He starred in the Broadway musical Something Rotten!, which opened in previews at the St. James Theatre on March 23, 2015, and officially on April 22, for which he received his third Tony nomination. James played Matt Carroll in the 2015 film Spotlight. In March 2016, James was cast in the CBS pilot, Superior Donuts, but his role was recast after the show went through some retooling. He reprised his role as King George III in the Broadway production of Hamilton for a limited engagement that began on April 13, 2017 and continued through July 16, 2017.