James Callis

James Callis (credit: Company)

James Callis was born in London, England in 1971. He studied English and Related Literature at the University of York (Derwent College), graduating with honours.

After graduating in 1993, he gained a place at the renowned London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts. He graduated from LAMDA in 1996 and has since appeared in various West End stage productions, as well as in film and on TV and radio.

Callis made his West End debut in Old Wicked Songs alongside Bob Hoskins in 1996, earning the London Critics' Circle's Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer. He appeared at the Almeida Theatre in George Bernard Shaw's The Doctor's Dilemma in 1998, and at the Soho Theatre in London last year in Peter Ackerman's Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight.

He broke into television in 1996 with a guest role on the British series Murder Most Horrid and with a recurring role in the ensemble of the long-running U.K. drama Soldier Soldier. Callis went on to a number of telefilms and miniseries, including The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999) and Jason and the Argonauts (2000). He played Bridget's pal Tom in the hit movie Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), reprising the role in the 2004 film Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. He co-wrote and co-directed the film Beginner's Luck (2001), in which he starred opposite Julie Delpy. He recently appeared as Menelaus in USA Network's miniseries Helen of Troy.

Callis lives in London with his wife Neha, with whom he has one son. He plays the guitar and piano to performance level.

In his role as Doctor Gaius Baltar, Callis has carved himself a unique niche in television science-fiction. While his character is conceited, arrogant, aloof and with a sly streak of self-preservation that borders on cowardice, Callis also imbues him with a vulnerability and humanity which put Gaius Baltar second only to Edward James OLmos' Commander William Adama as the most magnetic character in the new series of Battlestar Galactica.

Playing a man with two voices in his head - even when one of them is in the very visible form of Tricia Helfer cannot be easy - but Callis carries off the role with remarkable aplomb, and brings considerable - and surprising - humour to the role as well.

--Colonial Archivist 23:02, 8 Jan 2005 (EST)