Laurence Fox

Laurence Paul Fox (born 26 May 1978) is an English actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his leading role as Detective Inspector James Hathaway in the British TV drama series Lewis from 2006 to 2015.

Early years and education

The third of five children of actor James Fox and his wife Mary Elizabeth Piper, His father James was the son of Major Robin Fox, theatrical agent, who married Angela Muriel Darita Worthington, a natural daughter of Frederick Lonsdale. Laurence Fox was born in 1978 in Yorkshire. At the age of thirteen he entered Harrow School where, according to him, he was "shy around women, sensitive and a bit naïve". Although he made friends and liked the drama teacher, he hated the school's strict regimen and felt despised and out of place among pupils with titles and wealth. Constantly in trouble for smoking, fighting, going into town and seeing girls, he was eventually expelled a few weeks before his A-levels. According to him, "It was something to do with a girl at a dance. I went back to take the exams, but I wasn't allowed to speak to anyone." With hindsight, Fox has said that his experience at Harrow enabled him to portray "toffs" – the upper-class boys looking down on him and whom he disliked – with much insight and cynicism.