Ben Miles

Ben Miles is often the man who seems to know how the place is run. Officers, bankers and courtiers recur in his work, and his quiet authority makes the casting easy to understand. Peter Townsend in The Crown (2016) fits that familiar pattern. We rate the restraint, though the writing needs to give him something to do beyond looking qualified.

Coupling (2000–2004), in which he played Patrick Maitland, is a useful corrective to that impression. His television breakthrough came in ensemble comedy, with Montague Dartie in The Forsyte Saga (2002) alongside it. Thomas Cromwell in the stage adaptations Wolf Hall / Bring Up the Bodies (2014) helped broaden perceptions after the lighter parts. The attraction there was an actor inhabiting the role without making a display of his effort. We would not write off the comedy simply because the historical roles look more serious.

In Andor (2022), where he plays Tay Kolma, the series’ patience suits an actor who does not need to insist on his importance. We were gripped because the ordinary lives under the Empire were made worth worrying about. The performances matter because the series has bothered to establish the lives around them. The opening takes too long to find its shape, and that is a real caveat to our recommendation. Once it settles, this is the sort of ensemble drama in which his approach makes sense.

Napoleon (2023) casts him as Caulaincourt, but Ridley Scott’s film shows the cost of hurrying between the battles. Editors Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo compress the years into captions and brief scenes, leaving supporting characters too little time to establish their influence. Scott’s battles are worth seeing, and Vanessa Kirby holds the film together, but this is a poor place to look for a full account of what Miles can do. Start with Andor, allowing its opening a little patience.