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Adam James

Adam James

Actor · Born September 9, 1972 (54) · London, England

Adam James was born on 9 September 1972. Adam trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1996. He worked extensively in both TV and Theatre early on in his career, receiving a Best Newcomer nomination at the M.E.N awards for his work at the Royal Exchange and then coming to prominence in 2001 in 'Band of Brothers'. This followed a string of notable guest leads in such popular shows as Extras, Ashes to Ashes, Hustle, Dr. Who and Foyles War. In 2010 he performed in New York in 'The Pride' along side Ben Whishaw and Andrea Riseborough for which he won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role and also received the Drama Desk Nomination. He would return in 2013, this time Off Broadway with the critically acclaimed and Olivier Award winning play "Bull", only to return to Broadway once more in 2016 with the Olivier and Critics Circle award winning play "King Charles III" in which Adam played the Prime Minister, and later received the Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2015, the same year in which he appeared in another Mike Bartlett hit "Dr.Foster", he married the former actress Victoria Shalet. Their first child was born in September 2016, and Adam has an adult daughter from a previous relationship. Adam then continued his collaboration with Mike Bartlett by filming both the much anticipated second series of Dr.Foster alongside a TV film version of King Charles III for BBC2. He has since returned to the stage and London's West End in the Olivier Award Winning "Girl From The North Country" at the Noel Coward Theatre and the hugely critically acclaimed "Consent" having transferred with it from the National Theatre. More recently he reunited with Rupert Goold for the world premiere of Anne Washburn's new play "Shipwreck" at the Almeida Theatre. His most recent Television work includes Julian Fellowes' new period drama "Belgravia" for ITV and Epix in the US (produced by Carnival the team behind Downtown Abbey) and also the hugely successful and critically acclaimed 12 part series "I May Destroy You" for the BBC and HBO, written, performed, produced an co-directed by Michaela Coel.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 9, 1972 (54)
From
London, England
Works as
Actor
Titles
53 on MovieCove · 81 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 31% in 30 days

What are Adam James' films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
41%
Bonds
22%
Power
12%
Survival
10%
Self
8%
Society
6%
Ideas
2%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Threshold guardian
2 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
5
Contemplative
4
Dread
3
Joyful
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Thought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Adam James' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 42 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Adam James' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

81 credits, 53 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Young Sherlock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 2 episodes · as Doctor Maltby

  • Wicked: For Good(2025)

    as Galinda's Popsicle

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Murder Before Evensong(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Bernard De Floures

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Day of the Jackal(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Jeremy Whitelock

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Wicked(2024)

    as Galinda's Popsicle

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • We Live in Time(2024)

    as Simon Maxson

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Mr Bates vs. The Post Office(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Patrick Green QC

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Couple Next Door(2023)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ben Gregston

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • The Buccaneers(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Colonel St. George

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Out of the Grey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Henry

  • The Long Shadow(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Desmond Wilcox

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Penitent: A Rational Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Richard Marlow

  • Choked Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Robert West

  • Treason(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Patrick Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • The Suspect(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Dr. Gerald 'Jack' Owens

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Hotel Portofino(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Turner

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Dalgliesh(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alex Mayer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Vigil(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Lt Commander Mark Prentice

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · as Neil Baker

  • I May Destroy You(2020)

    Show 4 episodes · as Julian

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Belgravia(2020)

    Show 6 episodes · as John Bellasis

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Kill Team(2019)

    as Hardin

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hunter Killer(2018)

    as Captain Forbes

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • You(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Elliot Tannenberg

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Johnny English Strikes Again(2018)

    as Pegasus

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Celebrity Catchphrase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Home from Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Robert Dillon

  • Eric, Ernie and Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Ernest Maxin

  • King Charles III(2017)

    as Prime Minister Tristram Evans

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: Consent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Jake

  • 1066: A Year to Conquer England (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Harold Godwinson

  • 1066: A Year to Conquer England (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Harold Godwinson

  • Catherine Tate's Nan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles Wilmott

  • Coalition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Jeremy Heywood

  • A Little Chaos(2014)

    as Monsieur De Barra

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned(2015)

    Show as Neil

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Game(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as George

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Grantchester(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as James Heath

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Crimson Field(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Colonel Charles Purbright

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Thicker Than Water(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Gavin Leonard

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Churchill's First World War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Winston Churchill

  • Family Tree(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Ronnie Chadwick

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Endeavour(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Kent Finn

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Kilimanjaro(2013)

    as Thomas

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Death in Paradise(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Rick Mayhew

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Much Ado About Nothing(2011)

    as Don Pedro

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: LA(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Max Steinberg

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Vexed(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Charlie Brewer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Sleep with Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as MacDara

  • The Execution of Gary Glitter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as John Carter QC

  • Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as DI McMillan

  • Last Chance Harvey(2008)

    as Josh Hillman

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Consuming Passion(2008)

    as Mick

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Wired(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Simon

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Harley Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bonekickers(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows

  • Ashes to Ashes(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward Markham

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Sold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mother of Tears(2007)

    as Michael Pierce

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Secret Diary of a Call Girl(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Matt

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Inspector Lewis(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Ethan Croft

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark McCaffrey

  • Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Titus

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Rupert

  • Hotel Babylon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Love Soup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Meucci - L'italiano che inventò il telefono (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as William Ryder

  • England Expects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Daniel

  • Hustle(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Carlton Wood

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Reversals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Dr. Glen Morrow

  • 3 Blind Mice(2003)

    as 1st Exec (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Foyle's War(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Major Wesker

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Lost Battalion(2001)

    as Capt. Nelson Holderman

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Band of Brothers(2001)

    Show 4 episodes · as Cleveland O. Petty

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Waking the Dead(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Michael Leonard

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Murder on the Orient Express(2001)

    as William MacQueen

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • As If (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard

  • Sharpe: The Legend(1997)

    as Carline

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sharpe's Regiment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Captain Carline

  • Sharpe(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Cpt. Philip Carline

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Touch of Frost(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gregory Salmond

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 80 titles from 1992 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)

$159M worldwide

Highest rated

Much Ado About Nothing (2011)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Vigil (2021)

Film career

19922026

Peak 2018 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting80 of 80: 80 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score74th

By decade

1990s4 · acting2000s29 · acting2010s26 · acting2020s21 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
9611

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Adam James' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 53 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 53 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Consuming Passion (2008)

72nd percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Much Ado About Nothing (2011)

Midcredits 99th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Adam James' work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles28–86 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles22–70 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles43–77 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles19–64 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles25–83 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Adam James work with?

People who share at least 2 of Adam James' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mike Bartlett shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Producers