Acting
John Kavanagh
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
One Sweet Hour
Film · 2026
Bucking Fastard
Film · 2026
Baltimore
Film · 2024
Der Irland-Krimi: Zerrissene Seelen
Film · 2024
Vikings: Valhalla
Series · 2022
Peacock
Series · 2022
The Last Duel
Film · 2021
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure
Film · 2021
Supervized
Film · 2019
Deposits
Film · 2017
Lost Memories
Film · 2017
Florence Foster Jenkins
Film · 2016
Vikings: Athelstan's Journal
Series · 2015
Vikings: Athelstan's Journal
Series · 2015
In Secret
Film · 2014
Horse
Film · 2014
The Invisible Woman
Film · 2013
The Stag
Film · 2013
Vikings
Series · 2013
Vikings
Series · 2013
Vikings
Series · 2013
Titanic: Blood and Steel
Series · 2012
The Runway
Film · 2010
Father & Son
Series · 2009
Closing the Ring
Film · 2007
The Tudors
Series · 2007
The Tudors
Series · 2007
The Tiger's Tail
Film · 2006
The Black Dahlia
Film · 2006
Alexander
Film · 2004
The Halo Effect
Film · 2004
The Wonderful Story of Kelvin Kind
Film · 2004
Mystics
Film · 2003
Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor
Film · 2003
Pete's Meteor
Film · 2002
Sinners
Film · 2002
Puckoon
Film · 2002
Last Days in Dublin
Film · 2001
Rebel Heart
Series · 2001
Vicious Circle
Film · 1999
Dancing at Lughnasa
Film · 1998
The Butcher Boy
Film · 1998
The Informant
Film · 1997
Some Mother's Son
Film · 1996
Samuel Beckett: As the Story Was Told
Film · 1996
Sharpe's Sword
Film · 1995
Braveheart
Film · 1995
Circle of Friends
Film · 1995
Shadow of a Gunman
Film · 1995
Widows' Peak
Film · 1994
Scarlett
Series · 1994
Bad Company
Film · 1993
Love Lies Bleeding
Film · 1993
Sharpe
Series · 1993
Into the West
Film · 1992
Arise and Go Now
Film · 1991
Events at Drimaghleen
Film · 1991
Children of the North
Film · 1991
Performance
Series · 1991
Who Bombed Birmingham?
Film · 1990
August Saturday
Film · 1990
Fools of Fortune
Film · 1990
Joyriders
Film · 1988
The Storyteller: A Story Short
Film · 1988
The Storyteller
Series · 1988
Bellman and True
Film · 1987
The Fantasist
Film · 1986
Lovejoy
Series · 1986
ScreenPlay
Series · 1986
ScreenPlay
Series · 1986
ScreenPlay
Series · 1986
ScreenPlay
Series · 1986
The Price
Film · 1985
The Price
Series · 1985
Cal
Film · 1984
Children in the Crossfire
Film · 1984
Attracta
Film · 1983
The Country Girls
Film · 1983
The Ballroom of Romance
Film · 1982
Revival: Pearse's Concept of Ireland
Film · 1980
A Week in the Life of Martin Cluxton
Film · 1971
The McKenzie Break
Film · 1970
Weeks
Film