---
name: "Lennie James"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lennie-james"
fi1m_id: "lennie-james"
imdb_id: "nm0416694"
tmdb_id: 1120
wikidata_id: "Q636682"
roles: ["Actor","Writer"]
born: "11 October 1965"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-07T18:19:39.935568+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lennie James

## Identity

Lennie James

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/lennie-james
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** lennie-james
- **IMDb ID:** nm0416694
- **TMDB ID:** 1120
- **Wikidata ID:** Q636682
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennie_James, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q636682, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416694/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1120

Actor and writer. Born 11 October 1965 in Nottingham, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Writer
- **Born:** 11 October 1965, Nottingham, England, UK
- **Active:** 1998–present
- **Also known as:** لنی جیمز
- **Frequently works with:** [John Strickland](https://film.one/person/john-strickland.md), [Stephen Graham](https://film.one/person/stephen-graham.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 72 (3), 2010s 78 (4), 2020s 66 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 71 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 7, Crime 4, Action & Adventure 3, Animation 2, Mystery 2, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 2
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,065m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennie_James, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q636682, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416694/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1120

## Coming up

- *Anxious People* (2026-11-26)

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Blade Runner 2049*](https://film.one/film/blade-runner-2049.md) (83), [*Line of Duty*](https://film.one/tv/line-of-duty.md) (79)
- **BritBox:** [*Save Me*](https://film.one/tv/save-me.md) (84)
- **Disney+:** [*Mufasa: The Lion King*](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md) (57)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Lennie James

> Lennie James gives flawed men weight without making them easy to approve of. We rate his grounded acting and would look beyond the supporting film roles to the television dramas he has helped put on the page.

In *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024), Obasi barely looks at the orphaned cub. Lennie James supplies his voice, and Barry Jenkins gives that refusal of attention room to register among the photoreal animals. We felt for the cub because the slight is so ordinary: an adult will not acknowledge him. It is a useful introduction to James's territory, the flawed man whose authority makes somebody else's life harder. But an animated character's effect cannot be credited to the voice alone.

*Snatch* (2000) brought him wider notice as Sol in Guy Ritchie's well-chosen ensemble. Its pace and comic plotting make it worth an evening, despite the ethnic caricatures and recycled gangland swagger. Our enthusiasm there belongs to the cast working together. James's own writing provides a reason to look further: he also wrote and starred in *Storm Damage* (2000).

Television gave him a leading role as DCI Tony Gates in the first series of *Line of Duty* (2012). As Morgan Jones, he worked across *The Walking Dead* (2010–2018) and *Fear the Walking Dead* (2018–2023), also directing episodes of the latter. Flawed authority figures and survivors suit his grounded acting. We find him persuasive when a man's position gives us reasons to distrust him without making him simple to dismiss.

*Save Me* (2018–2020), which he created and led as Nelly Rowe, makes the writing central again. Alongside *Storm Damage*, it gives us reason to regard James as more than a dependable casting choice. His interest in flawed and marginalised characters extends to making the dramas in which they appear. *Mr Loverman* (2024) gives him another television lead as Barrington Walker.

The limitation in *Mufasa* is that Mads Mikkelsen's Kiros is the only lion whose voice makes the face seem to think. James is part of the film's better early stretch, but we would not recommend it on his performance alone. The forgettable songs and interruptions from the framing story are problems an actor cannot solve. For James, we would begin with the television work he has written.

## Biography

Lennie James is a British actor and writer. Born in Nottingham in 1965, he trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988.

