James Bolton (born May 10, 1991) is an Australian actor and theatre-maker, currently based in Melbourne.

Originally from the Gold Coast, James grew up shifting between his hometown and the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne. It was as a shy fifteen year old at Benowa State High School that he discovered his passion for performing, when he was asked to compere at the school’s variety show. James caught the attention of the drama department, and was cast as Danny Zuko in their subsequent production of “Grease”. Thereafter, James became the most active performer in his school, with roles such as Roger in “The Bourgeoisie” and Bob Cratchit in “Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge”. He was Benowa High’s only student to be cast in a professional show before graduating; an outdoor production of “Much Ado About Nothing”, in which he played Claudio. James’ other early roles on the Gold Coast included Billy Carewe in “Play On!” and Superintendent Naylor “Eyes To The Floor”.

In 2013, James returned to Melbourne to study his Bachelor of Fine Art (Theatre Practice) at the Victorian College of the Arts. His credits at the VCA include Agamemnon in “Iphigenia in Aulis”, Konstantin Tréplev in “The Seagull”, Sarah Kane’s “4:48 Psychosis”, Billy Flynn in “Roxie Hart”, and Quick Lamb in “Cloudstreet”, in which he had the honour of working with Max Award Winning Spanish director, Julián Fuentes-Reta. James will soon co-devise, co-direct and perform in “We Are Not Good People” as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival. James graduated from the VCA in 2015.

James has a deep passion for martial arts, having started training for Moon Lee Taekwondo at the age of seven. At thirteen, he obtained his Cho Dan Bo (Black Belt). By fourteen, he equaled his instructor’s rank as a Black Belt, First Dan (equivalent to second-degree under Moon Lee’s ranking system). James also underwent a full year of amateur wrestling training under the Queensland Amateur Wrestling Association.