James Nelson-Joyce

James Nelson-Joyce
Born1989 or 1990 (age 34–35)[1]
Orrell Park,[2] Liverpool, Merseyside, England
OccupationActor
Years active2013–present

James Nelson-Joyce (born 1988 or 1989)[1] is an English actor, known for playing the tough guy or villainous characters, who has had roles in Shameless (2013) Mount Pleasant (2016), Little Boy Blue (2017), The Trap (2019), The Nest (2020, Time (2021), The Outlaws (2021), Industry (2022), The Gold (2023), A Town Called Malice (2023), and Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023).

Early life

Nelson-Joyce was born to a working-class family from Walton, Liverpool.[3] He left school without qualifications,[1] not realising at the time that he was dyslexic,[2] however, following advice from his English teacher, Miss Griffiths,[4] who recognised his potential for acting,[1] encouraging him to study at The City of Liverpool College.[5]

Career

Nelson-Joyce's first notable role in 2017, was playing the teenage gang member James Yates,[4] who provided the gun that killed 11-year-old Rhys Jones in the ITV Liverpool based drama Little Boy Blue.[1][6] In 2019, Nelson-Joyce was the lead in the Lena Headey directed BAFTA nominated short film The Trap.[4]

In 2020, he co-starred with Maisie Williams in the Lena Headey directed music video "Miracle" by Madeon.[7]

In 2021, he starred in six episodes of the BBC Bristol based crime comedy series The Outlaws,[8] in a cast that included Christopher Walken, Stephen Merchant and Eleanor Tomlinson.[2] The same year, He worked with Stephen Graham and Sean Bean,[1] playing bullying convict Johnno in the Jimmy McGovern directed BBC prison drama Time.[8] Nelson-Joyce is known for playing the tough guy or villainous characters.[3]

In 2023, he continued in this role as Brian Reader in 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery series The Gold, also starring Hugh Bonneville, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Spencer, Jack Lowden, Tom Cullen, and Emun Elliott.[9] and in the Sky Max 1980s British family gangster series A Town Called Malice as an enemy of the Lord family.[4] The same year, he made a very brief appearance in Guy Ritchie's The Covenant alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Alexander Ludwig.[4]

In October 2023, Nelson-Joyce played the lead role in the British crime feature film Reputation, as drug dealer Wes.[10]

Filmography

Short film

Year Title Role Notes
2019 Bee Bradley
Money Shot Sean
The Trap Main role
2021 Eyeholes Mac
2022 Safe Daz

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2020 Brothers by Blood Leonard
The Nest Taxi Driver
2023 Guy Ritchie's The Covenant Jack 'Jack Jack' Jackson [4]
Reputation Wes [10]
2024 Bird Skate Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Shameless Benny S11.E12 "Early Retirement"
2014 Cilla Degsy 2 episodes
Casualty Frankie Macfarland S28.E30 "The Lies We Tell"
2015 No Offence Franny Lowry 1 episode
2016 Mount Pleasant Liam 8 episodes
Vera Jason McNeive 1 episode
2017 Little Boy Blue James Yates Main role - all 4 episodes
2019 The Rook Henry Hylton Foster 1 episode
The Virtues Ryan 1 episode
World on Fire Tony 1 episode
2021 Innocent Aaron Holmes 2 episodes
Time Johnno 2 episodes
The Outlaws Spider 6 episodes
2022 The Responder Greg Gallagher 2 episodes
Industry Jamie Henson 2 episodes
2023 The Gold Brian Reader 3 episodes
The Family Pile Greg Main role - 6 episodes
A Town Called Malice Barney 2 episodes

Music video

Year Artist Track Notes
2020 Madeon "Miracle" [7]
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds "Blue Moon Risking" [11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hadfield, Charlotte (27 May 2021). "Scouse actor's chance encounter with Stephen Graham in Nando's that changed his career". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Saunders, Lawrence (28 July 2021). "James Nelson-Joyce Interview". ymliverpool.com. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b Aubrey, Elizabeth (8 June 2021). "James Nelson-Joyce on playing Bez in the new Happy Mondays film: "He couldn't believe I was a Scouser!"". NME. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Anon Fashion Magazine in Exclusive conversation with James Nelson Joyce for Feb22 Issue No. 45". anonfashionmag.com. 22 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Spotlight: Mr James Nelson-Joyce". therakishgent.co.uk. 13 June 2021.
  6. ^ Becky Gamester-Newton (3 June 2021). "7 Questions with… Time's James Nelson-Joyce: 'A family friend of mine was Britain's most wanted man'". bt.com.
  7. ^ a b Madeon, Maisie Williams, James Nelson-Joyce (as James Joyce) (29 July 2020). Madeon - Miracle (Official Video) (YouTube). Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b Flora Carr (10 June 2021). "Meet the cast of Time". radiotimes.com.
  9. ^ Fletcher, Alex (1 February 2023). "The Gold: Everything you need to know about BBC One's true story heist drama". bt.com.
  10. ^ a b "Reputation (2023)". filmfreeway.com. 2023.
  11. ^ Noel Gallagher, Jack O'Connell, Gala Gordon, James Nelson-Joyce (as James Joyce) (30 January 2020). Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Blue Moon Rising (Official Video) (YouTube). Retrieved 15 May 2023.