About
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.
Known for
VikingsSeries • 2013
The TudorsSeries • 2007
Vikings: ValhallaSeries • 2022
PerformanceSeries • 1991
BraveheartMovie • 1995
ScreenPlaySeries • 1986
SharpeSeries • 1993
LovejoySeries • 1986
The Last DuelMovie • 2021
AlexanderMovie • 2004
The StorytellerSeries • 1988
Titanic: Blood and SteelSeries • 2012
The Black DahliaMovie • 2006
ScarlettSeries • 1994
In SecretMovie • 2014
Florence Foster JenkinsMovie • 2016
Circle of FriendsMovie • 1995
SupervizedMovie • 2019
Widows' PeakMovie • 1994
Closing the RingMovie • 2007
Riverdance: The Animated AdventureMovie • 2021
Into the WestMovie • 1992
The Invisible WomanMovie • 2013
Dancing at LughnasaMovie • 1998