James Purefoy

Last updated

James Purefoy
James Purefoy at Comic-Con 2012 cropped.jpg
Purefoy in 2012
Born
James Brian Mark Purefoy

(1964-06-03) 3 June 1964 (age 59)
Taunton, England
Education Central School of Speech and Drama (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1996;div. 2002)​
Jessica Adams
​
(m. 2014)​
Children4

James Brian Mark Purefoy [1] (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series Rome , Nick Jenkins in A Dance to the Music of Time , college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series The Following , Solomon Kane in the film of the same name, and Hap Collins in the Sundance series Hap and Leonard . In 2018, he starred as Laurens Bancroft in the first season of Altered Carbon , a Netflix original series. Following an uncredited role as V in the 2006 film V for Vendetta (replaced and dubbed over by Hugo Weaving), he was cast in a main role as Captain Gulliver "Gully" Troy / Captain Blighty in the 2020–2021 second and 2022 third season of the television series Pennyworth , the prequel to both Gotham and V for Vendetta.

Contents

Early life

Purefoy was born in Taunton, Somerset, the eldest son of Anthony Chetwynd Purefoy and Shirley, née Taylor. The Purefoy family were landed gentry, of Shalstone, Buckinghamshire; the family name passed in the female line through Anthony Chetwynd Purefoy's mother, Mary Lilias Geraldine, daughter of Admiral Richard Purefoy (who had changed his surname from Fitzgerald as his mother was the heir and niece of the politician George Purefoy-Jervoise, head of the family); she married Rev. Brian Mews, vicar of Tewkesbury, who changed his name to Purefoy. [2]

Purefoy boarded at Sherborne School, which he left with only one O-level. He later went to night school and received 11 more O-levels, before taking his A-levels at Brooklands College in Weybridge. He worked as a porter at Yeovil District Hospital before studying acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. [3]

Career

Purefoy in 2009 Flickr - Sasoriza - James Purefoy, in Solomon Kane.jpg
Purefoy in 2009

Stage work

Purefoy's early professional roles included Romeo in Romeo and Juliet in Leatherhead, Walter in Mary Morgan at the Riverside Studios and Alan Strang in Equus on tour. He subsequently joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1988 and appeared in The Constant Couple , Macbeth , The Tempest , The Man Who Came to Dinner (Gene Saks, Barbican) and King Lear as Edgar.

Elsewhere, he has also appeared as Laertes in Hamlet at the Bristol Old Vic (1991), Brian in William Gaminara's Back Up the Hearse and Let them Sniff the Flowers at the Hampstead Theatre (1992), Roland Maule in Noël Coward's Present Laughter at the Globe Theatre (1993), Biff in Death of a Salesman , alongside Ken Stott and Jude Law, at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds (1994), Tony in The Servant at the Birmingham Rep (1995). He returned to the RSC for Simon Callow's stage adaptation of the film classic, Les enfants du paradis at the Barbican. He also played Hugh de Morville in Paul Corcoran's Four Nights in Knaresborough at the Tricycle Theatre, (1999) and Loveless in Trevor Nunn's production of The Relapse at the National Theatre in 2001.

Between March and June 2011 he starred as Peter in Trevor Nunn's production of Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, alongside Sheridan Smith and Sienna Miller, as part of the playwright Terence Rattigan's centenary year celebrations. [4]

He appeared as part of the ensemble cast of the 2019 West and Middle Chinnock Christmas Show, as well as singing several sea shanties from Fisherman's Friends.

Film and television

Purefoy at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009 JamesPurefoy09TIFF.jpg
Purefoy at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009

In 1991, Purefoy played James McCarthy, a young man accused of murdering his father, in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery," in Granada's The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes . One of his notable roles was Nicholas Jenkins in the four-part miniseries A Dance to the Music of Time for Channel 4 in 1997. He played Edward, the Black Prince in the film A Knight's Tale , Rawdon Crawley in Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon and Tom Bertram in the 1999 production of Mansfield Park . He has played major roles in several television costume dramas, including Sharpe'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, Camelot and Rome .

Purefoy was screen tested for the role of James Bond in 1995 for GoldenEye , but ultimately lost the role to Pierce 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 film Casino Royale . [5] He was originally the actor for V in the 2006 film V for Vendetta but 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 played Mark Antony in the HBO/BBC original 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 of Out magazine, 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." [6]

Producer William J. MacDonald announced that James Purefoy would play Simon Templar in a new TV series of The Saint . The new series was scheduled to start shooting in Berlin and Australia in April 2008. [7] However, production ultimately did not occur and in August Purefoy was reported as negotiating with NBC to star in another series, [8] 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 to help others in need.

In 2009 Purefoy played the titular character in an adaptation of Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane. In 2013, The Following debuted, 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 film High-Rise with Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons. [9] Later in 2014, Purefoy co-starred in the Formula 1-themed music video for David Guetta's song "Dangerous".

From 2016 to 2018 Purefoy starred as Hap Collins in Sundance's adaptation of Hap and Leonard, alongside Michael Kenneth Williams. In 2018 he starred as Laurens Bancroft in Altered Carbon , a Netflix original series. In February 2019, Hybrid (who provided the score to Interlude in Prague) released a short film to accompany their single "Hold Your Breath" from the album Light of the Fearless . The film starred Purefoy as the brooding "Mr Black".

