James Norton (actor)

James Geoffrey Ian Norton (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 earned a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015 for his performance as ex-convict Tommy Lee Royce in '' Happy Valley''.

Early life

Norton was born in Lambeth, London,'Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales'' confirms name and birthdate and lists birthplace as Lambeth. Publisher: General Register Office. Retrieved: 30 April 2021. the son of Lavinia Jane (Norman) and Hugh Biddulph Norton. His parents were both teachers; his father, who was born in Tanzania, was a lecturer at Hull School of Art and Design. Though originally from London, Norton's family lived in the town of Malton in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire. Norton, who grew up at the edge of the Howardian Hills in North Yorkshire, has described his childhood as "idyllic". Norton's ancestry is English, Irish, Scottish, German, Cornish, and Jewish. Hugh Norton's father, Ian Norton, MBE (1923–2003), a colonial official (including district officer) in Tanganyika, was son of Hugh Ross Norton, OBE, Archdeacon of Sudbury from 1945 to 1962; Ian's wife, Jean (1923–2016), was daughter of Colonel Francis John Biddulph, of the Royal Engineers. The Biddulphs were a branch of an Irish landed gentry family.

Education

Norton was educated at Bramcote Prep School (Scarborough College) in Scarborough until the age of 13 and Ampleforth College, an independent Roman Catholic (Benedictine) boarding school in the village of Ampleforth in North Yorkshire. He did work experience at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough when he was 15.

Starting in 2004, Norton read theology at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, graduating in 2007 with First Class Honours. Norton received a Fitzwilliam Travel Grant to travel to Northern India, to teach and perform for schoolchildren at 16 schools. He has said his studies were principally focused on Hinduism and Buddhism.

Norton was a member of The Marlowe Society theatre club at Cambridge and, in 2007, he played Posthumus in a production of ''Cymbeline'' directed by Trevor Nunn for the society's centenary. Norton has said that he performed in many theatre productions while at university. Norton then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London for three years, but left in 2010 six months before graduation to take an acting assignment.

Career

Norton appeared as a classmate of Jenn in the film ''An Education'', starring Carey Mulligan, in 2009. In 2010, he was an original cast member of ''Posh'' at the Royal Court Theatre. At the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 2010, Norton starred in ''That Face'' as Henry, an 18-year-old who has dropped out of school to care for his mentally disturbed and drug-dependent mother, played by Frances Barber. Lynne Walker of ''The Independent'' wrote of his performance: "At the centre of it all is Henry who, in James Norton's striking portrayal, is like a young caged animal".

In 2011, Norton starred as Captain Stanhope in the First World War drama ''Journey's End''. The production toured the UK from March to June and transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End from July to September. Norton then took the role of Geoffrey in '' The Lion in Winter'' at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket directed by Trevor Nunn, with whom Norton had worked at Cambridge in ''Cymbeline''.

In the 2012 film '' Cheerful Weather for the Wedding'', Norton played Owen, the would-be groom of a conflicted bride. He appeared in the 2013 film '' Rush'' as Formula One driver Guy Edwards. In the 2013 film '' Belle'', he played a suitor of the title character, a mixed-race woman in 18th century English society. Norton's television appearances include the '' Doctor Who'' episode " Cold War", in which he played a crewman on a Soviet submarine during the Cold War, and ''Death Comes to Pemberley'', based on the P. D. James novel involving characters from Jane Austen's '' Pride and Prejudice'' caught up in a murder mystery. Norton was acclaimed for his role as Tommy Lee Royce, the villain of the hit crime drama '' Happy Valley''. Michael Hogan of ''The Telegraph'' wrote: "...the breakout star, seen in only a few small parts before this, has been the devilishly handsome James Norton, 29, as the heinous killer Royce, whom he has played with impressive depth". As the first series came to its dramatic conclusion, Norton commented, "8 million people are currently wishing me dead". Norton confirmed he would be appearing in the second series of ''Happy Valley'' at the 2015 BAFTAs.

From 2014 to 2018, Norton played crime-solving vicar Sidney Chambers alongside Robson Green as Police Inspector Geordie Keating in the ITV series ''Grantchester'', based on the novels by James Runcie. ''Grantchester'' was his first starring role. A second series was broadcast in early 2016. A third series went into production in autumn 2016, and aired in both the UK and the U.S. in late spring/early summer 2017. A fourth series began filming in June 2018, and it was confirmed that this would be Norton's final series.

He also appears in the 2014 films '' Northmen: A Viking Saga'' and '' Mr. Turner'', a biographical drama on the life of the artist J. M. W. Turner by director Mike Leigh. In 2015 Norton played Duncan Grant in the BBC Two mini-series about the Bloomsbury Group, ''Life in Squares.'' In 2016, Norton appeared as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the BBC
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