James Floyd (actor)

James Floyd
James Krishna Floyd at the 2018 BAFTA Nominees party
Born 1987 (age 30–31)
North London, England
Education University College School, London
Alma mater London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
National Youth Theatre, London
Occupation Actor
Years active 2007–present

James Krishna Floyd[1] (born 1987)[2] is a British actor.[3] He is mostly known for his roles in My Brother the Devil, Everywhere and Nowhere, and the TV series The Good Karma Hospital.[4][5] His ethnically ambiguous appearance has allowed him to portray characters of several different nationalities.[6][7][3][8][9]

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) named Floyd as a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit, and he has won a British Independent Film Award (BIFA).[10][11]

Early life

Floyd grew up in North West London.[4][8][12] His mother is Tamil Indian and his father is English, with Scottish ancestry. His father was a civil servant, working as a probation officer in areas such as Tottenham and Holloway. His mother taught English to refugees and also literacy to Category A prisoners at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs. In the 1950s when she was in her teens, with her family, they drove from Tamil Nadu, India to the United Kingdom. Their journey is documented in The Times archive.[13][12][8][4]

He has family in Spain, and Floyd can speak conversational Spanish.

Education

Floyd received funding through the Assisted Places Scheme for families on low enough income, to attend the independent school University College School.[14][15] He later attended the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to study a degree in Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method but left to pursue an acting career in theatre.[3] He later became an alumnus of the National Youth Theatre.[4][2]

Career

Film

His first role in film was as an emo goth in the British comedy horror Tormented.[16] He then had a role as a pop singer from Manchester in the comedy The Infidel.[4]

His first starring role was in the coming-of-age drama Everywhere and Nowhere. He played a British Pakistani teenager who has a passion for music and DJing.[17] It played at the Mumbai Film Festival and Dinard Film Festival and was released in 2011 in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.[18][19]

His next role in My Brother the Devil was his first successful break. He starred in the acclaimed 2013 drama about two British Egyptian brothers growing up on a tough council estate in Hackney, East London. It was Sally El Hosaini’s debut film as a writer/director and Floyd starred as a young drug-dealing boxer with a secret. His performance was widely acclaimed as he won the award for Best Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards.[20] He also won Best actor at the Milan Film Festival and was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the Evening Standard Film Awards.[21][22][23] The film received multiple international awards including at the Sundance Film Festival, Berlinale and BFI London Film Festival. It was released in US cinemas in 2013 and then internationally.[24][24]

In 2015 he played the lead role of Alex Harks, an American orphan caught up in a private spy ring in the thriller Rogue Agent, exec produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and co-starring Anthony LaPaglia.[25]

In 2017, Floyd co-starred as a rags to riches British Indian businessman in British noir City of Tiny Lights along side Riz Ahmed, Billie Piper and Cush Jumbo. It was directed by Pete Travis and produced by Rebecca O’Brien.[26][27]

Television

In 2007 he played the role of Spanish footballer Miguel Lopez in the British TV series Dream Team. In 2009 he appeared in the TV Film Compulsion (based on Jacobean tragedy The Changeling) along side Ray Winstone and Parminder Nagra.[28] In 2012 he appeared as a Spanish bullfighter in Seville set crime series Falcón for Sky Atlantic, along side Marton Csokas and Hayley Attwell.[29] He portrayed Freddie Mercury in the 2013 BAFTA winning BBC Four Kenny Everett biopic The Best Possible Taste. In 2016 he starred as Ishbaal, prince of the Israelites, in the ABC drama Of Kings and Prophets.[30] From February 2017 Floyd has been starring as the enigmatic Indian doctor Gabriel Varma in ITV’s hit series The Good Karma Hospital. It peaks at over 8 million viewers per episode.[31]

Stage

In 2007 he starred as a young alcoholic indigenous Canadian in J.B. Priestley’s play The Glass Cage at the Royal & Derngate theatre, directed by Laurie Sansom.[32] Other performances include the lead in Anna Ziegler’s Dov and Ali at Theatre 503, where he played an American Pakistani student from Detroit.[33]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009TormentedNasser
2010The InfidelGary Page
2011Everywhere and NowhereAsh Khan
SpiritJagsShort film
2012My Brother the DevilRashid
2014HollowPriestShort film
2015NewcomerAlex Harks
2016City of Tiny LightsLovely
RearviewSimon

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Holby CityAnil ChohanEpisode: "Metamorphosis"
2006-2007Dream TeamMiguel Lopez
2008CompulsionJaimanTV Movie
2012Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett StoryFreddie MercuryTV Movie
FalcónRafa FalconEpisodes: "The Blind Man of Seville"
"The Silent and the Damned"
2016Of Kings and ProphetsIshbaal
2017-18The Good Karma HospitalDr. Gabriel VarmaSeries 1 & 2

Stage

  • The Glass Cage at the Royal & Derngate[34]
  • Dov & Ali at Theatre 503[35]
  • Totally Practically Naked... at the Tristan Bates Theatre[36]
  • Antigone at Hell's Mouth at the Soho Theatre[37]

Awards and recognition

For his role in The Glass Cage at the Royal & Derngate theatre Floyd received rave reviews and was praised as ‘a star-in-the-making’ by The Independent.[38] He also received critical acclaim for his role in Dov and Ali at Theatre 503 where The Stage called him ‘quite superb’.[11]

Time Out described his role in Everywhere and Nowhere as ‘a career-making performance’ and Screen International wrote ‘Floyd gives an attractive star performance.’ [39]

