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Tom Payne

Tom Payne

Actor, also producer · Born December 21, 1982 (43) · Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK

Thomas "Tom" Payne (born December 21, 1982 in Chelmsford, Essex) is a British actor. He is known for the role of Paul "Jesus" Rovia in the television series The Walking Dead. Currently he can be seen in the role of Malcolm Bright in the series Prodigal Son. Payne grew up in Bath, Somerset, in western England. He trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005. During his training, he gained his first experience in plays such as Class Enemy, The Balcony, The Rivals, Three Sisters, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard III, and The Man Who Had All the Luck. After graduating, he landed his first leading role in London's West End production of Journey's End. He appeared alongside Imogen Stubbs in Maria Aberg's production of Shrieks of Laughter at the Soho Theatre. After his first television roles in series such as Skins - Hautnah or Casualty, in 2007 he obtained the role of Brett Aspinall in two seasons of the series Waterloo Road. In 2008, he made his feature film debut alongside Frances McDormand and Amy Adams in Miss Pettigrew's Big Day. From 2011 to 2012, he appeared in the television series Luck as Leon Micheaux. In 2013, Payne took his first leading role in The Medicus, the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Noah Gordon. His brother Will Payne is also active as an actor.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1982 (43)
From
Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 29 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 20% in 30 days

What are Tom Payne's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
27%
Bonds
22%
Power
15%
Society
14%
Survival
14%
Morality
6%
Ideas
2%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 7 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 4 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Dread
3
Hopeful
5
Contemplative
4
Romantic
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tom Payne's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tom Payne's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

29 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Faithful(2026)

    Show 4 episodes · as Jacob

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • The Physician II(2025)

    Executive Producer · as Robert 'Rob' Cole

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2(2024)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1(2024)

    as Hugh Proctor

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Imaginary(2024)

    as Max

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Organized Crime(2021)

    Show 5 episodes · as Julian Emery / Redcoat

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Prodigal Son(2019)

    Show 33 episodes · as Malcolm Bright

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • IO(2019)

    as Elon

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • It's No Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as East

  • MindGamers(2015)

    as Jaxon

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Fear the Walking Dead(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul 'Jesus' Rovia

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Winter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Tom

  • Der Medicus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rob Cole

  • New Worlds(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as Monmouth

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The Physician(2013)

    as Robert 'Rob' Cole

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Cal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Jason

  • Inheritance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Matthew

  • My Funny Valentine(2012)

    as Zander

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Luck(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · as Leon Micheaux

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Task(2011)

    as Stanton

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 32 episodes · as Jesus Rovia

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Wuthering Heights(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Linton Heathcliff

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Best: His Mother's Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as George Best

  • Beautiful People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Carr

  • Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day(2008)

    as Phil Goldman

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Miss Marie Lloyd(2007)

    as Bernard Dillon

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Skins(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Spencer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Rachael Ray (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Waterloo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 30 episodes · as Brett Aspinall

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 30 titles from 2006 to 2026; peak year 2025.

Biggest box office

The Physician (2013)

$57M worldwide

Highest rated

The Physician (2013)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Prodigal Son (2019)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
20062026

Peak 2025 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting30 of 30: 29 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndProducing1 of 30: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s8 · acting2010s16 · acting2020s6 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 25% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Tom Payne's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

The Faithful (2026)

90th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Walking Dead (2010)

Midcredits 90th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Tom Payne's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, 2 of the 5 categories sit near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 59 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles20–51 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles20–38 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tom Payne work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom Payne's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Philipp Stölzl shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Producers