Off the Cuff

Another embarrassing Tailor's tale! I got James' autograph when I was 15 and he was doing an RSC season in Stratford. He was utterly charming and asked what I'd liked best in The Tempest. Stupidly I said the clown. Ferdinand, I meant to say his portrayal of Ferdinand. Doh!

Links on this page:

• Background
• Roles: Television
• Roles: Film
• Roles: Theatre
• Snippets
• Cufflinks

• Born 3 June 1964
• Sherbourn School (boarding school)
• Central School of Speech and Drama
• James has a son with long-term partner Holly Aird (she was in Soldier, Soldier and the brilliant Dressing For Breakfast)
• July 2002: James Purefoy has split up with Holly and there are rumours that he's going out with Gwyneth Paltrow...
• June 2003: He's just been snapped with Piper Perabo

• The Mayor of Casterbridge (2001) - Donald Farfrae
• Metropolis (2000) - Nathan, the scary stalker
• Don Quixote (2000) - Sanson Carrasco
• Blink - John
• A Dance to the Music of Time (1997) - Nicholas Jenkins
• Have Your Cake and Eat It (1997) - Ben
• Bright Hair (1997) - David Miles
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996) - Mr. Lawrence
• Sharpe's Sword (1995) - Spears
• Calling the Shots (1993) - Brian
• The Cloning of Joanna May (1991) - Oliver
• Boon (1991) - Alan Bridges in episode: "Houseguests"
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (1990) - James McCarthy
• Coasting - starred with Peter Howitt (Joey in Bread and director of Sliding Doors) in a drama about two brothers who are trying to start up a business in Blackpool.

• Resident Evil (2002) - Spence
• A Knight's Tale (2001) - Edward, the Black Prince
• Domani aka Tomorrow (2001) - Andrew Spender
• Maybe Baby (2000) - Carl Phipps, in his words, 'a handsome, Rufus Sewellesque actor'
• The Wedding Tackle - Hal
• Lighthouse (1999) - Spader
• Mansfield Park (1999) - Tom Bertram
• Women Talking Dirty (1999)
• Bedrooms & Hallways (1998) - Brendan. A hysterically funny film, packed with great quotes
• Jilting Joe (1997) - Joe
• Feast of July (1995) - Jedd Wainwright
• One Night Stand (1993)

• 1999: Four Knights in Knaresborough at the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, with Jonny Lee Miller.
• Season with the RSC in Stratford, playing Ferdinand in The Tempest, and other roles in Macbeth and the Constant Couple.

"For me, the idea of being in a soap for 30 years, playing the same character day in, day out, is just horrific. Really horrific." - James in ELLE interview, December 1999

Cufflinks

The Gallery

Click here for other pictures of James.