Iamjamesholloway | Film-TV-THEATRe actor
James Holloway DeLeon IV was born on December 4th and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He’s the youngest of three children - the only child of his mother, Michelle, an educator. His father, James III, is a judge.
Growing up, James’ talents stood out early on. His first play was in the sixth grade, performing as Mr. Beaver in “The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe”. The following year, James was sent away to boarding school at Valley Forge Military Academy, and his acting took a backseat to learning some invaluable lessons in discipline, leadership, and honor.
After begging his mom to pull him out of Valley Forge, James immediately started to train in acting at Freedom Theater. There, seventeen year old James received a writing credit for his rap lyrics, in addition to his acting performance, while working with now two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage on the play “A Walk Through Time”, which is about the influence of Anansi, an African folktale character. During the run of the show, James auditioned for, was accepted into, and in four years graduated from the Conservatory of Acting at the State University of New York - Purchase College.
With a B.F.A. from Purchase, James was ready to take on New York City. He quickly established himself as a promising young actor, landing roles right out of school that brought him many accolades for his work. The first was a lead role in “History of the Word” at the Tony Award-winning Crossroads Theater, where ‘Variety’ praised his “keenly drawn hostile edge”. A few months later, he received a role of a lifetime being cast as Cory in August Wilson’s “Fences” at Bristol Riverside Theatre, where ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer’ noted his “compelling intensity” and saw his scenes as “the show’s best”. James would continue to receive favor and recognition in film, television, stage, and commercials for years to come.
In 2013, James moved to Los Angeles with his then fiancée, actress Cher Santiago. He soon won roles on critically acclaimed shows like “The Newsroom”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, and "Masters Of Sex". When work in television slowed down, he found a theatre home and was invited to become a company member at The Road Theatre Company. At The Road, James joined the ensemble for the play “Broken Fences”, and on a couple of his days off, he took a chance on going back to New York City to audition for The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Two weeks after returning to LA, Holloway got the phone call that would change his life once more; an offer to study in London.
Holloway is a recent recipient of the 2016 BroadwayWorld Award - Los Angeles for Best Featured Actor in “Broken Fences” at The Road Theatre Company, and holds a Master’s in Classical Acting from LAMDA.
He and his wife, Cher, have two cats: Yummy (9) and Squeak (2).
