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James Norton

James Norton

Actor, also producer · Born July 18, 1985 (41) · Lambeth, London, England, UK

BAFTA Award nominee

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. Description above is from the Wikipedia article James Norton (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA; full list of contributors is on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 18, 1985 (41)
From
Lambeth, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
37 on Motif · 55 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 11% in 30 days

What are James Norton's films like?

Across their 29 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Motif score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Motif score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Motif score: 44th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Motif score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
Bonds
28%
Self
21%
Power
14%
Morality
14%
Survival
13%
Society
6%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 14 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 9 · Intense 5

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

22 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 22 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 22
Shadow
5 of 22
Shapeshifter
4 of 22
Mentor
3 of 22
Ally
2 of 22
Trickster
1 of 22
Show the 22 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
18
Dread
10
Hopeful
8
Bittersweet
8
Other
25

How their films linger

Bittersweet13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

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 James Norton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 37 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Norton's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

55 credits, 37 with a Motif page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Beatles: George (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    as Brian Epstein

  • The Beatles: John (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    as Brian Epstein

  • The Beatles: Paul (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    as Brian Epstein

  • The Beatles: Ringo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    as Brian Epstein

  • Wife & Dog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • Sunny Dancer(2026)

    as Bob

    Motif score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Superbloom (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2026)

    as Cowboy

  • House of Guinness(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Sean Rafferty

    Motif score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • King & Conqueror(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · as Harold Godwinson

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Playing Nice(2025)

    Show 4 episodes · Executive Producer · as Pete Riley

    Motif score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Joy(2024)

    as Robert Edwards

    Motif score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Ex-Husbands(2023)

    as Nick Pearce

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Bob Marley: One Love(2024)

    as Chris Blackwell

    Motif score: 54th percentile of all films

  • A Little Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Jude St. Francis

  • Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • House of the Dragon(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Lord Ormund Hightower

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Rogue Agent(2022)

    Producer · as Robert Freegard

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Things Heard & Seen(2021)

    as George Claire

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Nevers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Hugo Swann

  • Nowhere Special(2020)

    as John

    Motif score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Trial of Christine Keeler(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · as Stephen Ward

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Little Women(2019)

    as John Brooke

    Motif score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Jones(2019)

    as Gareth Jones

    Motif score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Hero (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    as Young Charles

  • McMafia(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as Alex Godman

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Angelica(2015)

    as Harry

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Flatliners(2017)

    as Jamie

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Hampstead(2017)

    as Philip

    Motif score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters(2016)

    as Duke of Wellington

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Everyday Performance Artists (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Aaron

  • War & Peace(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Andrei Bolkonsky

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Lady Chatterley's Lover(2015)

    as Sir Clifford Chatterley

    Motif score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Life in Squares(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Young Duncan Grant

    Motif score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • Bonobo(2014)

    as Ralph

    Motif score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Mr. Turner(2014)

    as Clarinettist

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Northmen: A Viking Saga(2014)

    as Bjorn

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Grantchester(2014)

    Show 24 episodes · as Sidney Chambers

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Hollow (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Lone Man

  • The Great War: The People's Story(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Will Martin

    Motif score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Valley(2014)

    Show 18 episodes · as Tommy Lee Royce

    Motif score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Death Comes to Pemberley(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · as Henry Alveston

    Motif score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • By Any Means (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Prence

  • Rush(2013)

    as Guy Edwards

    Motif score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Belle(2013)

    as Oliver Ashford

    Motif score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Blandings(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy Belford

    Motif score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Restless (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kolia

  • Cheerful Weather for the Wedding(2012)

    as Owen

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all films

  • On This Island (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Hadrian

  • Black Mirror(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Ryan Pound

    Motif score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • An Education(2009)

    as Student

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Inspector George Gently(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as James Blackstone

    Motif score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Onegin

    Motif score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Dog Person (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Heart of Darkness (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Marlow (voice)

  • Wavewalker: Breaking Free (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Producer · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 55 titles, 47 of them dated from 2005 to 2026; peak year 2020.

Biggest box office

Little Women (2019)

$220M worldwide

Highest rated

Little Women (2019)

Motif 98th

Film career

MilestoneNomination
20052026

Peak 2020 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 16 Motif titles. 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
Acting55 of 55: 51 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Motif score76thProducing4 of 55: 0 only producing, 4 with another role

55 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

2000s3 · acting2010s29 · acting2020s15 · 15 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 16% of 19 roles
0919

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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2015, Best Supporting Actor.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do James Norton's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Motif score across 37 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 37 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor, producer

King & Conqueror (2025)

70th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rush (2013)

Motif 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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 James Norton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 20 Motif titles with content scores, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore15 titles7–72 · median 50 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity20 titles12–59 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles24–66 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs12 titles25–64 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles18–72 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian 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 James Norton work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Norton's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Charlie Murphy shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers