James Wilby: Movies & Box Office
- films
- 31
- on screen
- 1982–2025
- box office
- $54.7M
- average score
- 76
- Born
- February 20, 1958 (age 68)
- Birthplace
- Rangoon, Burma, Myanmar
- Full name
- James Jonathon Wilby
- Citizenship
- British
- Occupations
- Actor
- Years active
- 1982-present
- Spouses
- Shana Louise
- Children
- 4
The Best James Wilby Movies
The highest-rated films James Wilby is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Vindication Swim (2025) scores highest, at 88. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.
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Movie Echo Score: Score 88 Vindication Swim 2025 · Mr. Havers -
Movie Echo Score: Score 85 Vindication Swim 2022 · Mr. Havers -
Movie Echo Score: Score 78 The Duke 2021 · Judge Aarvold -
Movie Echo Score: Score 70 Breathe 2017 · Biography -
Movie Echo Score: Score 60 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 2024 · Viscount Algernon
James Wilby's Career in Numbers
James Wilby's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres James Wilby works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Privileged (1982) to Vindication Swim (2025), and the 1990s were the busiest decade.
James Wilby Movies by Decade
- 1980s 7
- 1990s 8
- 2000s 5
- 2010s 6
- 2020s 4
The 1990s were James Wilby's busiest decade, with 8 films.
James Wilby Movies by Genre
- Drama 14
- Romance 4
- Biography 3
- Mystery 2
- Comedy 2
- Action 1
- Documentary 1
- War 1
- Thriller 1
Drama is the genre James Wilby has worked in most, with 14 films, ahead of romance (4).
James Wilby Career Milestones
- First film
- Privileged 1982
- Biggest box office hit
- The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare $29.8M worldwide
- Best-rated film
- Vindication Swim Movie Echo Score 88
- Newest film
- Vindication Swim 2025
James Wilby Filmography: Every Movie
Every film James Wilby is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Rated films average a score of 76. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.
James Wilby Movies as an Actor
30- 2025
Vindication Swim as Mr. Havers · Biography Worldwide box office: $114K Movie Echo Score: 88 - 2024
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare as Viscount Algernon · Action Worldwide box office: $29.8M Movie Echo Score: 60 - 2022
Vindication Swim as Mr. Havers · Drama Movie Echo Score: 85 - 2021
The Duke as Judge Aarvold · Biography Worldwide box office: $14.2M Movie Echo Score: 78 - 2019
E. M. Forster: His Longest Journey as Narrator · Documentary - 2017
Breathe Biography Worldwide box office: $5.13M Movie Echo Score: 70 - 2016
Churchill’s Secret as Brendan Bracken · Drama - 2013
The Great Train Robbery as John Wheater · Drama - 2012
Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story as Wilfred De'Ath - 2012
Titanic as Bruce Ismay · Drama - 2007
Clapham Junction as Julian Rowan · Drama - 2006
It’s Gradiva Who Is Calling You as John Locke · Drama Worldwide box office: $4.04K - 2003
Sparkling Cyanide as Stephen Farraday · Mystery - 2002
Bertie and Elizabeth as King George VI, aka 'Bertie' · Romance - 2001
Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years as Zippo Montefiore · Comedy - 1999
Tom’s Midnight Garden as Uncle Alan Kitson · Mystery - 1997
Regeneration as 2nd Lt. Siegfried Sassoon · War Worldwide box office: $33.1K - 1997
The Woman In White as Sir Percival Glyde · Thriller - 1996
The Treasure Seekers as Henry Carlisle · Drama - 1994
The Chess Game as Lord Staunton · Drama - 1993
Lady Chatterley as Sir Clifford Chatterley · Drama - 1992
Immaculate Conception as Alistair · Drama - 1992
Adam Bede as Arthur Donnithorne · Romance - 1989
A Tale of Two Cities as Sydney Carton · Drama - 1988
A Summer Story as Frank Ashton · Romance - 1988
A Handful of Dust as Tony Last · Romance Worldwide box office: $1.56M - 1987
Maurice Drama Worldwide box office: $2.64M - 1985
Dutch Girls as Dundine · Comedy - 1985
Dreamchild as Baker · Drama Worldwide box office: $1.22M - 1982
Privileged as Jamie · Drama
James Wilby in Documentaries & Specials
1Who Is James Wilby?
James Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma, Myanmar in 1958 and is 68 years old. Credited on films since 1982, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.
James Wilby is an English actor whose career spans over four decades, beginning with his screen debut in the Oxford Film Company production Privileged (1982) alongside Hugh Grant. Born on 20 February 1958 in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father, he was educated at Terrington Hall and Sedbergh School before pursuing a mathematics degree at Grey College, Durham University, and later honing his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Wilby's early breakthrough came with the Merchant Ivory period film Maurice (1987), which earned him and Grant the Venice Film Festival's Best Actor award and introduced him to an international audience. He continued to garner critical acclaim with performances in A Handful of Dust (1988), winning the Bari Film Festival Best Actor award, and later appeared in notable productions such as Howards End (1992), Regeneration (1997), and Gosford Park (2001). His versatility extended to the stage, where he starred in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1995 revival of John Osborne's A Patriot for Me and took leading roles in productions like Don Juan at the Lyric Theatre (2004) and Gaslight (2019). Beyond his professional achievements, Wilby is married to Shana Louise and together they have four children. From 1994 to 2015 he owned The Laines, an 18th‑century country house in Plumpton, East Sussex, famously known as the childhood home of Queen Camilla. His enduring presence in film, television, and theatre reflects a dedication to nuanced storytelling and a remarkable ability to embody complex characters across a wide range of genres.
Who James Wilby Makes Movies With
The actors and directors James Wilby shares the most films with. Rupert Graves comes first, with 3 films together, followed by James Ivory (2).
James Wilby: Questions & Answers
How many movies James Wilby has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.
How many movies has James Wilby been in?
James Wilby is credited on 31 films, from 1982 to 2025. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.
What is James Wilby's highest-grossing movie?
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) is James Wilby's biggest box office hit, with $29.8M worldwide, ahead of The Duke (2021) ($14.2M). Across every film with box office figures, James Wilby's movies have made $54.7M.
James Wilby's biggest hits What is the best James Wilby movie?
By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, James Wilby's best-rated film is Vindication Swim (2025) with a score of 88, followed by Vindication Swim (2022) (85).
Best James Wilby movies, ranked How old is James Wilby?
James Wilby is 68 years old, born on February 20, 1958 in Rangoon, Burma, Myanmar.
What is James Wilby's newest movie?
The most recent film on James Wilby's filmography is Vindication Swim (2025), in the role of Mr. Havers.
Who does James Wilby work with most often?
James Wilby shares the most films with Rupert Graves (3 films), James Ivory (2 films) and Helen Mirren (2 films).
The Best James Wilby Movies, Ranked
Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 31 credits.
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