He is known for playing Morgan Jones in the television series *The Walking Dead* (2010–2018) and its spin-off *Fear the Walking Dead* (2018–2023), and for his film roles as Sol in *Snatch* (2000) and Mister Cotton in *Blade Runner 2049* (2017). He voiced Obasi in *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024). James has also appeared in *Line of Duty* (2012) and created the series *Save Me* (2018–2020). He has received BAFTA awards.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

- *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024), Fi1m 57, as Obasi (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md)
- *INVINCIBLE* (2021), Fi1m 74, as Darkwing (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md)
- *Save Me* (2018), Fi1m 84, as Nelson "Nelly" Rowe — [page](https://film.one/tv/save-me.md)
- *Blade Runner 2049* (2017), Fi1m 83, as Mister Cotton — [page](https://film.one/film/blade-runner-2049.md)
- *Line of Duty* (2012), Fi1m 79, as Tony Gates — [page](https://film.one/tv/line-of-duty.md)
- *The Walking Dead* (2010), Fi1m 68, as Morgan Jones — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-walking-dead.md)
- *ShakespeaRe-Told* (2005), Fi1m 66, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/shakespeare-told.md)
- *Spooks* (2002), Fi1m 77, as David Newman — [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)
- *Snatch* (2000), Fi1m 74, as Sol — [page](https://film.one/film/snatch.md)