For his performance in My Brother the Devil Floyd won a BIFA for Best Newcomer at British Independent Film Awards, Best actor at the Milan Film Festival and was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the Evening Standard Film Awards.[7][6][40] He was selected as a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit in 2013 and was a Screen International Star of Tomorrow 2012.[41][10] Time Out’s review of the film stated that ‘James Floyd in particular must now be on every director’s must-cast list.’ The Hollywood Reporter noted ‘My Brother the Devil should put Floyd on the casting map.’ while The Daily Telegraph praised his portrayal as ‘reminiscent of Robert De Niro.’ Empire Magazine wrote ‘James Floyd is magnetic.’ and the Daily Mail called it ‘an eye catching central performance.’[42][43][44][45] For his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in The Best Possible Taste the New Statesmen wrote ‘a delightful performance by James Floyd.’[46]

Floyd has been profiled by The Guardian,[47] Flaunt,[48] Evening Standard,[49] Mr. Porter,[50] Clash[51] (magazine) and Attitude (magazine).[52]

References

  1. ↑ "James Floyd". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  2. 1 2 Porter, Mr. (7 January 2013). "One To Watch: Mr. James Floyd". Mr. Porter. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  3. 1 2 3 Sajip, Arjun (2015-10-28). "Gritty boy Floyd – Glass meets up-and-coming young British actor James Floyd". The Glass Magazine. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Who is James Floyd? Actor who plays Dr Gabriel Varma in Good Karma Hospital and British Independent Film Award winner". The Sun. 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  5. ↑ "The Good Karma Hospital". Wikipedia. 2017-10-07.
  6. 1 2 "Evening Standard Film Awards for 2012: Most Promising Newcomer". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  7. 1 2 BIFA. "Winners - Awards 2012 - BIFA - The British Independent Film Awards". www.bifa.film. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  8. 1 2 3 First sight: James Floyd | Film | The Guardian
  9. ↑ Gangland Style | Out Magazine
  10. 1 2 "BAFTA Breakthrough Brits 2013". www.bafta.org. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  11. 1 2 "Dov and Ali review at Theatre 503 London | Review | Theatre | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  12. 1 2 "James Floyd". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-09-17.
  13. ↑ "James Floyd". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
  14. ↑ "James Floyd Biography". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  15. ↑ First sight: James Floyd | Film | The Guardian
  16. ↑ Wright, Jon (2009-05-22), Tormented, Alex Pettyfer, April Pearson, Dimitri Leonidas, retrieved 2017-10-08
  17. ↑ "Kidulthood director begins shooting Everywhere & Nowhere". Screen. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  18. ↑ "Everywhere & Nowhere". Screen. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  19. ↑ "Everywhere and Nowhere". Time Out London. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  20. ↑ "Gangland Style". 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  21. ↑ Unknown. "MIFF Film Festival Awards 2014 - Milano". www.miff.it. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  22. ↑ BIFA. "James Floyd - BIFA - The British Independent Film Awards". www.bifa.film. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  23. ↑ "Evening Standard Film Awards for 2012: Most Promising Newcomer". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  24. 1 2 "Sundance London, WorldView to Hand out $48,000 in Awards to Four Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  25. ↑ "Content introduces Newcomer to EFM". Screen. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  26. ↑ "City of Tiny Lights to start shooting 27 April | Protagonist Pictures". www.protagonistpictures.com. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  27. ↑ "City of Tiny Lights - Review (Toronto International Film Festival) | Flickreel". Flickreel. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  28. ↑ Harding, Sarah (2009-05-04), Compulsion, Ray Winstone, Ben Aldridge, Emma Campbell-Webster, retrieved 2017-10-14
  29. ↑ "BAZ BAMIGBOYE: Troy's a golden role for Lenny Henry as he takes on one of theatre's landmark parts". Mail Online. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  30. ↑ Celebeat.com (2015-03-17). "'Of Kings and Prophets': James Floyd Joins Maisie Richardson and Ray Winstone in Cast of ABC's Pilot Drama About Israel's First King". Celebeat. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  31. ↑ "Who is James Floyd? Actor who plays Dr Gabriel Varma in Good Karma Hospital and British Independent Film Award winner". The Sun. 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  32. ↑ BBC. "The Glass Cage". Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  33. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (2008-06-19). "Theatre review: Dov and Ali / Theatre 503, London". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  34. ↑ "The Glass Cage". Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  35. ↑ "Theatre503 presents the World Premiere of: Dov and Ali". www.dovandali.theatre503.com. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  36. ↑ "Totally Practically Naked in My Room on a Wednesday Night review at Tristan Bates Theatre London | Review | Theatre | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  37. ↑ "James Floyd - BIFA - The British Independent Film Awards". www.bifa.film. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  38. ↑ "The Glass Cage, Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton". The Independent. 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  39. ↑ "Everywhere & Nowhere". Screen. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  40. ↑ Unknown. "MIFF Film Festival Awards 2014 - Milano". www.miff.it. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  41. ↑ "James Floyd". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  42. ↑ "British film continues to shine at Sundance". 2012-02-08. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  43. ↑ "Brotherly love turns this tale of London's hoodies devilishly good". Mail Online. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  44. ↑ "My Brother the Devil: Sundance Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  45. ↑ "My Brother the Devil". Time Out London. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  46. ↑ "Kenny Everett: Camp crusader". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  47. ↑ Clarke, Cath (2011-04-14). "First sight: James Floyd". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  48. ↑ "James Floyd". Flaunt Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  49. ↑ "Evening Standard Film Awards for 2012: Most Promising Newcomer". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  50. ↑ PORTER, MR. "Mr James Floyd | One To Watch | The Journal | MR PORTER". MR PORTER. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  51. ↑ "James Floyd: It's Not All About De Niro". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  52. ↑ "James Floyd". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
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