John Kavanagh
Known for: Acting
John Kavanagh (born 1946, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish character actor who was a member of the Abbey Theatre company for ten years (1967–1977) before going freelance. He has worked in over 20 films and numerous TV series since 1970. His film credits include Braveheart (1995), The Butcher Boy (1997), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), and The Last Duel (2021). On television he is best known for playing The Seer / Pope Leo IV in Vikings (2013–2020) and Vikings: Valhalla (2022–2024), and Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio in The Tudors (2007–2008). He received a Drama Desk Award nomination (1989) for Juno and the Paycock. He is also a singer, having played the lead in the Irish stage production of Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris in the 1970s. No other personal details are publicly confirmed.
Filmography
Series
Vikings
Pope Leo IV
2013
Series
Vikings
The Seer (voice)
2013
Series
Vikings
The Seer
2013
Series
The Tudors
Cardinal Campeggio
2007
Series
The Tudors
Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio
2007
Series
Vikings: Valhalla
The Seer
2022
Series
ScreenPlay
Tom Crosbie
1986
Series
ScreenPlay
Superintendent O'Kelly
1986
Series
ScreenPlay
Father Dade
1986
Series
ScreenPlay
Sean Kerrigan
1986
Film
Braveheart
Craig
1995
Series
Sharpe
Father Curtis
1993
Series
Lovejoy
Hennessey
1986
Series
Performance
Adolphus Grigson
1991
Series
The Storyteller
Beggar
1988
Film
Alexander
Parmenion
2004
Series
Titanic: Blood and Steel
Edward Carson
2012
Film
The Last Duel
Le Gris' Priest
2021
Series
Scarlett
Jamie O'Hara
1994
Film
In Secret
Inspector Michaud
2014
Series
Vikings: Athelstan's Journal
The Seer (archive footage)
2015
Series
Vikings: Athelstan's Journal
The Seer
2015
Film
The Black Dahlia
Emmett Linscott
2006
Film
Florence Foster Jenkins
Arturo Toscanini
2016
Series
Peacock
Georgia's Boss
2022
Film
Circle of Friends
Brian Mahon
1995
Series
Father & Son
John O'Connor
2009
Series
The Price
Kearney
1985
Film
Bucking Fastard
Mr. Westmoreland
2026
Series
Rebel Heart
Eugene O'Brien
2001
Film
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure
Gatekeeper (voice)
2021
Film
The Invisible Woman
Reverend Benham
2013
Film
Into the West
Hartnett
1992
Film
Closing the Ring
Reverend Smith
2007
Film
Some Mother's Son
Cardinal
1996
Film
Widows' Peak
Canon Murtagh
1994
Film
Supervized
Windsor
2019
Film
Baltimore
Sir Alfred Beit
2024
Film
The Tiger's Tail
Harry
2006
Film
The Butcher Boy
Dr. Boyd
1998
Film
Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor
Judge Shippen
2003
Film
Sharpe's Sword
Father Patrick Curtis
1995
Film
Cal
Skeffington
1984
Film
Pete's Meteor
Sergeant Maloney
2002
Film
Shadow of a Gunman
Adolphus Grigson
1995
Film
Dancing at Lughnasa
Father Carlin
1998
Last Days in Dublin
2001
Film
The McKenzie Break
1970
Film
The Stag
Fionan and Little Kevin's Dad
2013
Film
Bellman and True
Donkey
1987
Film
Who Bombed Birmingham?
Z
1990
Film
The Ballroom of Romance
Bowser Egan
1982
Film
Puckoon
Haggerty
2002
Film
Children of the North
Seamus Reilly
1991
Film
Sinners
Frank
2002
Film
The Fantasist
Robert Foxley
1986
Film
Children in the Crossfire
1984
Film
One Sweet Hour
Tommy
2026
Film
Horse
Junior
2014
Film
The Informant
IRA Chief
1997
Film
Lost Memories
Dad
2017
Film
Samuel Beckett: As the Story Was Told
Voice
1996
Film
Fools of Fortune
Johnny Lacy
1990
The Wonderful Story of Kelvin Kind
2004
Film
The Storyteller: A Story Short
Beggar
1988
Film
Mystics
Gerry the Barman
2003
Film
Joyriders
Manager
1988
Film
Vicious Circle
Charlie Rice
1999
Film
Weeks
Jim
Film
The Runway
2010
Film
Arise and Go Now
Father Dade
1991
Film
Love Lies Bleeding
Sean Kerrigan
1993
Film
The Country Girls
James
1983
Film
A Week in the Life of Martin Cluxton
Priest
1971
Film
The Halo Effect
Stan
2004
Revival: Pearse's Concept of Ireland
Patrick Pearse
1980
Film
The Price
Kearney
1985
Film
Bad Company
Patrick Molloy
1993
Film
The Great Wide Open
Grandad
Film
August Saturday
Tom Crosbie
1990
Film
Deposits
Narrator (voice)
2017
Film
Events at Drimaghleen
Superintendent O'Kelly
1991
Attracta
Mr. Devereux
1983