Tom Payne Biography: Awards, Movies, Kids, Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Wife

Tom Payne is an English actor whose versatility has carried him from British school dramas to major American television franchises.

He first drew attention as Brett Aspinall on the BBC’s Waterloo Road, playing a sixth-form student despite being in his mid-twenties.

His portrayal of Paul “Jesus” Rovia on AMC’s The Walking Dead brought him international recognition, and he later led the psychological drama Prodigal Son as Malcolm Bright.

Profile

• Full name: Thomas Payne
• Date of birth: December 21, 1982
• Age: 43 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Chelmsford, Essex, England
• State of origin: Essex
• Nationality: English
• Profession: Actor
• Height: 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m)
• Weight: 68 kg (150 lbs)
• Eye color: Blue.
• Hair color: Dark brown
• Parents: Jeremy Payne (father), Sue Bide (mother)
• Siblings: Will Payne (brother)
• Spouse: Jennifer Åkerman (m. December 21, 2020)
• Children: Harrison Magnus Austin Payne (son, b. January 5, 2022), Twins (daughters)
• Relationship status: Married
• Net worth: $6 million

Early Life and Education

Tom Payne is now 42 and was born on December 21, 1982, in Chelmsford, Essex, to parents Jeremy Payne and Sue Bide. He grew up alongside his brother Will Payne in Bath, Somerset, where he attended King Edward’s School, participating extensively in the drama department. After secondary school, he trained at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, graduating in June 2005 with a degree in acting.

Personal Life

Payne began dating singer Jennifer Åkerman in late 2013 and announced their engagement on The Walking Dead. They married on December 21, 2020, his 38th birthday, after postponing their original spring ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The couple welcomed their first child, son Harrison Magnus Austin Payne, on January 5, 2022, and surprised fans with the arrival of twin daughters on April 1, 2024.

Career

Payne made his television debut in 2007 as Brett Aspinall on the BBC’s Waterloo Road, portraying a teenager at age 24. He went on to roles in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and Skins before appearing as jockey Leon “Bug Boy” Micheaux in HBO’s Luck.

In 2016, he joined AMC’s The Walking Dead as Paul “Jesus” Rovia, becoming a series regular and earning praise for his physicality and emotional depth.

From 2019 to 2021, he led Fox’s Prodigal Son as criminal profiler Malcolm Bright, then moved to NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime in a recurring capacity.

Net Worth

As of 2025, Tom Payne’s net worth is estimated to be $6 million.  

Awards

• 2007: Named one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow

Social Media

• Instagram: @thetompayne
• X: N/A

Filmography

• Waterloo Road (2007–2008)
• Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)
• Into the Rose-Garden (2009)
• Luck (2011)
• The Task (2011)
• Generation Perdue (2011)
• The Physician (2013)
• Winter (2015)
• The Walking Dead (2016–2019)
• Prodigal Son (2019–2021)
• Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021–present)
• IO (2019)
• Imaginary (2024)
• Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024)
• Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 (2025)