Lennie James
Lennie Michael James (born 11 October 1965) is a British actor. He is best known for portraying Morgan Jones in the AMC series The Walking Dead (2010–2018) and in its spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead (2018–2023), and starring as DCI Tony Gates in Line of Duty series one. Among James' more notable roles in television is Glen Boyle in the medical drama Critical on Sky 1.
Also recorded as Lennie Michael James
Lennie James

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America · Lennie James · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Birth Name
- Lennie Michael James
- Born
- 11 October 1965
- Birthplace
- Nottingham, England
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Education
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama (BA)
- Spouse
- Giselle Glasman
- Full name
- Lennie Michael James.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Known for
- The Walking Dead · Fear the Walking Dead
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Lennie Michael James (born 11 October 1965) is a British actor. He is best known for portraying Morgan Jones in the AMC series The Walking Dead (2010–2018) and in its spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead (2018–2023), and starring as DCI Tony Gates in Line of Duty series one. Among James' more notable roles in television is Glen Boyle in the medical drama Critical on Sky 1.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Lennie James (born 1965) is an actor, film actor and film screenwriter, among other activities, of British nationality. The actor was born Lennie Michael James in Nottingham.
Lennie James was educated at Ernest Bevin College and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The actor lived in Los Angeles.
Among the works are Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Lennie James. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q636682 · wikipedia · Lennie James
In this article
Biography
Biography
On American television, he portrayed the mysterious Robert Hawkins in the CBS series Jericho and Detective Joe Geddes in the AMC series Low Winter Sun. James created and starred in Sky Atlantic drama series Save Me which was released in 2018 to critical acclaim. Its second season, titled Save Me Too, won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Drama Series 2021. In 2024, James starred as Barrington Jedidiah "Barry" Walker in the BBC TV series Mr Loverman, adapted from the novel of the same name by Bernardine Evaristo, for which James won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor at the 2025 British Academy Television Awards.
Lennie James studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Ernest Bevin College. The recorded working language is English. Residence is recorded at Los Angeles. Works named in the authority record are The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead.

Lennie James speaking at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con International, for "The Walking Dead", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America · Lennie James

Chris Hardwick, Scott M. Gimple, Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, Greg Nicotero, Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Sonequa Martin-Green and Norman Reedus speaking at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con International, for "The Walking Dead", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America · Chris Hardwick, Scott M. Gimple, Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, Greg Nicotero, Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Sonequa Martin-G
Key facts
Key facts
• Birth Name — Lennie Michael James • Born — 11 October 1965 • Birthplace — Nottingham, England • Years Active — 1988–present • Occupation — * Actor • writer • Education — Guildhall School of Music and Drama (BA) • Spouse — Giselle Glasman • Children — 3
Early life
Early life
Lennie Michael James was born in Nottingham, England, in 1965. The son of Afro-Trinidadian parents, he lived in South London and attended school at Ernest Bevin College. His mother, Phyllis Mary James, died when he was 11, after which he and his elder brother, Kester, chose to live in a children's home instead of being sent to the United States to reside with a relative. James remained in foster care for eight years. James aspired to be a professional rugby player as a teenager, and was introduced to acting after following a girl he was interested in to an audition for a play. James attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988. While there, he helped run a campaign against the school's plan to expel another student, which he has said is the bravest thing he's ever done. "That involved being taken in front of the head and threatening to boycott a big event for the Lord Mayor, even though the head said it would mean they would throw me out," James said in 2015. He was once employed by the social security office.
