had been digitally enhanced. When his Wikipedia entry, which at that time referred to the rumours, was brought up in an interview with Alastair McKay, published in the January 2007 issue ofOutmagazine,Purefoy said, "I won't say whose it was, but there was a penis in the series that may have been slightly enhanced. But it wasn't mine. Mine's all mine."[5]
ProducerWilliam J. Macdonaldannounced that James Purefoy would playSimon Templarin a new TV series ofThe Saint.The new series was scheduled to start shooting inBerlinandAustraliain April 2008.[6]However, production ultimately did not occur and in August Purefoy was reported as negotiating withNBCto star in another series,[7]The Philanthropist.He starred as Teddy Rist in the summer television series, which aired on NBC beginning in June 2009. His character is a billionaire playboy who decides to use his wealth and power tohelp others in need.
In 2009 Purefoy played the titular character in an adaptation ofRobert E. Howard'sSolomon Kane.In 2013,The Followingdebuted, starring Purefoy as the lead antagonist of the series. He portrays Joe Carroll, a former professor who becomes a serial killer and leads a cult of followers, all of whom help create Carroll's "story".
It was announced in June 2014 that Purefoy would join the cast of the filmHigh-RisewithTom HiddlestonandJeremy Irons.[8]Later in 2014, Purefoy co-starred in theFormula 1-themed music video forDavid Guetta's song "Dangerous".
From 2016 to 2018 Purefoy starred as Hap Collins inSundance's adaptation ofHap and Leonard,alongsideMichael Kenneth Williams.In 2018 he starred as Laurens Bancroft inAltered Carbon,aNetflixoriginal series. In February 2019,Hybrid(who provided the score toInterlude in Prague) released a short film to accompany their single "Hold Your Breath" from the albumLight of the Fearless.The film starred Purefoy as the brooding "Mr Black".
In 2020, Purefoy joined the cast of thesecond seasonof theV for VendettaandGothamprequeltelevision seriesPennyworthin a main role, portrayingCaptain Gulliver "Gully" Troy,a former SAS captain and the leader of a crew of criminals consisting of former soldiers, who later becomes the enhanced super-soldier Captain Blighty in the 2022third season.[9][10][11]
Personal life
[edit]Purefoy married actressHolly Airdin 1996, with whom he has a son.[12]They divorced in 2002.
In 2014 he married art historian Jessica Adams with whom he has a daughter and two sons.[13]
Purefoy is a supporter of bothYeovil TownandManchester United.[14][15]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Feast of July | Jedd Wainwright | |
1996 | The Tide of Life | Nick Stuart | |
1997 | Jilting Joe | Joe | |
1998 | Bedrooms and Hallways | Brendan | |
1999 | Mansfield Park | Tom Bertram | |
Women Talking Dirty | Daniel | ||
2000 | Lighthouse | Richard Spader | |
Maybe Baby | Carl Phipps | ||
The Wedding Tackle | Hal | ||
2001 | Tomorrow | Andrew Spender | |
A Knight's Tale | Edward, the Black Prince of Wales/ Sir Thomas Colville | ||
2002 | Resident Evil | Spence Parks | |
2003 | Photo Finish | James | Jury Award for Best Actor |
2004 | George and the Dragon | George | |
Blessed | Craig Howard | ||
Vanity Fair | Colonel Rawdon Crawley | ||
2005 | V for Vendetta | V | Uncredited; left six weeks into filming; few opening scenes of a masked V are of James Purefoy but are dubbed byHugo Weaving |
2006 | Goose on the Loose | Kenneth Donnelly | |
2008 | Lena: The Bride of Ice | Dr. Harper | |
2009 | Solomon Kane | Solomon Kane | |
2011 | Ironclad | Marshall[16] | |
2012 | John Carter | Kantos Kan[17] | |
2013 | Wicked Blood | Wild Bill | |
2015 | Momentum | Mr. Washington | |
High-Rise | Pangbourne | ||
2016 | Equity | Michael Connor | |
2017 | Churchill | King George VI | |
Interlude in Prague | Baron Saloka | ||
2019 | Fisherman's Friends | Jim | |
2022 | Fisherman's Friends: One and All | Jim |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Coasting | Mike Baker | |
1991 | Sherlock Holmes | James McCarthy | Episode: "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" |
Boon | Alan Bridges | Episode: "Houseguests" | |
1992 | The Cloning of Joanna May | Oliver | Television film |
Angels | Victor | ||
1993 | Calling the Shots | Brian Summers | Television film |
Rides | Julian | 4 episodes | |
Crime Story | Darius Guppy | Episode: "The Prince" | |
1995 | Tears Before Bedtime | Jimmy Turner | |
Sharpe's Sword | Captain Jack Spears | Television film | |
1996 | The Tide of Life | Nick Stuart | Television miniseries |
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall | Mr Lawrence | ||
The Prince and the Pauper | Miles Hendon | ||
1997 | Have Your Cake and Eat It | Ben | Television miniseries |
Bright Hair | David Miles | Television film | |
A Dance to the Music of Time | Nicholas Jenkins | Television miniseries | |
2000 | Don Quixote | Sansón Carrasco | Television film |
Metropolis | Nathan | Miniseries | |
2001 | Bye Bye Baby | Television film | |
2003 | The Mayor of Casterbridge | Donald Farfrae | |
