James Purefoy
James Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Marc Antony in the HBO series Rome, college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series The Following, and Solomon Kane in the film of the same name. In February 2018 he starred as Laurens Bancroft in Altered Carbon, a Netflix original series.
He 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 as Nicholas Jenkins in the eight-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.
He played Mark Antony in the HBO/BBC original television series, Rome. He starred as Teddy Rist in the summer television series, The Philanthropist, which aired on NBC beginning on June 2009. His character is a billionaire playboy who decides to use his wealth and power to help others in need.
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 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. Later in 2014, Purefoy co-starred in the Formula 1-themed music video for David Guetta's song "Dangerous".
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'.
Acted in
Saint-Pierre
2025
as Sean Gallagher
Land of Women
2024
as Fred
The Veil
2024
as Sir Michael Althorp
Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie
2023
as Rick Eden
Malpractice
2023
as Dr. Leo Harris
Marie Antoinette
2022
as Louis XV
Fisherman's Friends: One and All
2022
as Jim
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
2021
as Additional Voices (voice)
No Man's Land
2020
as Stanley
El Candidato
2020
as Wayne Addison
Limbo
2019
as Lucifer
All Hail the Popcorn King!
2019
as Self
Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler
2019
as Captain Gulliver 'Gully' Troy
Fisherman's Friends
2019
as Jim
Sex Education
2019
as Remi Milburn
A Discovery of Witches
2018
as Philippe De Clermont
A Discovery of Witches
2018
as Philippe de Clermont
It's Me, Sugar
2018
as Billy Wilder
Altered Carbon
2018
as Laurens Bancroft
Churchill
2017
as King George VI
Interlude In Prague
2017
as Baron Saloka
Urban Myths
2017
as Billy Wilder
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
2016
as Amulet (voice)
Equity
2016
as Michael Connor
Roots
2016
as John Waller
Hap and Leonard
2016
as Hap Collins
High-Rise
2015
as Pangbourne
Momentum
2015
as Mr. Washington
Wicked Blood
2014
as 'Wild' Bill Owens
The Following
2013
as Joe Carroll
The Hollow Crown
2012
as Thomas of Mowbray
John Carter
2012
as Kantos Kan
Revenge
2011
as Dominik Wright
Injustice
2011
as William Travers
Ironclad
2011
as Thomas Marshall
Camelot
2011
as King Lot
Camelot
2011
Episodes
2011
as Rob
Solomon Kane
2009
as Solomon Kane
The Philanthropist
2009
Diamonds
2009
Diamonds
2009
as Lucas Denmont
Lena: The Bride of Ice
2008
as Dr. Harper
The Summit
2008
as Thom Lightstone
Frankenstein
2007
as Clerval
Blackbeard
2006
as Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach
Beau Brummell: This Charming Man
2006
as Beau Brummell
Goose on the Loose
2006
as Kenneth Donnelly
Rome
2005
as Mark Antony
Photo Finish
2004
as James Wise
Vanity Fair
2004
as Rawdon Crawley
Blessed
2004
as Craig Howard
George and the Dragon
2004
as George
The Mayor of Casterbridge
2003
as Donald Farfrae
The Mayor of Casterbridge
2003
as Donald Farfrae
Resident Evil
2002
as Spence Parks
Women Talking Dirty
2001
as Daniel
A Knight's Tale
2001
as Colville
Tomorrow
2001
as Andrew Spender
Humphrey Jennings: The Man Who Listened to Britain
2000
as Narrator
The Wedding Tackle
2000
as Hal
Maybe Baby
2000
as Carl Phipps
Don Quixote
2000
as Carrasco
Lighthouse
2000
as Richard Spader
Mansfield Park
1999
as Tom Bertram
Jilting Joe
1998
as Joe
Bedrooms and Hallways
1998
as Brendan
A Dance to the Music of Time
1997
as Nicholas Jenkins
Bright Hair
1997
as David Miles
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
1996
as Mr. Lawrence
The Prince and the Pauper
1996
as Miles Hendon
The Tide of Life
1996
as Nick Stuart
Feast of July
1995
as Jedd Wainwright
Sharpe's Sword
1995
as Cpt. Jack Spears
Tears Before Bedtime
1995
as Jimmy Turner
One Night Stand
1994
as John
Calling the Shots
1994
as Brian Summers
Sharpe
1993
as Jack Spears
Angels
1992
as Victor
The Cloning of Joanna May
1992
as Oliver
Sherlock Holmes
1984
as James McCarthy
Outrageous
as David Freeman-Mitford