## Complete filmography (72)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Anxious People* (2026), Actor
- *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024), as Obasi (voice) — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md)
- *The End* (2024), as Doctor
- *Mr Loverman* (2024), series, as Barrington Walker · Executive Producer
- *There There* (2022), as Restaurant Owner
- *Mayor of Kingstown* (2021), series, as Frank Moses
- *INVINCIBLE* (2021), series, as Darkwing (voice) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md)
- *Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway* (2021), as Barnabas (voice)
- *Save Me* (2018), series, as Nelson "Nelly" Rowe · Writer, Executive Producer, Creator — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/save-me.md)
- *The Girl on the Roof* (2018), as Thief
- *The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking* (2017), as Morgan Jones / Sir Fred Livingston III (voice)
- *Blade Runner 2049* (2017), as Mister Cotton — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/blade-runner-2049.md)
- *Genius* (2017), series, as Martin Luther King Sr.
- *Double Play* (2017), as Chamon
- *Fear the Walking Dead* (2015), series, as Morgan Jones · Director
- *Critical* (2015), series, as Mr. Glen Boyle
- *Get On Up* (2014), as Joe Brown
- *Swelter* (2014), as Bishop
- *Low Winter Sun* (2013), series, as Joe Geddes
- *Run* (2013), series, as Richard
- *Line of Duty* (2012), series, as Tony Gates — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/tv/line-of-duty.md)
- *Lockout* (2012), as Harry Shaw
- *Colombiana* (2011), as Special Agent Ross
- *Mob Rules* (2011), as C-Note
- *The Next Three Days* (2010), as Lieutenant Nabulsi
- *The Walking Dead* (2010), series, as Morgan Jones — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-walking-dead.md)
- *Human Target* (2010), series, as Baptiste
- *The Prisoner* (2009), series, as 147
- *Three Rivers* (2009), series, Actor
- *Archer* (2009), series, as Ibadan Peters (voice)
- *Hung* (2009), series, as Charlie
- *Lie to Me* (2009), series, as Terry 'Tel' Marsh
- *Fallout* (2008), as DS Joe Stephens
- *Outlaw* (2007), as Cedric Munroe
- *The State Within* (2006), series, as Luke Gardner
- *Jericho* (2006), series, as Robert Hawkins
- *1976: Summer of... Heat* (2006), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Family Man* (2006), series, Actor
- *My Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet for a New Generation* (2006), as Narrator
- *ShakespeaRe-Told* (2005), series, Actor — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/shakespeare-told.md)
- *Born With Two Mothers* (2005), as Errol Bridges
- *Sahara* (2005), as General Zateb Kazim
- *Frances Tuesday* (2004), series, as Trent
- *Working Shakespeare* (2003), series, Actor
- *Buried* (2003), series, as Lee Kingley
- *Spooks* (2002), series, as David Newman — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/spooks.md)
- *24 Hour Party People* (2002), as Alan
- *The Martins* (2001), as PC Alex
- *Lucky Break* (2001), as Rudy
- *The Announcement* (2000), as Richard
- *Snatch* (2000), as Sol — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/snatch.md)
- *The Miracle Maker* (2000), as Gaius Velius Quintilus (voice)
- *Storm Damage* (2000), as Bonaface · Writer
- *Deja Vu* (1999), as Mark
- *Shockers* (1999), series, as Mark
- *Elephant Juice* (1999), as Graham
- *The Perfect Blue* (1998), as Danny
- *Cold Feet* (1998), series, as Kris Bumstead
- *Undercover Heart* (1998), series, as Matt Lomas
- *Among Giants* (1998), as Shovel
- *Les Misérables* (1998), as Enjolras
- *Lost in Space* (1998), as Jeb Walker
- *Thief Takers* (1996), series, Actor
- *Out of the Blue* (1995), series, as DC Bruce Hannaford
- *Fathers, Sons and Unholy Ghosts* (1994), as Martin
- *Comics* (1993), series, as Delroy Smith
- *A Touch of Frost* (1992), series, as DC Carl Tanner — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-touch-of-frost.md)
- *Civvies* (1992), series, as Cliff Morgan
- *Chilling Out* (1990), as Lennie
- *Between The Cracks* (1988), as Lennie · Writer
- *ScreenPlay* (1986), series, Actor
- *U.S. Attorney*, series, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Lennie James](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-e3032dcec7b4.jpg) Lennie James — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Lennie_James_%2835756680210%29.jpg/1280px-Lennie_James_%2835756680210%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Andrew A. Kosove speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Blade Runner 2049", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. P](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-50c94ce341bc.jpg) Andrew A. Kosove speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Blade Runner 2049", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. P — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Andrew_A._Kosove_%2836067549311%29.jpg/1280px-Andrew_A._Kosove_%2836067549311%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Andrew A. Kosove speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Blade Runner 2049", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. P](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-5b5d2e509032.jpg) Andrew A. Kosove speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Blade Runner 2049", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. P — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Andrew_A._Kosove_%2836201227655%29.jpg/1280px-Andrew_A._Kosove_%2836201227655%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Andrew Lincoln, Greg Nicotero, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Chandler Riggs, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Alanna Masterson and Seth Gillia (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-dab9b1f08793.jpg) Andrew Lincoln, Greg Nicotero, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Chandler Riggs, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Alanna Masterson and Seth Gillia (2017) — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Andrew_Lincoln%2C_Greg_Nicotero%2C_Norman_Reedus%2C_Melissa_McBride%2C_Lennie_James%2C_Chandler_Riggs%2C_Jeffrey_Dean_Morgan%2C_Lauren_Cohan%2C_Alanna_Masterson_%26_Seth_Gilliam_%2836146618175%29.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lennie James](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-6d31214630ad.jpg) Lennie James — Image via TMDB
- ![Lennie James](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-30145e079699.jpg) Lennie James — Image via TMDB
- ![Andrew Lincoln, Greg Nicotero, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Alanna Masterson a (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-8b7ba8bb5212.jpg) Andrew Lincoln, Greg Nicotero, Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Alanna Masterson a (2017) — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Andrew_Lincoln%2C_Greg_Nicotero%2C_Norman_Reedus%2C_Melissa_McBride%2C_Lennie_James%2C_Chandler_Riggs%2C_Jeffrey_Dean_Morgan%2C_Lauren_Cohan%2C_Alanna_Masterson_%26_Seth_Gilliam_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris Hardwick, Andrew Chambliss, Ian Goldberg, Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Jenna Elfman, Austin Amelio, Alexa Nisenson, Rube (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/10279/gallery-eef9e1f0dc4b.jpg) Chris Hardwick, Andrew Chambliss, Ian Goldberg, Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Jenna Elfman, Austin Amelio, Alexa Nisenson, Rube (2019) — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Chris_Hardwick%2C_Andrew_Chambliss%2C_Ian_Goldberg%2C_Lennie_James%2C_Alycia_Debnam-Carey%2C_Danay_Garcia%2C_Maggie_Grace%2C_Jenna_Elfman%2C_Austin_Amelio%2C_Alexa_Nisenson%2C_Ruben_Blades_%26_Karen_David_%2848403753696%29.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/lennie-james