Background
Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father.
Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father.
He was educated at Sedbergh School in Cumbria, and from there went on to study for a degree in Mathematics at Grey College, University of Durham, and then at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Artist
Wilby"s first appearance on screen was in the Oxford Company 1982 production Privileged alongside Hugh Grant. Along with Grant, Wilby has always been best known for his regular inclusion in the Merchant-Ivory film "family" which also boasts Rupert Graves, Helena Bonham-Carter, Emma Thompson, and Anthony Hopkins among its regulars. On stage, he starred in the 1995 revival of John Osborne"s A Patriot for Maine by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Theatre.
He then appeared in a production of "Helping Harry" at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2001.
As well, in 2004, he appeared as the title character in a run of "Don Juan" at the Lyric Theatre. Other, more recent theatre productions James has starred in include a tour of "Less Than Kind" (2012) by Terence Rattigan, "On Emotion"(2008) at the Soho Theatre, and "The Consultant" (2011) by Neil Fleming and the Hydrocracker Theatre Company at Theatre 503 in London.
From The Guardian (2002) From The Telegraph (2004) From The Telegraph (2005).