Actor james norton biography

James Norton was born in 1985 to two teachers and has a younger sister who is a doctor. Growing up in North Yorkshire he espoused acting at a very early age - playing Joseph in his primary school nativity play aged five - and, after leaving Ampleforth College he did work experience at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Rather than go straight to acting school he read theology at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and then travelled to Nepal, where he became interested in Buddhism. On return he enrolled at RADA in London, graduating in 2010 and, just before graduating bagging a (very) small part as Carey Mulligan's boyfriend in the final scene of 'An Education'. In 2011 he appeared on the London stage in revivals of 'Journey's End' and 'The Lion in Winter' with Joanna Lumley and Robert Lindsay. At the tail end of 2013 he was in the faux-Austen mystery 'Death Comes To Pemberley' on television but 2014 has been the year when he became known

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James Norton (actor)

English actor (born 1985)

This article is about the English actor. For other people, see James Norton (disambiguation).

James Geoffrey Ian Norton^[2] (born 18 July 1985) is an English film, television, and stage actor. He is known for roles in the television series Happy Valley, Grantchester, War & Peace and McMafia. He played the title role in the 2019 film Mr. Jones. He earned a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015 for his performance as Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley.

Early life and education

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Norton was born in Lambeth, London,^[1] the son of Hugh Biddulph Norton and Lavinia Jane Norman.^[3] His parents were both teachers; his father, who was born in Tanzania, was a lecturer at Hull School of Art and Design.^[4][5] Though originally from London, Norton's family lived in the town of Malton in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire.

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James Norton: things you didn't know about the actor

As dishy vicar, Sidney Chambers, James Norton helped man Grantchester a hit with viewers. But he's proved popular in other TV roles, too — as homicidal psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in gritty skådespel Happy Valley, as dashing Russian Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the epic period drama adaptation War & Peace and as Alex Godman — the son of a mobster in McMafia. It's an eclectic mix of roles that James Norton has handled with ease. He's also been tipped (along with many actors) as one to watch to be the next James Bond replacing Daniel Craig. Plus he appeared in the 2024 movie Bob Marley: One Love.

Here's our guide to the actor...

His parents are teachers...

James's middle names are Geoffrey and Ian, and he's the son of two teachers, Lavinia and Hugh. The family then moved to Malton in rural North Yorkshire, which James describes as "idyllic".

 

He was taught bygd Benedictine monks at school

James wen