James Brian Mark Purefoy was born and raised in Taunton, Somerset, England, to Shirley (Taylor),an employment agency owner, and Anthony Chetwynd Purefoy. After leaving school at 16, he held various jobs, including working on a pig farm and as a hospital porter, before traveling and working throughout Europe.
At 18, James returned to college to pursue A-Levels, including drama, which sparked his passion for acting. He was accepted into the Central School of Speech and Drama, where he was discovered by a Royal Shakespeare Company casting director and invited to join the company in Stratford.
James spent two years with the RSC, performing in eight productions and working with renowned directors like Adrian Noble, Roger Michell, and Gene Saks. He played leading roles in "King Lear" and "Macbeth" and left the company after two years.
The next six years were divided between theatre and television. He worked with notable directors and actors, including Katie Mitchell, Matthew Warchus, Ken Stott, Jude Law, Iain Glen, Bill Alexander, Simon Callow, Joseph Fiennes, Rupert Graves, and Helen McCrory.
James has appeared in various television shows, including the BBC's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" and "The Prince," as well as Channel 4's "A Dance to the Music of Time" and Granada's "Metropolis." He has consistently chosen diverse roles to avoid typecasting.
In film, James has appeared in a range of movies, including "Feast of July," "Bedrooms and Hallways," "Mansfield Park," "Maybe Baby," "Women Talking Dirty," "A Knight's Tale," and "George and the Dragon." He has continued to surprise audiences with his diverse film choices.
In 2002, James returned to the theatre, playing Ned Loveless in Trevor Nunn's production of "The Relapse" at the National Theatre. He then took on the biggest challenge of his career, starring as George in the big-budget film "George and the Dragon." The movie was released in the summer of 2003.
