James Norton
James Norton
James Geoffrey Ian Nortonis an English actor. He is best known for roles in the British TV series Happy Valley, Grantchester and War & Peace. For his role as ex-convict Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, Norton was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth18 July 1985
CityLondon, England
character field playing time
You don't want a character who sits on an even playing field the whole time.
character judging cynical
If you're constantly stepping outside of the character and judging them, you'll never really be able to fully engage because you'll always be slightly cynical.
character trying spend-time
You really try to work the character out and spend time in the headspace of the character. That's what I did.
characters compare fantasy next remote shocking
If you compare the violence in 'Happy Valley' to the violence in something like 'Game of Thrones,' it's nothing. But it is shocking because it's so real and grounded. The characters could live next door to you - they're not in a remote fantasy world.
bay dads force kids round sit
Kids used to come round to my house, and I'd force them to do a play in the bay windows of my house and get all the mums and dads to sit and watch. I'd write the programme, write the play and be the star.
playing
When I was playing a psychopath in 'Happy Valley,' it was really weird.
guilt sunny swim weird
If it's a sunny day, I get this weird guilt if I'm not making the most of it, so I'll walk or go for a swim or get on my bike, or I'll go to the Heath, just have a reason to get out.
crashed
I crashed my bicycle on the way to my first date with my ex-girlfriend and was cautioned by the police.
admired amazing blessed both eddie far learn list mcqueen met olivia people steve talent time whom work
As far as people I'd like to work with, the list is endless. I think to work with Steve McQueen would be amazing, and then some of the U.K. talent we have: Eddie Marsan, Olivia Colman, both of whom I have met and admired for a long time. We're very blessed in this country; there is so much talent for people to work with and learn from.
age bug
I had the acting bug from a very early age.
grew home north
I grew up in North Yorkshire, but now London is home.
automatic church exists feeling holiday love religious respect reverence sort
I love, when I'm on holiday in cities, going into church and feeling that reverence and that kind of automatic respect: the sort of magic which exists in those kind of religious temples.
good love plot
I love good stories; you have to have a good plot - characters which intertwine with a good plot.
asking courage good musician people takes
It takes a lot of courage, when everyone is asking you what you want to do, if you say that you want to be a musician or an actor; people can be very condescending and say, 'Oh, that's so sweet, good luck with that!' It can be very frustrating.