Growing up in the Scottish suburb of Leith, Jamie Sives secretly nursed dreams of becoming an actor but was more invested in becoming a professional soccer athlete. When that didn't pan out, he went through a series of odd jobs including construction, a stint in a paper mill, working as a mailman, and briefly taking on the role of club doorman. Following six years in the insurance industry, Sives lost patience with trying to pursue a conventional career and went to drama school. After several minor parts in television and film, he raised his profile significantly while performing opposite Joseph Fiennes in a 2001 production of Christopher Marlowe's classic play "Edward II." The next year, Sives took the lead in the offbeat dark comedy "Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself" as a suicidal Scot. He also demonstrating his comic flair in a more conventional film courtesy of longtime friend Russell Brand, who recruited Sives to play his mute onscreen buddy in the 2010 raunchy comedy "Get Him To The Greek." Sives is more commonly cast in intense dramatic parts, often in historical epics, including a five-episode guest appearance on the HBO fantasy series "Game of Thrones" and playing the son of a Christian general traveling to Jerusalem in the Viking action film "Valhalla Rising."