Adrian Rawlins
Known for: Acting
Adrian John Rawlins (born 27 March 1958, Stoke-on-Trent) is an English actor who studied art and acting at Manchester Metropolitan University and has been active since 1980. He is best known for playing James Potter across all eight Harry Potter films (2001–2011), Arthur Kidd in the 1989 TV film The Woman in Black, and Nikolai Fomin in the 2019 HBO miniseries Chernobyl. He also appeared in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves (1996), Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002), and Darkest Hour (2017) as Air Chief Marshal Dowding. His broader filmography includes Revolution (1985), Mountains of the Moon (1990), Living (2022), One Life (2023), and the upcoming The Brink of War (2026). On television he has had recurring roles in Soldier Soldier (1993), Dickensian (2015–2016), Slow Horses (2022), Moonflower Murders (2024), and Patience (2025). Since 2017 he has served as artistic director of East Riding Theatre.
Filmography
Series
Doctor Who
Dr Ryder
2005
Series
Slow Horses
Duncan Tropper
2022
Series
Midsomer Murders
Adam Keyne
1997
Series
Midsomer Murders
David Orchard
1997
Series
Midsomer Murders
Reverend William Gideon
1997
Series
Death in Paradise
Stephen Langham
2011
Series
Casualty
Richard Thomas
1986
Series
Silent Witness
1996
Series
Father Brown
Dr. Walter Henshaw
2013
Film
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
James Potter
2001
Series
Spooks
Andrew Forrestal
2002
Series
Andor
Doctor Rhasiv
2022
Series
New Tricks
2004
Film
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
James Potter
2005
Film
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
James Potter
2004
Series
Agatha Christie's Marple
Derek Turnbull
2004
Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
James Potter
2010
Series
All Creatures Great & Small
Charles Harcourt
2020
Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
James Potter
2011
Series
Chernobyl
Nikolai Fomin
2019
Series
Lewis
Harry Bundrick
2007
Film
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
James Potter
2007
Series
The Capture
Lord Frederickson
2019
Series
A Discovery of Witches
William Cecil
2018
Series
Grace
Harry Frame
2021
Series
Misfits
Dave
2009
Series
Soldier Soldier
Major Tim Radley
1991
Series
The Man from Snowy River
Travelling Salesman
1994
Series
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
Tim Sumner
2002
Series
Screen One
Michael Mitchum
1989
Series
Star City
Lev Burkov
2026
Series
War and Peace
Platon Karataev
2016
Series
Patience
Douglas Gilmour
2025
Series
The White Princess
John de la Pole
2017
Series
Moonflower Murders
Lawrence Treherne / Lance Gardner
2024
Film
Darkest Hour
Air Chief Marshal Dowding
2017
Film
Tom Clancy's Without Remorse
Chief of Staff
2021
Series
Innocent
Rob Moffatt
2018
Film
The Brink of War
Max Rampleman
2026
Series
Mary & George
Sir Edward Coke
2024
Series
Small Axe
Headmaster Mr. Evans
2020
Series
Widows
1983
Film
One Life
Geoff
2023
Series
By Any Means
Daniel Foster
2013
Series
10 Days to War
Paul Stinchcombe
2008
Film
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death
Dr. Rhodes
2014
Series
Glue
DCI Simson
2014
Film
Breaking the Waves
Dr. Richardson
1996
Series
Mrs Biggs
DI Williams
2012
Series
Sunburn
Ronnie Vaughn
1999
Series
The Sixth Commandment
Ian Farquhar
2023
Film
Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint
Albert
2026
Film
The Raven
Doc Clements
2012
Film
Living
Middleton
2022
Series
She's Out
DS Mike Withey
1995
Series
The Ginger Tree
Captain Richard Collingsworth
1989
Badger
1999
Film
Rose of Nevada
Billy Richards
2026
Tears Before Bedtime
David Baylis
1995
Film
Mountains of the Moon
Edward
1990
Film
Intruders
Police Inspector
2011
Christabel
Albrecht
1988
Film
Revolution
Bill
1985
Series
Hunter
John Elder
2009
Film
The Woman in Black
Arthur Kidd
1989
Film
The Old Curiosity Shop
Jacob
2007
An Evil Streak
Christopher Clarkson
1999
Film
Different for Girls
Mike
1997
Film
NASA, Nazis and the Space Race
Self - Narrator
2025
Film
Undergods
Dominic
2021
Film
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself
Harbour
2002
Insiders
Woody Pine
1997
Film
J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life
James Potter (archival footage)
2007
Film
The Colour Room
John
2021
Film
Clapham Junction
Peter
2007
Film
I Live With Me Dad
Registrar
1985
Film
My Brother Tom
Jack
2001
Film
Blood
Carl Dyson
2000
Film
The Four Minute Mile
Chris Chataway
1988
Film
Bridgend
Vicar
2015
Film
Mrs Biggs
DI Williams
2012
Film
Ahead of the Class
Tony Mackersie
2005
The Return of Stanley Atwell
Film
Susan Hill's Ghost Story
Edward Merriman
2019
Film
The Stretford Wives
Frank Foster
2002
Tales of the Fourth Dimension
William Shakespeare
2009
Film
Once Around the Sun
Self
2012
Film
Life Line
2007
Film
Hear the Silence
Dr. Tony Danielson
2003
Film
Running Late
Michael Mitchum
1992
Film
The Inner Sanctuary
Owen
1996
Film
Game Over
(voice)
2024
Seduction
Martin (Segment "Ultimate Object of Desire")
1991