James Norton

James Geoffrey Ian Norton (born 18 July 1985) is an English actor. He is known for roles in the television series Happy Valley (2014–2023), Grantchester (2014–2019), War & Peace (2016), and McMafia (2018). He played the title role in the 2019 film Mr. Jones. He played King Harold Godwinson in the 2025 BBC historical mini-series King & Conqueror. He earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the British Academy Television Awards in 2015 for his performance as Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley. He is also part of the main cast of House of Guinness (2025) and House of the Dragon (2026). Norton has a reputation for portraying villainous or complicated, morally conflicted characters.