Born in Nottingham and raised in South London, Lennie James trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and his prolific career encompasses roles across stage, film and television. He has most recently been seen starring in the critically acclaimed adaptation of Caryl Churchill’s A Number at The Old Vic with Paapa Essiedu, which has been nominated for Best Revival at this year’s Olivier Awards. Lennie’s other theatre credits include Etta Jenks, opposite Miranda Richardson and Roy Williams’ Fallout (Royal Court), August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Coup at The National, A Raisin in The Sun (The Young Vic) and Macbeth (Tricycle Theatre).
Lennie’s film credits including Sol in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, starring Brad Pitt, Sahara, alongside Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz, Michael Winterbottom’s 24-Hour Party People, Nick Love’s Outlaw, with Bob Hoskins, The Next Three Days, with Russell Crowe, Luc Besson’s Colombiana and Lockout, opposite Guy Pearce. Lennie also starred in the modern-day Western Swelter, Tate Taylor’s James Brown biopic Get On Up, opposite Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, Double Play and Blade Runner 2049 sequel opposite Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling.
Lennie’s varied television career on both sides of the Atlantic includes Civvies and Comics by Lynda La Plante, Undercover Heart, Out of The Blue, Buried (BAFTA award) and playing the lead in Critical (Sky One). Lennie also wrote and starred in Storm Damage, starred in Channel 4’s critically acclaimed Run as well as Jed Mercurio’s Line of Duty (BBC2) for which he received Best Actor nominations for both at the RTS Awards in 2013/14. His USA credits include Jericho (CBS), Hung (HBO) and Low Winter Sun (AMC) as well as eight seasons in The Walking Dead (AMC).
Lennie created, wrote, and starred in Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed series Save Me, for which he won an RTS Award for Best Drama Series and Best Writer - Drama. Following the success of this series, Lennie reprised his role as Nelly in the gripping dramatic sequel Save Me Too, which won Best Drama Series at the 2021 BAFTAs.
