Paterson Joseph, born June 22, 1964, is an English actor and author with a career spanning theatre, television, and film. He began his professional acting journey after training at Studio '68 of Theatre Arts and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Joseph gained early recognition for his performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including roles in 'King Lear' and 'Love's Labour's Lost'.

His extensive television work includes appearances in popular series such as 'Casualty', 'Peep Show', 'Green Wing', 'The Leftovers', and 'Timeless'. On the film front, he has featured in 'The Beach', 'Æon Flux', and 'Wonka'. Beyond his acting career, Joseph is also a writer. His debut novel, 'The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho', was published in 2022 and received the 2023 Christopher Bland Prize from the Royal Society of Literature. He also served as the Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from October 2022.

Born in Willesden Green, Middlesex, on June 22, 1964, Paterson Joseph is the youngest of five children. His parents hailed from Saint Lucia. He attended Cardinal Hinsley R.C. High School and, by his own description, found schoolwork unengaging, preferring to spend time in the local library. After a brief stint as a hospital catering assistant, Joseph decided to pursue acting. He received his initial training at Studio '68 of Theatre Arts in London from 1983 to 1985, followed by studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). His foundational training paved the way for subsequent performances with prestigious companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Royal National Theatre.

Joseph's early theatre career included notable performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, earning him second prize in the Ian Charleson Awards in 1991 for his roles in 'King Lear', 'Love's Labour's Lost', and 'The Last Days of Don Juan'. He has taken on leading roles in productions such as 'Othello' and played Brutus in an African-set 'Julius Caesar' for the RSC. In 2004, he directed a version of 'Romeo & Juliet' for a Channel 4 documentary, working with young non-actors from a deprived area of London. Joseph also wrote and performed a solo play, 'Sancho: An Act of Remembrance', based on the life of Ignatius Sancho, which toured in the US. More recently, he portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol' at the Old Vic Theatre.

Paterson Joseph has built a substantial career in television, appearing in a wide array of dramas and comedies. His credits include roles in 'Casualty', 'Peep Show', 'Green Wing', 'Survivors', 'The Leftovers', and 'Timeless'. He has also featured in significant television films and dramas like 'Sex Traffic' and 'Jekyll'. In film, Joseph's early work includes 'In the Name of the Father', followed by roles in 'The Beach', 'Æon Flux', and the recent musical fantasy film 'Wonka', where he played the villain Arthur Slugworth. His voice acting contributions include narration for National Geographic series and appearances in audio dramas.

In addition to his acting career, Paterson Joseph is an accomplished author. His debut novel, 'The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho', published in October 2022, reimagines the life of the 18th-century writer and abolitionist Charles Ignatius Sancho through fictionalized diary entries and letters. The novel garnered critical acclaim, earning a place on the shortlist for the 2023 Jhalak Prize and winning the prestigious 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize. Joseph also contributed to the 2024 book 'Encounters with James Baldwin'. In recognition of his achievements, he was appointed Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University in October 2022, officially taking up the post in May 2023.