In 2020, Purefoy joined the cast of the second season of the V for Vendetta and Gotham prequel television series Pennyworth in a main role, portraying Captain 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 2022 third season. [10] [11] [12]

Personal life

Purefoy in 2011 at Rochester Castle in Kent James Purefoy, Ironclad Screening, Rochester Castle.jpg
Purefoy in 2011 at Rochester Castle in Kent

Purefoy married actress Holly Aird in 1996, with whom he has a son, Joseph (born 1997). [13] They divorced in 2002.

In 2014 he married art historian Jessica Adams with whom he has a daughter, Rose (born 2012), and two sons, Ned and Kit (born 2017). [14]

Purefoy is a supporter of both Yeovil Town and Manchester United. [15] [16]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Feast of July Jedd Wainwright
1996The Tide of LifeNick Stuart
1997Jilting JoeJoe
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
2003Photo FinishJamesJury Award for Best Actor
2004George and the DragonGeorge
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 by Hugo Weaving
2006Goose on the LooseKenneth Donnelly
2008 Lena: The Bride of Ice Dr. Harper
2009 Solomon Kane Solomon Kane
2011 Ironclad Marshall [17]
2012 John Carter Kantos Kan [18]
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

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990CoastingMike Baker
1991 Sherlock Holmes James McCarthyEpisode: "The Boscombe Valley Mystery"
Boon Alan BridgesEpisode: "Houseguests"
1992 The Cloning of Joanna May OliverTelevision film
AngelsVictor
1993Calling the ShotsBrian SummersTelevision film
Rides Julian4 episodes
Crime Story Darius GuppyEpisode: "The Prince"
1995Tears Before BedtimeJimmy Turner
Sharpe's Sword Captain Jack SpearsTelevision film
1996The Tide of LifeNick StuartTelevision miniseries
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Mr Lawrence
The Prince and the PauperMiles Hendon
1997 Have Your Cake and Eat It BenTelevision miniseries
Bright HairDavid MilesTelevision film
A Dance to the Music of Time Nicholas JenkinsTelevision miniseries
2000 Don Quixote Sansón CarrascoTelevision film
Metropolis NathanMiniseries
2001Bye Bye BabyTelevision 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 LightstoneMiniseries
2009DiamondsLucas DenmontTelevision film
The Philanthropist Teddy Rist
2011 Camelot King Lot Episodes: "Homecoming", "The Sword and the Crown", "Lady of the Lake"
Injustice William Travers [19] Miniseries
Rev. RichardEpisode: "#2.6"
Revenge Dominik WrightEpisodes: "Doubt", "Justice"
2012 The Hollow Crown Thomas Mowbray Episode: "Richard II"
Episodes Rob4 episodes
2013–15 The Following Joe Carroll30 episodes
2016–18 Hap and Leonard Hap Collins
2016 Roots John WallerMiniseries
2016–18 Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Kanjigar the Courageous (voice)
2018 Altered Carbon Laurens Bancroft10 episodes
Urban Myths Billy Wilder Episode: "Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder: "It's Me, Sugar""
2019–2020 Sex Education Remi Milburn5 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 [10]
2020 El Candidato Wayne Addison10 episodes
2020 No Man's Land Stanley8 episodes
2021 A Discovery of Witches Philippe de Clermont
2022 Marie Antoinette Louis XV
2023 Malpractice Dr. Leo Harris [20]
2023 Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie Rick EdenTelevision film

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Afternoon Play: The Tears of War [21] 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 BlakeneyBBC Radio 4

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References

  1. ↑ Profile, Film Reference.com; accessed 12 February 2014.
  2. ↑ Burke's Landed Gentry, 17th ed., ed. L. G. Pine, 1952, Purefoy of Shalstone pedigree
  3. ↑ "When in Rome..." interview with Hannah Pool. The Guardian . 6 January 2007.
  4. ↑ "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.
  5. ↑ Morris, Clint. McMahon still in the running for 007 Archived 11 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine . MovieHole.com. 10 June 2005.
  6. ↑ McKay, Alastair. All Hail James Purefoy. Out.com.
  7. ↑ "James Purefoy to play Simon Templar in The Saint", The Saint Club. 5 December 2007.
  8. ↑ The Hollywood Reporter : "James Purefoy circles NBC series, 21 July 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008
  9. ↑ Oliver Lyttelton (13 June 2014). "'The Hobbit' Star Luke Evans Joins Tom Hiddleston in Ben Wheatley's 'High Rise'". Indie Wire. Archived from the original on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  10. 1 2 Mitovich, Matt Webb (26 February 2020). "Pennyworth Season 2: James Purefoy Among Several Cast Additions". TVLine.
  11. ↑ 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. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  12. ↑ Reinfuss, Wiktor (7 October 2022). "Series Review: 'Pennyworth' Season 3 Premiere". The Cosmic Circus. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "When in Rome". The Guardian. 6 January 2007.
  14. ↑ "James Purefoy marries art historian Jessica Adams". The Telegraph. 18 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "CELEBRITY GLOVER'S FOLLOWING US!!". Yeovil Town F.C. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  16. ↑ "Actor James Purefoy joins Rog in the Panic Room". NBC Sports. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  17. ↑ "Film recreates Rochester castle siege – in Wales Archived 18 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine ". Kent News. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  18. ↑ "Purefoy, Haden Church, and Strong for Mars". Empire Online.
  19. ↑ "Injustice". itv.xom.
  20. ↑ "ITV commissions medical thriller Malpractice". itv.com/presscentre. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  21. ↑ BBC Genome Project Radio Times 1923 - 2009
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