Who did James Laurenson play in The Crown? Legendary TV star dies aged 84

Popular television actor James Laurenson passed away on April 18, 2024. His cause of death is yet to be revealed, and Laurenson was 84 years old at the time of his death.

The news was revealed by different UK news outlets and his family members have yet to issue a statement on his demise.

James portrayed Doctor Weir in the Netflix series, The Crown. The character was a Scottish physician and a homeopath who was a Physician Royal. The historical drama has been one of the most successful shows on Netflix, airing for six seasons so far.

The Marton, New Zealand native had many other titles under his credits. He began his career in the 1960s and social media platforms were flooded with tributes where people recalled his performances over the years.

James Laurenson's survivors include his second wife Cari Hayson and a son named Jamie. Jamie was born from James' first marriage to Carol Macready. The Sun states that he went to the Canterbury University College and his father also pursued a career as an actor.

James also explained in an interview that hard work was important in the film industry to get the best roles. He continued by saying that "Hollywood might come knocking" but people might spend a lot of time unemployed.

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James Laurenson played several key roles throughout his career

The Sun states that James Laurenson reportedly started his career on stage and was associated with the Peter Hall Company for a long time. He added a lot of plays under his credits, such as Richard II and Edward II. But it was his work on television that was praised by the audience.

He portrayed Detective Inspector Bonaparte in Boney, which aired during the 70s. While the show did not premiere outside Australia, it managed to pull in a massive audience during the time of airing.

James Laurenson continued to portray minor roles in TV shows such as Elizabeth R and Assault. He was also in the headlines for his kissing scene with Sir Ian McKellen in Edward II, as per Deadline. His first film as an actor was Women in Love, which came out in 1969. The romantic drama was a recipient of four nominations at the Academy Awards.

While he did not portray any major roles after Boney, his screen presence received positive feedback. He played Hector Ross in five episodes of the drama series, Sharpe. His last project as an actor was The Terror, where he was featured in an episode that premiered in 2018.

James Laurenson's filmography even included films such as The Magic Christian, The Monster Club, The Man Inside, and more. As mentioned, he was seen in The Crown and his character was a recurring role that appeared in only five episodes. He played an important role in A House in the Hills, which had Michael Madsen in the lead.