James Faulkner (actor)

James Sebastian Faulkner (born 18 July 1948) is an English actor. He is best known for playing Pope Sixtus IV in the television series Da Vinci's Demons (2013–2015), Randyll Tarly in the television series Game of Thrones (2016–2017), and Saint Paul in the film Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018).

James Faulkner
Faulkner in 2018
Born
James Sebastian Faulkner

(1948-07-18) 18 July 1948
Hampstead, London, England
EducationRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1970–present
Spouse(s)Kate Faulkner
Children2

Early life

Having trained as a chorister from the age of seven at the Royal School of Church Music at Addington Palace, he was a permanent member of the choir and often called upon as a soloist. He also took part in every house play, school play, choral society concert and ran the Puppet Club alongside its founder, the journalist Roger Wilkes.

On leaving school he worked as Prep schoolmaster, rugby coach, waiter, barman and professional Santa Claus before auditioning for the waiting list of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 1967. After three years of exhaustive training he won the lead role in the final graduation production of Kiss Me Kate. The following day, several theatrical agencies wrote to him and he signed at ICM and joined Prospect Theatre for Much Ado About Nothing, the main event at the 1970 Edinburgh Festival. A season at Chichester Festival Theatre followed with such luminaries as Sir John Gielgud and Dame Edith Evans and he then transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End with Jean Anouilh's Dear Antoine, meeting the author on the opening night.[1]

Career

Faulkner made his big screen debut as Josef Strauss in The Great Waltz in 1972. He played the arrogant Lieutenant Millington in Anderson's Conduct Unbecoming of 1975 starring with Michael York, Richard Attenborough and Trevor Howard.

He appeared in other films such as Whispering Death and Minder on the Orient Express in which he played gangster Ted Moore. Other film appearances saw him play Lt. Teignmouth Melvill in Zulu Dawn that he co-produced, and as Uncle Geoffrey in both Bridget Jones films.

He played Herod Agrippa in the BBC's 1976 television adaptation of I, Claudius and portrayed Aldous Huxley in 1981's Priest of Love.

In 1988 he portrayed one of the biggest enemies of Sherlock Holmes, Stapleton, in Granada Television's production of The Hound of the Baskervilles, opposite Jeremy Brett.

In 1991, he played Alex Mair, the manager of the Larksoken nuclear power plant, in an Anglia production of the P. D. James novel featuring her character Inspector Adam Dalgliesh, Devices and Desires. He has also portrayed Agent Smith in the film Hitman. He was also the principal antagonist Baron Mullins in the short-lived Anglo-American television show, Covington Cross.

He voiced Severus Snape in the video game version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He also co-starred as Lord Duncan Kenworth in the action comedy Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London.

In 2008 Faulkner played Cardinal Rhades in the German thriller Der Bibelcode (The Bible Code).

Faulkner was cast as Pope Sixtus IV in BBC Worldwide's historical fantasy drama series Da Vinci's Demons in 2013.

He was also cast to play Lord Sinderby in the highly acclaimed Edwardian costume drama Downton Abbey produced by ITV in 2014.

In 2015, Faulkner played the lead antagonist, T.O.M, of philosophical puzzle game The Turing Test.[2]

In 2016 he joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 6 as Randyll Tarly, the father of Samwell Tarly.

In 2018, Faulkner played Paul in the biblical drama film, Paul, Apostle of Christ.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972The Great WaltzJosef Strauss
1974The AbdicationMagnus de la Gardie
1975Conduct Unbecoming2nd Lt. Edward Millington
1976Whispering DeathTerrick
1979Zulu DawnTeignmouth Melvill
1980Flashpoint AfricaRamon Funes
1981Priest of LoveAldous Huxley
1983EurekaRoger
1989The Shadow Trader
1992Carry On ColumbusTorquemada
1992Lovejoy 'Friends in High Places'Alfredo Pereira
1996CrimetimeCrowley
2001 Burning Down the HouseHal Lander
Bridget Jones's DiaryUncle Geoffrey
2003I Capture the CastleAubrey Fox-Cotton
2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonUncle Geoffrey
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination LondonLord Duncan Kenworth
2005Colour Me KubrickOliver
2006 The ConclaveCardinal Guillaume D'Estouteville
The Good ShepherdLord Cooper
2007HitmanSmith Jamison
2008The Bank JobGuy Singer
2011X-Men: First ClassSwiss Bank Manager
2016Bridget Jones's BabyUncle Geoffrey
2016Underworld: Blood WarsCassius
2017Final PortraitPierre Matisse
2017Atomic BlondeChief C
2018Paul, Apostle of ChristSaint Paul

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976I, ClaudiusHerod AgrippaTV serial, 6 episodes
1978HazelGordon Gregory6 episodes
1985The BillSidney SharmanEpisode: Burning the Books
1986First Among EqualsSimon KerslakeTV serial
1989Frederick Forsyth PresentsMarkus VogelJust Another Secret (1989)
1998TaggartColonel Robert FalkirkEpisode: Dead Reckoning (Series 14 Episode 41)
2010Ben HurMarcellusTV mini-series, 2 episodes
2013–15Da Vinci's DemonsPope Sixtus IV24 episodes
2014Downton AbbeyLord Sinderby4 episodes
2016–2017Game of ThronesRandyll Tarly5 episodes
2016Life on Earth: A New PrehistoryNarrator3 episodes
2018Death in ParadiseFrank O'TooleEpisode: Written in Murder (Series 7 Episode 3)
2018Watership DownFrithEpisode: The Journey
2020The AlienistCornelius Vanderbilt IIRecurring role
2020Wizards: Tales of ArcadiaKing Arthur/Green KnightMain Voice Role

Video games[2]

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Walking with Beasts: Operation Salvage Voice
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Professor Severus Snape (voice)
2012 Blades of Time Voice
2012 Blades of Time: Dismal Swamp Voice DLC
2014 Dragon Age: Inquisition Cassandra's Associate (voice)
2016 The Turing Test T.O.M (voice)
2018 League of Legends Swain (voice)[3]

References

  1. "Acclaimed actor James Faulkner". 9 June 2014.
  2. "Moby Games".
  3. Faulkner, James. "James Faulkner on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
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