---
name: "Nicholas Rowe"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/nicholas-rowe"
fi1m_id: "nicholas-rowe"
imdb_id: "nm0746583"
tmdb_id: 984
wikidata_id: "Q329160"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "22 November 1966"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-07T19:43:16.939804+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."
---

# Nicholas Rowe

## Identity

Nicholas Rowe

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/nicholas-rowe
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** nicholas-rowe
- **IMDb ID:** nm0746583
- **TMDB ID:** 984
- **Wikidata ID:** Q329160
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Rowe_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q329160, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746583/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/984

Actor. Born 22 November 1966 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 22 November 1966, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- **Active:** 1985–present
- **Also known as:**  Nick Rowe 
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 68 (1), 1990s 78 (1), 2010s 72 (1), 2020s 67 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 68 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Comedy 2, Crime 2, War & Politics 2, Action & Adventure 1, Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $108m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Rowe_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q329160, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746583/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/984

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*A Spy Among Friends*](https://film.one/tv/a-spy-among-friends.md) (68)

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

## Fi1m on Nicholas Rowe

> Nicholas Rowe brings an agreeable assurance to his young Sherlock Holmes, making intelligence something a companion can live with. We value that ease, though a career largely in supporting parts has given it limited room.

Rowe's Sherlock Holmes is certain of himself and still interested in the person beside him. In *Young Sherlock Holmes* (1985), that makes his confidence bearable and his company appealing. Alan Cox's Watson is essential: their exchanges give Barry Levinson's adventure an ease that the busy plot cannot supply. We warmed to them because they seem to enjoy each other's company, even when there is a mystery demanding attention. Rowe gives us a clever young man we are happy to follow, with room for someone else to matter.

Levinson's film needs that goodwill. As the mystery gives way to effects and action, we keep more interest in the two young leads than in the machinery around them. Rowe's assurance does useful work here: Holmes can be formidable without making every conversation an ordeal. The film is entertaining, with limits, and we would recommend it for the pairing before the plotting.

An early appearance in *Another Country* (1984) preceded that lead; the subsequent career has largely been built from supporting parts. In *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* (1998), he plays J in Guy Ritchie's ensemble. That is the stronger film of the two, thanks to its sharp casting and tangled plans, though its camera tricks grow tiresome and its characters are thinly written. Lord Verisopht in *Nicholas Nickleby* (2002) and Captain David Ainsworth in *Operation Mincemeat* (2022) fit the later pattern of period characters and men in authority.

*Mr. Holmes* (2015) brings him back briefly as Matinee Sherlock, alongside Ian McKellen's older detective. It is a neat piece of casting, though our reason to seek him out remains the earlier partnership, where his confidence leaves space for another actor to answer back. Start with the adventure opposite Cox, accepting that the effects eventually receive more attention than the friendship.

## Biography

Nicholas Rowe is a British actor. Born in Edinburgh in 1966, he was educated at Eton College and the University of Bristol, where he studied Hispanic studies.

Rowe began his career with a role in *Another Country* (1984) and played the title role in *Young Sherlock Holmes* (1985). He later appeared as J in *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* (1998), and in films and series including *Mr. Holmes* (2015), *The Crown* (2016), *The Last Kingdom* (2015) and *Operation Mincemeat* (2022).

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

## On Fi1m (6)

- *A Spy Among Friends* (2022), Fi1m 68, as Sir Anthony Blunt — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-spy-among-friends.md)
- *Operation Mincemeat* (2022), Fi1m 66, as Capt. David Ainsworth — [page](https://film.one/film/operation-mincemeat.md)
- *The Outlaws* (2021), Fi1m 67, as Strickland — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-outlaws.md)
- *The Last Kingdom* (2015), Fi1m 72, as Father Asser — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-last-kingdom.md)
- *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* (1998), Fi1m 78, as J — [page](https://film.one/film/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels.md)
- *Young Sherlock Holmes* (1985), Fi1m 68, as Sherlock Holmes — [page](https://film.one/film/young-sherlock-holmes.md)

