James Bamford
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1967-02-26
    • Born Place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • Also Known As:

    James 'Bam Bam' Bamford, James Banford

James Bamford

Born on February 26, 1967, in Victoria, Canada, James Bamford—often known by the nickname "BamBam"—is a prominent film and television director who built his career through over 30 years of experience in stunt work and martial arts. Inspired as a child by icons like Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali, he began his professional journey in 1990 as a stuntman. His early work included serving as a lead stunt double for actors such as David Duchovny on The X-Files and Michael Dudikoff on Cobra. Over the next two decades, he established himself as a premier stunt coordinator and fight choreographer on major projects including Stargate Atlantis, The Chronicles of Riddick, X-Men 2, and Watchmen. Bamford's career reached a turning point with the CW series Arrow, where he served as the supervising stunt coordinator and was credited with creating the show’s signature gritty, visceral fight style. He made his directorial debut in Season 4 with the episode "Brotherhood," which earned him a Leo Award nomination for Best Director. He eventually rose to become the show's sole Directing Producer, helming 17 episodes including multiple season premieres and finales. Since then, he has transitioned into directing feature films, with a 2024–2026 slate that includes the sci-fi thriller Utopia, the action film Air Force One Down, and the 2026 thriller The Internship.

Person History