Career
Career
• Illustration — James in 2008 James has appeared in more than 20 films, including Les Misérables (1998), Snatch (2000), 24 Hour Party People (2002), Sahara (2005), and Outlaw (2007). He starred in the 2010 film Tic and appeared in the action film Colombiana (2011) and the sci-fi film Lockout (2012). He began his career in theatre. In 1982, while studying social work, he was accepted at a workshop at the Cockpit Theatre. The following year he submitted his play Trial and Error to the National Youth Theatre-Texaco Playwriting Competition, winning Most Prominent Playwright Under 21. While studying for his a-levels he performed at Shiftwork, a youth theatre program at the Lyric Theatre, while Trial and Error was published by Faber and Faber in 1984. In 1992, he received the Clarence Derwent Award for his supporting role in The Coup by Mustapha Matura at the Royal National Theatre. James wrote the autobiographical TV film, Storm Damage in 2000, which was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. Storm Damage depicts a teacher who tries to go back to the foster home he left and help the teenagers there, as James did. He also wrote the play The Sons of Charlie Paora, which opened at London's Royal Court Theatre in 2004. On television, one of James' earliest appearances was as DC Carl Tanner in series 2, episode 1 of A Touch of Frost (1994). James subsequently appeared in the short-lived Channel 4 prison drama Buried (2003), the BBC terrorism drama The State Within (2006), the BBC spy drama Spooks (2002–2011), and he starred as CIA agent Robert Hawkins in the CBS post-apocalyptic drama series Jericho (2006). James appeared in a Channel 4 television drama Fallout (2008), playing the role of a detective alongside another detective solving a teen-related murder. He also appeared in an episode of Lie to Me, as well as the 2009 AMC/ITV miniseries The Prisoner, of which he said: "It wasn't necessarily the easiest gig I've ever been on, but it was always acting." He appeared in HBO's comedy series Hung as a pimp. James appeared in episodes of the 2010 TV series Human Target as the assassin Baptiste. In 2012, he received critical acclaim for his appearance as DCI Tony Gates in BBC Two's Line of Duty, created by Jed Mercurio. In 2010, he guest-starred as Morgan Jones in the pilot episode of the AMC series The Walking Dead, titled "Days Gone Bye". In 2013, he reprised his role as Morgan Jones in an episode of the third season of The Walking Dead titled "Clear". On 12 October 2014, James made his return to the show in a post-credit scene at the end of the fifth-season premiere and appeared again in a single scene at the end of the mid-season finale on 30 November 2014. He returned for the fifth-season finale and played a significant role in the episode. Despite his few appearances on the show, James has received significant recognition for his portrayal of Morgan from critics and fans, including being stopped by a policeman who wanted to talk to him about the show. He returned as a main cast member in the show's sixth season until the eighth season. As of 15 April 2018, James appears as Morgan in the fourth season of Fear the Walking Dead as a series regular. On 29 March 2015, James' character was featured throughout the fifth-season finale. The actor's post-show appearance on the Talking Dead—in which he did not speak with an American accent—caused the hashtag #morganisbritish to trend on Twitter. James stars as Glenn Boyle on the medical drama Critical which debuted on Sky 1 in February 2015. He spent nearly a year away from his home in Los Angeles to film the series. Each episode takes place in "real time," with the medical staff having to save a life in an hour. James spent a week shadowing doctors at a London hospital to prepare for the role. James said his favourite television show is the 1980s police drama Hill Street Blues, telling the Daily Express, "It's the one that spawned every other show. It's the Muhammad Ali or Pelé of television shows." James has also portrayed the Destiny and Destiny 2 character Lord Shaxx who is the host of the in-game activity "The Crucible" in which he voices over matches and acts as an in game vendor. In an interview with GameSpot, Lennie stated his favorite line in the game, was in fact a line straight out of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The line in question is in game as "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and I—I am the Crucible." James featured as a "castaway" on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in October 2025.
Personal life
Personal life
