James created and starred in Sky Atlantic drama series Save Me which was released in 2018 to critical acclaim.

[3] His mother, Phyllis Mary James, died when he was 10, 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.

[4] James aspired to be a professional rugby player as a teen, and was introduced to acting after following a girl he was interested in to an audition for a play.

[2] James has appeared in more than 20 films, including Les Misérables (1998), Snatch (2000), 24 Hour Party People (2002), Sahara (2005), and Outlaw (2007).

The following year he submitted his play Trial and Error to the National Youth Theatre-Texaco Playwriting Competition, winning Most Prominent Playwright Under 21.

In 1992, he received the Clarence Derwent Award for his supporting role in The Coup by Mustapha Matura at the Royal National Theatre.

[7][8][9] 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.

[10] On television, one of James’ earliest appearances was as DC Carl Tanner in series 2, episode 1 of A Touch of Frost (1994).

In 2012, he received critical acclaim for his appearance as DCI Tony Gates in BBC Two's Line of Duty, created by Jed Mercurio.

[5] In 2010, he guest-starred as Morgan Jones in the pilot episode of the AMC series The Walking Dead, titled "Days Gone Bye".

[19] 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.