As much as we love covering the careers of prominent actors like “Spider-Man” franchise star Zendaya or “Mad Max: Fury Road” protagonist Tom Hardy, there’s something uniquely exciting about looking at the work of a fast-rising star like Louis Partridge. Since appearing in Netflix’s “Enola Holmes,” opposite “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown, the 21-year-old English actor has appeared in some high-profile films and television shows, building his resume under the guidance of visionaries like Matthew Vaughn and Academy Award-winners Danny Boyle and Alfonso Cuarón.
At present, it sure seems as though Partridge is preparing to set the world on fire for the next few years, with starring roles in Steven Knight’s “House of Guinness” and George Jaques’ “Sunny Dancer” on the way. He’s also slated to appear in Noah Baumbach’s next film and will seemingly lead a new(ish) action franchise for Vaughn. If you want to get acquainted with someone who may well be one of the defining young actors of the late 2020s, you’ll definitely want to check out the films and television shows below.
“Argylle” had a bit of a tough go when it was released in early 2024. Though we at /Film found it to be a wild, twisty, and mostly satisfying romantic action-comedy, critics at large were pretty harsh on Matthew Vaughn’s spy romp — an icy reception which played a part in its unimpressive $17.4 million opening weekend. By the time it bowed out of cinemas, it hadn’t even grazed $100 million in worldwide box office returns against an admittedly ludicrous budget of $200 million. That said, for fans of Vaughn, spy movies, and especially Louis Partridge, “Argylle” is required viewing.
The film follows writer Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) after she unwittingly becomes enmeshed in a world of spies, secret organizations, and criminal masterminds. Her spy novels (which themselves follow a fictional operator named Argylle, played by Henry Cavill) are apparently so realistic and well written that they border on prophetic, making her authorly brain a priceless asset to the villainous Division.
Given its abysmal box office numbers, chances are readers of this article won’t have heard much about “Argylle” beyond its viral marketing campaign, with its mystery novelist, Taylor Swift connections, and stoked interest around Agent Argylle’s true identity. But the film boasts more than superficial intrigue. Its biggest action scene is arguably one of the best romantic movie moments of 2024, and Vaughn’s signature, colorful touch is more fearless here than in his adaptations of other work. As for Partridge, it would be a massive spoiler for us to even talk about who he plays, and he’s not in the film much. However, if you’re a fan of his, you’ll definitely want to give “Argylle” a watch, as it could very well shape the next chapter of his career as an actor.
For fans of historical epics, Netflix’s “Medici” may hit the spot. Produced in Italy, it chronicles the lives of the powerful Medici family, who ruled as lords over 15th century Florence.
Louis Partridge joined the series for its third season as Piero de’ Medici, the eldest son of Lorenzo “The Magnificent” de’ Medici (Stuart Martin). The majority of the season focuses on bringing Lorenzo’s story to a close, having been the series’ protagonist following a 20-year time jump after the end of Season 1. His controversial decisions while serving as Lord of Florence begin to yield unexpected consequences, corroding the trust of his advisors, friends, and family, as well as his own moral compass.
The series takes a somewhat ahistorical approach to Lorenzo’s end, steering him toward the same fate in a significantly darker fashion. Piero, then, must reckon with even more responsibility at a young age, all while trying to make sense of the way his family and home have radically changed before his eyes. It may not be a history lesson, but “Medici” offers an accessible window into a unique political world, along with plenty of excitement and some compelling performances, especially from Partridge.
If contemporary biopics are more your thing, Louis Partridge is excellent in the FX miniseries “Pistol,” which tracks the musical journey of the English punk band the Sex Pistols. Directed by Danny Boyle and based on the autobiography “Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol” by guitarist Steve Jones, it primarily looks at their history from Jones’ perspective. Partridge has a meaty supporting role as Sid Vicious, the band’s darkly enigmatic bassist.
The actor was cast as Vicious almost immediately after he became the breakout star of Netflix’s “Enola Holmes,” a young adult mystery film starring Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill in the universe of Sherlock Holmes. “I was worried about getting typecast as the posh, floppy-haired kid — and here’s me playing Sid Vicious…” he told Rolling Stone in 2022.
Indeed, the two artists led very different lives, with Partridge having to consult with an expert to better understand the role drugs played in the rockstar’s life. He died of a heroin overdose in 1979 at the age of 21 — just two years older than Partridge was while shooting “Pistols.” “I just tried to understand him,” he said of playing the controversial figure. “[Vicious’ behavior] comes from a place of insecurity. … He sees a crowd and acts up to them; he wants to get a reaction because he just wants some attention and love. I feel sorry for him in that respect but, as well as being the innocent Sid, he was also that other Sid at many points of his life.”
The series is as raw and powerful as the band that inspired it, and Partridge shines in each of his scenes. Unfortunately, because Disney made the decision to pull a baffling amount of shows from both Disney+ and Hulu, it’s difficult if at all possible to watch.
If “Argylle” was tough to write about without revealing the twists that make it worth watching, “Disclaimer” is almost impossible. Written and directed by Academy Award-winning auteur Alfonso Cuarón and starring equally lauded actors Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, it tells three interweaving stories that together have the potential to destroy multiple lives — that is, if you can trust any of those stories at all. The two present-day stories follow different perspectives of a feud between documentary filmmaker Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) and writer and academic Stephen Brigstocke (Kline). Stephen believes Catherine was responsible for the death of his son Jonathan, and he enters Catherine’s life with a novel that purports to tell the story of why.
In the third story, Louis Partridge stars as Jonathan Brigstocke, destined to meet his demise following a passionate romantic affair with a young Catherine (Leila George). Coming on the heels of the rock-and-roll style of “Pistols,” it was a very different working environment for Partridge. “I enjoyed [filming “Pistols”], and I enjoyed mucking around on set and being physical,” he told Collider. “[But] Jonathan was very much informed by what Alfonso was after, so I did feel tightly bound for a lot of it because he was after getting a specific shot or holding a position.”
Still, Partridge appeared more than thrilled to accept this challenge, as he was working with a caliber of artists he’d always dreamed of. “My word, sharing a screen with [Blanchett] is unreal,” he marveled. “Also, it was just a big confidence boost to know that Alfonso wanted me in there at all and trusted me with that role and to tell a story alongside these people at the top of their game. It was amazing.”
Of course, as his first major starring role, we had to include Netflix’s “Enola Holmes” on this list. The film tells the story of the titular heroine (Millie Bobby Brown), the younger sister of famed private detective Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) and the significantly less-famed bureaucrat Mycroft Holmes (Sam Claflin). When the two brothers attempt to send her away to boarding school following the sudden disappearance of her mother (Helena Bonham Carter), Enola finds herself unexpectedly wrapped into a mystery.
The focus of her investigation happens to be Viscount Tewkesbury, a romantic if slightly confusing boy played by Louis Partridge. For some unknown reason, Tewkesbury has been targeted for assassination by the mysterious contract killer Linthorn (Burn Gorman). Though we won’t spoil how this plot ultimately unfolds, Partridge is perfectly cast in this role and plays extraordinarily well against Brown’s hyperintellectual Holmes. Both actors were still teenagers while working on the film, with Partridge auditioning in the middle of final exams at school.
“I learnt how to balance having a laugh and joking on set from Millie, while also getting on with the actual serious work,” Partridge shared to The Gentleman’s Journal. “I also learnt how helpful it can be to really get along with who you’re working with. That can give you complete freedom to try new things and not feel embarrassed when they don’t go right.”
Partridge is also featured in the sequel “Enola Holmes 2,” which some argue is even better than the first.
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