James lives in Los Angeles, California, US with wife Giselle Glasman. They have three children together. He is the main cook for his family and has professed a fondness for Caribbean cuisine. He is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Valencia Club de Fútbol (from Spain). James is among the celebrities who have penned an open "letter to my younger self" for The Big Issue magazine. In his letter in March 2015, he wrote about the pain of losing his mother at a young age. "It hit me quite strongly. It had just been the three of us: my brother, my mum and me. Everything changed when the terrible thing happened. It had a profound, fundamental effect on me. One disappointment is that I never knew my mum as an adult," he wrote. James also works as a mentor to black inner-city children, and says he rejects the importance people attach to fame and celebrity. "Boys and men in our community need to be aware of the guy who gets up every morning and goes to the job that he doesn't necessarily love, in order to support his family. They are the heroes my community need to celebrate," he said.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1988 — ScreenPlay — Writer — Episode: "Between the Cracks" • 1990 — The Bill — Episode: "Burnside Knew My Father" • 1991 — The Orchid House — Baptist — 3 episodes • 1992 — Civvies — Cliff Morgan — 6 episodes • 1993 — Comics — Delroy Smith — Television film • 1994 — A Touch of Frost — DC Carl Tanner — Episode: "A Minority of One" • Love Hurts — Steve — Episode: "Parent Trap" • 1995–1996 — Out of the Blue — DC Bruce Hannaford — 12 episodes • 1998 — Cold Feet — Kris Bumstead — 3 episodes • Undercover Heart — Matt Lomas — 5 episodes • 1999 — Shockers: Deja Vu — Mark — Television film • 2000 — Storm Damage — Bonaface — Television film; also writer Nominated–BAFTA TV Award for Best Single Drama • 2003 — Buried — Lee Kingley — 8 episodes • 2004 — Family Business — Roy Tobelem — Episode: "#1.1" • Stealing Lives — Narrator — Television film • 2005 — ShakespeaRe-Told — Oberon — Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" • Born with Two Mothers — Errol Bridges — Television film • 2006 — Spooks — David Newman — Episode: "Agenda" • The State Within — Luke Gardner — 4 episodes • The Family Man — Paul Jessop — Television film • 2006–2008 — Jericho — Robert Hawkins — 29 episodes • 2008 — Fallout — DS Joe Stephens — Television film • 2009 — Lie to Me — Terry "Tel" Marsh — Episode: "Grievous Bodily Harm" • Three Rivers — Dr Maguire — Episode: "Alone Together" • The Prisoner — 147 — Miniseries • U.S. Attorney — Eric King — Pilot • 2010 — Human Target — Baptiste — 3 episodes • 2010–2011 — Hung — Charlie — 14 episodes • 2010; 2013–2018 — The Walking Dead — Morgan Jones — 35 episodes Guest (season 1) Special guest star (episode: "Clear") Recurring (season 5, two uncredited) Main cast (seasons 6–8) Uncredited voice role (Episode: "What Comes After") • 2012 — Line of Duty — DCI Tony Gates — 5 episodes • 2013 — Low Winter Sun — Joe Geddes — Main cast, 10 episodes • Run — Richard — 2 episodes • 2015 — Critical — Glen Boyle — Main cast, 13 episodes • 2015; 2017 — The Met: Policing London — Narrator — 10 episodes • 2017 — Robot Chicken — Morgan Jones — Voice; episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking" • 2018–2023 — Fear the Walking Dead — Main cast, 61 episodes (seasons 4–8) Directed 3 episodes (seasons 6–7) • 2018–2020 — Save Me — Nelson "Nelly" Rowe — Main cast, 12 episodes Also creator and writer • 2020 — Unprecedented — Ray — Episode: "Penny" by Charlene James • 2021 — Invincible — Darkwing — Voice; episode: "It's About Time" • 2023 — Archer — Ibadan Peters — Voice; episode: "Plaque Removal" • 2024 — Genius — Martin Luther King Sr. — 5 episodes • Mr Loverman — Barrington Jedidiah Walker — Main role; also executive producer • 2025 — Mayor of Kingstown — Frank Moses — Main role; 10 episodes
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Voice role — Notes • 2014 — Destiny — Lord Shaxx • 2017 — Destiny 2 • 2026 — 007 First Light — John Greenway — Voice and likeness
Stage
Stage
• Year — Title — Notes • 2004 — The Sons of Charlie Paora — Writer • 2022 — A Number
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- Los Angeles
Named but not plotted · 1
Nottingham.
Birth place
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1995 — Fathers, Sons and Unholy Ghosts — Martin — Short film • 1997 — The Perfect Blue — Danny • 1998 — Lost in Space — Jeb Walker • Les Misérables — Enjolras • Among Giants — "Shovel" • 1999 — Elephant Juice — Graham • 2000 — The Announcement — Richard • The Miracle Maker — Tribune — Voice • Snatch — Sol • 2001 — Lucky Break — Rudy "Rud" Guscott / Hardy In Show • The Martins — Police Constable Alex • 2002 — 24 Hour Party People — Alan Erasmus • 2003 — Without You — James — Short film • 2004 — Frances Tuesday — Trent • 2005 — Sahara — Brigadier General Zateb Kazim • 2007 — Outlaw — Cedric Munroe • 2010 — Mob Rules — "C-Note" — Method Fest Award for Best Ensemble Cast • The Next Three Days — Lieutenant Nabulsi • 2011 — Colombiana — FBI Special Agent James Ross • 2012 — Lockout — Harry Shaw • 2014 — Swelter — Bishop • Get On Up — Joe James • 2017 — Double Play — Chamon • Blade Runner 2049 — Mr. Cotton • 2021 — Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway — Barnabas — Voice • 2022 — There There — Restaurant Owner • 2024 — The End — Doctor • Mufasa: The Lion King — Obasi — Voice • TBA — Anxious People — Post-production
Where the work is held
Collections and holdings
Institutional holdings are recorded as follows.
