Who Is Himesh Patel? The British-Indian Actor Making Waves In Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey released in theatres worldwide today. The film brings Homer's timeless Greek epic to the big screen with an ensemble cast that includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong'o.  

Among the actors generating buzz is British-Indian star Himesh Patel. He plays Eurylochus, Odysseus's second-in-command, in the movie. From his breakthrough on British television to acclaimed performances in film and streaming projects, here's everything to know about the actor making his mark in Nolan's epic.

1. Himesh Patel was born on October 13, 1990 in Cambridgeshire, England. His parents are of Gujarati-Indian heritage who immigrated to the United Kingdom from East Africa. As a student, he worked at his parents' newsagent and also delivered papers.
2. Patel's interest in acting started early. He joined a local theatre group as a child and soon began auditioning for TV roles. At 16, he landed the role of Tamwar Masood on the BBC soap EastEnders and remained on the show from 2007 to 2016,
3. The actor secured his silver screen debut as the leading protagonist in Danny Boyle's 2019 musical comedy Yesterday. He famously played a struggling musician who wakes up as the only person on Earth who remembers the music of The Beatles. 
4. In 2020, Patel played Mahir in Christopher Nolan's Tenet. The supporting role marked his first project with the iconic filmmaker and placed him in one of the year's biggest blockbusters. The Odyssey marks his second time working under Nolan.
5. Patel's expansive filmography features major appearances in Netflix's star-studded Don't Look Up, the HBO comedy series The Franchise and a recurring role as Dr John Watson in Netflix's Enola Holmes franchise. The actor has also been part of projects like Station Eleven, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Assessment and Greedy People.