Jamie Foreman
Born on 25 May 1958 in Bermondsey, South London, Jamie Foreman is an English actor whose background gives him an authenticity that few performers can match. He is the son of Freddie Foreman, a former East End gangster and associate of the Kray twins, and that heritage has informed a career built substantially on hard-edged, credible British drama.
Rise of the Footsoldier
Foreman appears across multiple entries in the Rise of the Footsoldier franchise, including Rise of the Footsoldier 3 (2017). His presence in the series is a natural fit, blending his well-established screen persona with the genuine East End roots that lend the franchise so much of its gritty authority.
Career Highlights
Foreman first attracted widespread attention playing opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldman’s Nil by Mouth, a role that established him as a performer of real dramatic weight. He went on to deliver a memorable turn as Duke in Layer Cake (2004), one of the defining British crime films of its era.
His range extends well beyond the crime genre. He portrayed the menacing Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist (2005), and has appeared in period productions including Elizabeth (1998) and Sleepy Hollow (1999). Other notable film credits include Gangster No. 1, Inkheart, in which he played Basta, and The Football Factory, where he appeared as a racist taxi driver.
On television, Foreman is perhaps most widely recognised for playing Derek Branning in EastEnders from 2011 to 2012. He also featured in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who, playing Eddie Connolly in “The Idiot’s Lantern”, and has made appearances in Casualty and Law and Order: UK.
His work extends to BBC Radio, where credits include the title role in Wes Bell and the six-part series Hazelbeach.
Off screen, Foreman is a committed Tottenham Hotspur supporter. With a career that spans prestige cinema, mainstream television, and cult British crime drama, he remains one of the most distinctive character actors of his generation.