2005 | Blackbeard | Edward Teach / Blackbeard | |
2005–07 | Rome | Mark Antony | Lead role |
2006 | Beau Brummell: This Charming Man | Beau Brummell | Television film |
2007 | Manchild | Joe | |
Frankenstein | Henry Clerval | ||
2008–10 | The Summit | Thom Lightstone | Miniseries |
2009 | Diamonds | Lucas Denmont | Television film |
The Philanthropist | Teddy Rist | ||
2011 | Camelot | King Lot | Episodes: "Homecoming", "The Sword and the Crown", "Lady of the Lake" |
Injustice | William Travers[18] | Miniseries | |
Rev. | Richard | Episode: "#2.6" | |
Revenge | Dominik Wright | Episodes: "Doubt", "Justice" | |
2012 | The Hollow Crown | Thomas Mowbray | Episode: "Richard II" |
Episodes | Rob | 4 episodes | |
2013–15 | The Following | Joe Carroll | 30 episodes |
2016–18 | Hap and Leonard | Hap Collins | |
2016 | Roots | John Waller | Miniseries |
2016–18 | Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia | Kanjigar the Courageous (voice) | |
2018 | Altered Carbon | Laurens Bancroft | 10 episodes |
Urban Myths | Billy Wilder | Episode: "Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder:" It's Me, Sugar "" | |
2019–2020 | Sex Education | Remi Milburn | 5 episodes |
2019 | 3Below: Tales of Arcadia | Kanjigar the Courageous (voice) | 2 episodes |
2020–2022 | Pennyworth | Captain Gulliver "Gully" Troy / Captain Blighty | Main role;seasons 2–3[9] |
2020 | El Candidato | Wayne Addison | 10 episodes |
2020 | No Man's Land | Stanley | 8 episodes |
2021 | A Discovery of Witches | Philippe de Clermont | |
2022 | Marie Antoinette | Louis XV | |
2023 | Malpractice | Dr. Leo Harris[19] | |
2023 | Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie | Rick Eden | Television film |
2024 | The Veil | Sir Michael Althorpe |
Radio
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Afternoon Play: The Tears of War[20] | Bevil Quiller-Couch | BBC Radio 4 |
2014 | Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? | Rick Deckard | |
2016 | Le Cid | Don Rodrigue | BBC Radio 3 |
2017 | The Scarlet Pimpernel | Sir Percy Blakeney | BBC Radio 4 |
References
[edit]- ^Profile,Film Reference; accessed 12 February 2014.
- ^"When in Rome..."interview with Hannah Pool.The Guardian.6 January 2007.
- ^"Official Press Release: James Purefoy And Sheridan Smith Join Sienna Miller In Terence Rattigan’s Flare Path Directed By Trevor Nunn",27 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^Morris, Clint.McMahon still in the running for 007Archived11 June 2005 at theWayback Machine.MovieHole. 10 June 2005.
- ^McKay, Alastair.All Hail James Purefoy.Out.
- ^"James Purefoy to play Simon Templar in The Saint",The Saint Club.5 December 2007.
- ^The Hollywood Reporter:"James Purefoy circles NBC series,21 July 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008
- ^Oliver Lyttelton (13 June 2014)."'The Hobbit' Star Luke Evans Joins Tom Hiddleston in Ben Wheatley's 'High Rise'".Indie Wire. Archived fromthe originalon 16 June 2014.Retrieved16 June2014.
- ^abMitovich, Matt Webb (26 February 2020)."Pennyworth Season 2: James Purefoy Among Several Cast Additions".TVLine.
- ^Catig, Gary (6 October 2022)."'Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman's Butler'goes to the sexy, psychedelic 70s and even Gotham: Jack Bannon and Ben Aldridge on season 3 ".AIPT Comics.Retrieved6 October2022.
- ^Reinfuss, Wiktor (7 October 2022)."Series Review:'Pennyworth'Season 3 Premiere ".The Cosmic Circus.Retrieved7 October2022.
- ^"When in Rome".The Guardian.6 January 2007.
- ^"James Purefoy marries art historian Jessica Adams".The Telegraph. 18 July 2014.
- ^"CELEBRITY GLOVER'S FOLLOWING US!!".Yeovil Town F.C.23 January 2013.Retrieved1 April2021.
- ^"Actor James Purefoy joins Rog in the Panic Room".NBC Sports.17 April 2018.Retrieved22 January2021.
- ^"Film recreates Rochester castle siege – in WalesArchived18 December 2009 at theWayback Machine".Kent News.14 November 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^"Purefoy, Haden Church, and Strong for Mars".Empire Online.
- ^"Injustice".itv.xom.
- ^"ITV commissions medical thriller Malpractice".itv /presscentre.Retrieved12 June2022.
- ^BBC Genome Project Radio Times 1923 - 2009
External links
[edit]- James PurefoyatIMDb
- James Purefoy as Blackbeard
- James Purefoy as Beau Brummell
- Interviewwith James Purefoy, BBC Somerset, September 2005
- Interviewwith James Purefoy, BBC Somerset, January 2006
- Interviewwith James Purefoy, BBC Somerset, February 2007
- InterviewinThe Guardian,6 January 2007
- Men's Vogueprofile
- Hold your breath short film
- Living people
- 1964 births
- 20th-century English male actors
- 21st-century English male actors
- Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- English male film actors
- English male Shakespearean actors
- English male stage actors
- English male radio actors
- English male television actors
- Male actors from Somerset
- People educated at Sherborne School
- Actors from Taunton
- Royal Shakespeare Company members
- English expatriate male actors in the United States