James has been performing on stage and in commercials since the age of 12 but first he trained under the Perth Film & TV Academy in their on-screen workshop conducted by Hamish Mcsporran. Over the next few years he worked in television commercials for SGIO, Retravision and Sentinal Safety Cookware before his latest commercials for Red Rooster and Sunsmart’s ‘Don’t Cook For Looks’ campaign. During these years James studied drama in school under the direction of FTI graduate Andrew Pearcey and starred in a number of leading roles in school plays.