## Complete filmography (81)

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

- *All in Good Time* (2025), as The Boss
- *The Hack* (2025), series, as Jeremy Paxman
- *JOY* (2024), as James Watson
- *Rivals* (2024), series, as Jeremy Bonnington — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/rivals.md)
- *Red Eye* (2024), series, as DSEC Alex Peterson
- *Máxima* (2024), series, as Prince Charles
- *The Undertaker* (2023), as Reverend Lomas
- *The Killing Kind* (2023), series, as Angus Grey
- *A Spy Among Friends* (2022), series, as Sir Anthony Blunt — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-spy-among-friends.md)
- *Rosaline* (2022), as Lord Montague
- *Operation Mincemeat* (2022), as Capt. David Ainsworth — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/operation-mincemeat.md)
- *A Very British Scandal* (2021), series, as Walter Fraser
- *The Outlaws* (2021), series, as Strickland — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-outlaws.md)
- *Roadkill* (2020), series, as Adam De Banzie
- *Hurt By Paradise* (2020), as Jonathan Birchwood
- *Albion* (2020), as Paul Walters
- *Washington* (2020), series, as George Washington
- *Waiting for Anya* (2020), as Monsuier Sarthol
- *Extinction* (2019), Actor
- *The Importance of Being Oscar* (2019), as Oscar Wilde
- *Remi, Nobody's Boy* (2018), as James Milligan
- *Old Boys* (2018), as Headmaster
- *Inside Cadbury: Secrets of the Chocolate Factory* (2018), as Narrator
- *Riviera* (2017), series, as Geoffrey Anderton
- *Genius* (2017), series, as Jost Winteler
- *Eat Locals* (2017), as Private Gary
- *A United Kingdom* (2016), as Fenner Brockway
- *The Crown* (2016), series, as Jock Colville — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-crown.md)
- *Snowden* (2016), as Assistant Editor Guardian
- *The Last Kingdom* (2015), series, as Father Asser — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-last-kingdom.md)
- *Mr. Holmes* (2015), as Matinee "Sherlock Holmes"
- *Delicious* (2013), Actor
- *Queen Victoria's Children* (2013), series, as Narrator
- *Loving Miss Hatto* (2012), as James
- *The Borgias* (2011), series, as Baron Bonadeo
- *Silk* (2011), series, as Nick Pellegrini — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/silk.md)
- *Shanghai* (2010), as Ralph
- *Anton Chekhov's The Duel* (2010), as Sheshkovsky
- *National Theatre Live: Nation* (2010), as Father
- *Doctor Who: Dreamland* (2009), series, as Rivesh Mantilax (voice)
- *Margaret* (2009), as Malcolm Rifkind
- *Sold* (2007), series, Actor
- *Kingdom* (2007), series, as Robert Morston
- *Lewis* (2007), series, as Undergraduate
- *The Baker* (2007), as Businessman
- *A Harlot's Progress* (2006), as Henry Fielding
- *The Complete Guide to Parenting* (2006), series, as Marco
- *Beau Brummell: This Charming Man* (2006), as Lord Charles Manners
- *Mayo* (2006), series, as Ian Pardeaux
- *Hotel Babylon* (2006), series, Actor
- *A Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and His Sonnets* (2005), as Richard Burbage
- *Space Race* (2005), series, as R. V. Jones
- *The Fugitives* (2005), series, as Boyer
- *Princes in the Tower* (2005), as Ambassador De Puebla
- *Seed of Chucky* (2004), as Lawyer
- *The Black Death* (2004), as Gui de Chauliac
- *Girl on a Cycle* (2003), as Harry
- *Nicholas Nickleby* (2002), as Lord Verisopht
- *Shackleton* (2002), series, as Thomas Orde-Lees
- *All Forgotten* (2001), as Maidanov
- *The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells* (2001), series, as Professor Cedric Gibberne
- *Enigma* (2001), as Villiers
- *Longitude* (2000), as King George
- *Longitude* (2000), series, as King George
- *Relic Hunter* (1999), series, as Peter Graham
- *Let Them Eat Cake* (1999), series, Actor
- *Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels* (1998), as J — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels.md)
- *A Dance to the Music of Time* (1997), series, as David Pennistone
- *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as David Heartley-Reade, Edward Stannington — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/midsomer-murders.md)
- *True Blue* (1996), as David Ball
- *Poldark* (1996), as Lord Edward Fitzmaurice
- *Dalziel and Pascoe* (1996), series, as Gervase Butt
- *Kavanagh Q.C.* (1995), series, as Charles Beaufort
- *Sharpe's Enemy* (1994), as Lieutenant Gilliand
- *Pie in the Sky* (1994), series, as Kevin Wright
- *Sharpe* (1993), series, as Lt. Gilliand
- *The Lawrenceville Stories* (1987), series, as The Tennessee Shad
- *Young Sherlock Holmes* (1985), as Sherlock Holmes — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/young-sherlock-holmes.md)
- *Another Country* (1984), as Spungin
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Tennessee Shad
- *Three*, Actor

---
© 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/nicholas-rowe