James Metcalfe Campbell Bower, known professionally as Jamie Campbell Bower (born November 22, 1988), is an English actor, singer, and model. He portrayed Henry Creel/Vecna in the fourth season of Stranger Things.
He is also known for his roles as young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and as Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as well as Caius in The Twilight Saga. Additionally, he played Jace Wayland in the 2013 motion picture, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
Early life[]
Bower was born in London. His mother is a music manager and his father works for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. His maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather was Sir John Campbell, of Airds, Lieutenant Governor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Bower has had an interest in music and performance from a young age. He started playing the violin as a child, and was taught using the Suzuki method. He attended Bedales School, a co-educational independent school in Hampshire, and is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre and the National Youth Theatre.
Career[]
Bower began his professional career when his friend Laura Michelle Kelly recommended him to her agent. He was a part-time model with Select Model Management in London. In 2008, he played Rocker in the film RocknRolla and Jack in Winter in Wartime. In 2009, he starred in the 2009 remake of the series The Prisoner as Number 11–12.
Also in 2009, he played the vampire Caius Volturi in the film The Twilight Saga: New Moon and both Twilight: Breaking Dawn films. He appeared as a young Gellert Grindelwald (the dark wizard defeated by Albus Dumbledore) in the 2010 film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1; he reprised this role in the 2018 film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, becoming one of two actors to appear in both film franchises. He played King Arthur in the 2011 television series Camelot. In 2010, he starred in the music video for "Young (Belane)" by The Xcerts.
In 2012, Bower appeared in the music video for "Never Let Me Go" by Florence + The Machine. He played Jace Wayland in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, the 2013 film adaptation of The Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare. In December 2013, he joined the cast of Burberry's Campaign Stars for spring/summer 2014.
In June 2015, Bower began playing the role of Joe in the West End musical Bend It Like Beckham.
In July 2017, he was on the TNT original series Will. He played the role of the poet, gay atheist and spy Christopher Marlowe, who was jealous of Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe is preoccupied with death, the supernatural and the occult. Bower explained that the series delves into Marlowe's life and refers him as a naughty boy.
In January 2019, Bower was announced as a star in the prelude series to Game of Thrones, titled Bloodmoon (also known as The Long Night), but HBO announced it had decided not to make the series in October 2019. He starred in the 2019 film Six Days of Sistine, distributed by Mbur Indie Film Distributor and co-starring Elarica Johnson. Since 2015, Bower has voiced Skiff in the Thomas & Friends franchise, having contributed to the television show, two home videos, and the feature film Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
In 2022, Bower starred as Henry Creel / One / Vecna in season four of the Netflix series Stranger Things. Makeup for the role took up to eight hours a day to apply. His performance in the series garnered critical acclaim. During the makeup process, Bower was also coated with lubricant to make him look glossy.
Personal life[]
In February 2010, Bower was confirmed to be dating actress Bonnie Wright, whom he had met on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. In April 2011, they confirmed their engagement. On 30 June 2012, they amicably ended their engagement. From 2012 to 2018, he was in an on-off relationship with actress Lily Collins, and has reportedly been dating Jess Moloney since 2020.
In July 2022, he shared that he had been sober since March 2015. Bower has a mild form of dyslexia.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Anthony Hope |
| 2008 | RocknRolla | Rocker |
| Winter in Wartime | Jack | |
| 2009 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | Caius |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | Young Gellert Grindelwald |
| London Boulevard | Whiteboy | |
| 2011 | Anonymous | Young Earl Oxford |
| The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 | Caius | |
| 2012 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 | |
| 2013 | The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones | Jace Wayland |
| 2015 | Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | Skiff (voice) |
| 2018 | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald | Young Gellert Grindelwald |
| 2019 | Six Days of Sistine | Jean-Baptiste |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga | Caleb Sykes |
| Witchboard | Alexander Babtiste | |
| Emmanuelle | TBA | |
| TBA | True Haunting | Ed Becker |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Dinner Party | Douglas |
| 2009 | The Prisoner | 11–12 |
| 2011 | Camelot | King Arthur |
| 2015–2020 | Thomas & Friends | Skiff (voice) |
| 2017 | Will | Christopher Marlowe |
| 2019 | Urban Myths | Mick Jagger |
| 2022- | Stranger Things | Henry Creel / One / Vecna |
Stage[]
| Year | Title | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Honk! | Royal National Theatre | |
| 2001 | The Dreaming | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre (Guildford, England)
Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre (London, England) Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Edinburgh, Scotland) | |
| 2015 | Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical | Joe | Phoenix Theatre |
Music[]
| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Xcerts | “Young (Belane)” |
| 2012 | Florence and the Machine | “Never Let Me Go” |
Awards and Nominations[]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | National Movie Awards | One to Watch: Brits Going Global | Anonymous | Won |
| 2014 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actor: Action | The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones | Nominated |
| 2023 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Villain in a Series | Stranger Things | Nominated |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Villain | Nominated | ||
| Best Fight | Nominated |
Trivia[]
- Jamie has appeared in three major fantasy book to film franchises. He played Caius in The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1Italic (2011) and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012); Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Jace Wayland in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013).
- He models clothes for his designer ex-girlfriend Zoe Graham.
- He and his Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) co-star Johnny Depp have both played Harry Potter villain Gellert Grindelwald at different ages. Jamie played him as a young man in Harry Potter nnd The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and Depp in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (2016).
- He has a younger brother named Samuel.
- He is a former member of the National Youth Music Theatre.
- He attended Bedales school.
- A great fan of music, one of his favorite songs is "Marlene", by Lightspeed Champion and he named his 2009 album of the year, "Only Revolution," by Biffy Clyro.