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 2002 — Black Filmmakers Magazine (BFM) Film and Television Awards — Best Male Performance in Film — Lucky Break • 2013 — Online Film & Television Awards — Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series — The Walking Dead • Gold Derby TV Awards — Best Drama Guest Actor • RTS Television Awards — Best Actor-Male — Line of Duty • 2014 — RTS Television Awards — Best Actor-Male — Run • 2016 — Fangoria Chainsaw Awards — Best TV Supporting Actor — The Walking Dead • 2019 — Saturn Awards — Best Supporting Actor on Television — Fear the Walking Dead • 2022 — Evening Standard Theatre Awards — Best Actor — A Number • 2025 — British Academy Television Awards — Best Actor — Mr Loverman • Royal Television Society Programme Awards — Leading Actor: Male
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Lennie James Biography. Film Reference.
- 2.Lennie James. TVGuide.com.
- 3.Ernest Bevin College. Alumni.
- 4.Lennie James: Biography.
- 5.NYT-Texaco judges resist doom and gloom. The Stage. 14 July 1983.
- 6.Faber and Faber. Plays Introduction: Plays by New Writers. 1984.
- 7.Derwent Award double. The Stage. 16 April 1992.
- 8.Billington, Michael. The Sons of Charlie Paora. The Guardian. 27 February 2004.
- 9.Carter, Lance. Jim Caviezel and Lennie James on 'The Prisoner', Nervousness and Working in Cramped Taxis. Daily Actor. 10 November 2009.
- 10.Hibberd, James. 'Hung,' 'Sons of Anarchy' expand casts. The Hollywood Reporter. 12 September 2010.
- 11.Iqbal, Nosheen. Line of Duty's Lennie James: 'I was 12 when I was first called the n-word – by a policeman'. The Guardian. 23 February 2015.
- 12.Press Department. Four More Residents of The Village. AMC. 2008-07-24.
- 13.AMC. Lennie James as 147. 2009-11-16.
- 14.The Walking Dead Season 6: Morgan Will Return, Daryl Loves Carol, and More. US Magazine. 29 March 2015.
- 15.Packer, Amy. Critical actor Lennie James: 'I'm very good at styling girls' hair'. Daily Express. 29 March 2015.
- 16.Rougeau, Michael. Destiny's Shaxx Actor Told Us His Favorite Unreleased Line from the Crucible. Gamespot. 10 October 2017.
- 17.BBC Radio 4. Lennie James, actor. Desert Island Discs.
- 18.Packer, Amy. Critical actor Lennie James: 'I'm very good at styling girls' hair'. Express.co.uk. 2015-03-29.
- 19.Keckler. The Lennie James Interview. Television Without Pity. 10. 2008-02-18.
- 20.Graham, Jane. The Terrible Thing Is that I Never Knew My Mum As An Adult. The Big Issue. 3 March 2015.
- 21.BBC announces new drama Mr Loverman, starring Lennie James and adapted from the novel by Bernardine Evaristo. bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. 6 June 2023.
- 22.Mr Loverman is a life-affirming story about family, love, and being true to yourself. bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. 7 October 2024.
- 23.Destiny – End Credits – IGN Video. IGN Video. 4:30 (Voice and Motion Performers). 2014-09-11.
- 24.Destiny 2 – Credits. YouTube Video. 7:10 (English Voice and Performance Cast) cbignore. 2017-09-07.
- 25.Phillips, Tom. 007 First Light Reveals New, Young James Bond, With The Walking Dead's Lennie James Set to Co-Star. IGN. June 4, 2025.
- 26.Jury, Louise. First black 'Baftas' are used to show discrimination in awards. The Independent. 10 September 2002.
- 27.Online Film & Television Association. ofta.cinemasight.com.
- 28.Montgomery, Daniel. 'Breaking Bad,' 'Parks and Rec' win big at Gold Derby TV Awards!. Goldderby. 18 September 2013.
- 29.RTS Programme Awards 2013 Royal Television Society. rts.org.uk. 19 March 2013.
- 30.RTS Programme Awards 2014 Royal Television Society. rts.org.uk. 18 March 2014.
- 31.The 2016 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards Winners and Full Results!. FANGORIA®.
- 32.Kanter, Jake. BAFTA TV Awards Complete Winners: 'Mr Bates Vs The Post Office' & 'Mr Loverman' Win Big Prizes. Deadline. 11 May 2025.
- 33.RTS announces winners of the RTS Programme Awards 2025. rts.org.uk. March 25, 2025.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,604 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Lenka TermerováPerson
- Lenke LoránPerson
- Lennart HjulströmPerson
- Lennart JähkelPerson
- Lennie WeinribPerson
- Lennox LewisPerson
- Lenny AbrahamsonPerson
- Lenny BrucePerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Lennie James?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.