John Kavanagh
Born: 1946-01-01 in Dublin, Ireland
Known For: Acting
Biography
John Kavanagh (born 1946, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish character actor who was a member of the Abbey Theatre company for ten years (1967–1977) before going freelance. He has worked in over 20 films and numerous TV series since 1970. His film credits include Braveheart (1995), The Butcher Boy (1997), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), and The Last Duel (2021). On television he is best known for playing The Seer / Pope Leo IV in Vikings (2013–2020) and Vikings: Valhalla (2022–2024), and Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio in The Tudors (2007–2008). He received a Drama Desk Award nomination (1989) for Juno and the Paycock. He is also a singer, having played the lead in the Irish stage production of Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris in the 1970s. No other personal details are publicly confirmed.
Filmography
2026
- Bucking Fastard as Mr. Westmoreland
2024
- Der Irland-Krimi: Zerrissene Seelen as Arthur Browne
- Baltimore as Sir Alfred Beit
2022
- Vikings: Valhalla as The Seer
- Peacock as Georgia's Boss
2021
- The Last Duel as Le Gris' Priest
- Riverdance: The Animated Adventure as Gatekeeper (voice)
2019
- Supervized as Windsor
2017
- Lost Memories as Dad
- Deposits as Narrator (voice)
2016
- Florence Foster Jenkins as Arturo Toscanini
2015
- Vikings: Athelstan's Journal as The Seer (archive footage)
2013
- Vikings as Pope Leo IV
- The Invisible Woman as Reverend Benham
- The Stag as Fionan and Little Kevin's Dad
2012
- Titanic: Blood and Steel as Edward Carson
2010
2009
- Father & Son as John O'Connor
2007
- The Tudors as Cardinal Campeggio
- Closing the Ring as Reverend Smith
2006
- The Black Dahlia as Emmett Linscott
- The Tiger's Tail as Harry
2004
- Alexander as Parmenion
- The Halo Effect as Stan
- The Wonderful Story of Kelvin Kind
2003
- Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor as Judge Shippen
- Mystics as Gerry the Barman
2002
- Pete's Meteor as Sergeant Maloney
- Sinners as Frank
- Puckoon as Haggerty
2001
- Rebel Heart as Eugene O'Brien
- Last Days in Dublin
1999
- Vicious Circle as Charlie Rice
1998
- Dancing at Lughnasa as Father Carlin
- The Butcher Boy as Dr. Boyd
1997
- The Informant as IRA Chief
1996
- Some Mother's Son as Cardinal
- Samuel Beckett: As the Story Was Told as Voice
1995
- Braveheart as Craig
- Circle of Friends as Brian Mahon
- Sharpe's Sword as Father Patrick Curtis
- Shadow of a Gunman as Adolphus Grigson
1994
- Scarlett as Jamie O'Hara
- Widows' Peak as Canon Murtagh
1993
- Sharpe as Father Curtis
- Love Lies Bleeding as Sean Kerrigan
- Bad Company as Patrick Molloy
1992
- Into the West as Hartnett
1991
- Performance as Adolphus Grigson
- Children of the North as Seamus Reilly
- Arise and Go Now as Father Dade
- Events at Drimaghleen as Superintendent O'Kelly
1990
- August Saturday as Tom Crosbie
- Fools of Fortune as Johnny Lacy
- Who Bombed Birmingham? as Z
1988
- The Storyteller as Beggar
- The Storyteller: A Story Short as Beggar
- Joyriders as Manager
1987
- Bellman and True as Donkey
1986
- ScreenPlay as Tom Crosbie
- Lovejoy as Hennessey
- The Fantasist as Robert Foxley
1984
- Children in the Crossfire
- Cal as Skeffington
1983
- The Country Girls as James
- Attracta as Mr. Devereux
1982
- The Ballroom of Romance as Bowser Egan
1980
- Revival: Pearse's Concept of Ireland as Patrick Pearse
1971
- A Week in the Life of Martin Cluxton as Priest