James Purefoy

James Purefoy (born June 3, 1964, in Taunton, England) is an English screen actor known for bringing sharp intelligence and intensity to both prestige television and genre films. He has built a career around charismatic, often morally complex characters, earning international recognition across drama, action, and thriller projects.

Purefoy became widely associated with epic storytelling through his portrayal of Mark Antony in HBO’s Rome, and later gained a new audience as Joe Carroll, the professor-turned-serial killer in The Following. His television work also includes roles in A Dance to the Music of Time, Sundance’s Hap and Leonard, and AMC/Netflix’s A Discovery of Witches as Philippe de Clermont.

On film, he has appeared in notable titles such as Resident Evil (Spence Parks), Mansfield Park (Tom Bertram), Vanity Fair (Rawdon Crawley), and George and the Dragon (George). He also headlined the dark fantasy Solomon Kane as the titular warrior. In 2018 he starred as Laurens Bancroft in Netflix’s Altered Carbon, and later joined Pennyworth as Captain Gulliver “Gully” Troy.