British-Indian actor Himesh Patel is stepping into one of the biggest roles of his career with Christopher Nolan's ‘The Odyssey’, where he portrays Eurylochus, one of the central figures in Homer's legendary epic. While the film boasts an ensemble led by Matt Damon and featuring some of Hollywood's biggest names, Patel's casting has attracted particular attention as he reunites with Nolan after their collaboration on ‘Tenet’. 

Over the past decade, Patel has quietly built an impressive body of work, moving from British television to critically acclaimed films and prestige dramas. After breaking through in the BBC soap ‘EastEnders’, he gained global recognition with Danny Boyle's ‘Yesterday’, earned an Emmy nomination for ‘Station Eleven’, and secured roles in several major Hollywood productions.

From a family newsagent to the stage

Patel was born on October 13, 1990, in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, to Gujarati Hindu parents whose families had settled in Britain after emigrating from East Africa. His mother was born in Zambia and his father in Kenya. Raised in a multilingual household, Patel grew up speaking Gujarati while helping in the family's local newsagent.

His interest in acting surfaced during his school years after impressing teachers with his performances in school productions. Encouraged by one of his teachers, he joined a local theatre group before training with The Young Actors' Company in Cambridge, where he also attended film classes. Away from acting, he developed an interest in music, learning the piano and teaching himself to play the electric guitar as a teenager.

Landing ‘EastEnders’ at just 16

Patel's professional career began in remarkable fashion when he secured the role of Tamwar Masood in ‘EastEnders’ on the same day he was sitting his GCSE examinations.

He remained with the long-running BBC soap from 2007 to 2016, appearing in 566 episodes and becoming one of its familiar faces. During his time on the series, he expanded his creative involvement by co-writing an episode of the spin-off ‘EastEnders: E20’, starring in the web series ‘Tamwar Tales’ and receiving an Inside Soap Award alongside co-star Meryl Fernandes.

Rather than moving directly into another long-running television role after leaving the programme, Patel chose to explore theatre, independent films and varied television projects, gradually broadening his acting portfolio.

A breakthrough with ‘Yesterday’

Patel's international breakthrough arrived in 2019 when he was cast as Jack Malik in Danny Boyle's musical comedy ‘Yesterday’. The film follows a struggling musician who wakes up in a world where nobody remembers The Beatles except him.

Patel performed the songs himself, earning praise for his understated and relatable portrayal. The success of the film introduced him to audiences beyond the UK and marked his arrival in Hollywood.

The same year also saw him appear in ‘The Aeronauts’, the BBC adaptation of ‘The Luminaries’, and contribute to the ‘Children in Need’ charity album.

Building a Hollywood career

Following ‘Yesterday’, Patel quickly established himself across film and television.

He joined Christopher Nolan's ‘Tenet’ as Mahir before earning widespread acclaim for HBO's post-apocalyptic drama ‘Station Eleven’, a performance that brought him an Emmy nomination.

His growing filmography also includes Netflix's satirical hit ‘Don't Look Up’, where he shared the screen with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Timothée Chalamet. The ensemble later received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

Patel has since portrayed Dr John Watson in ‘Enola Holmes 2’ and has reprised the character in ‘Enola Holmes 3’. His recent projects also include ‘Good Grief’, ‘The Assessment’, HBO's comedy series ‘The Franchise’, Channel 4's ‘Damned’, ‘Motherland’, ‘Climaxed’, ‘Avenue 5’, and the stage production ‘Don Juan in Soho’ alongside David Tennant.

Beyond acting, Patel has produced the feature film ‘My Pure Land’, voiced characters in ‘Doctor Who’ audio productions and appeared in acclaimed short films including ‘Two Dosas’ and ‘Enjoy’.

Keeping family life private

Patel has largely kept his personal life away from the public eye, although he has occasionally spoken about becoming a parent.

Speaking to Red Online UK, he reflected on fatherhood and said, "It isn’t easy. I am leaning on my partner and my support network. I feel privileged to be able to do that, but it doesn’t make it any easier being away. Everything else takes a back seat. Your ego has to sit somewhere else for a moment. It’s given me a whole new focus."

Who does Himesh Patel play in The Odyssey?

In Nolan's adaptation of ‘The Odyssey’, Patel takes on the role of Eurylochus, the trusted second-in-command aboard Odysseus' ship during the perilous journey home following the Trojan War.

Within Greek mythology, Eurylochus is one of Odysseus' closest companions but is also known for questioning his leader's judgement. His scepticism and willingness to challenge authority make him one of the epic's most significant supporting characters.

Ancient accounts describe Eurylochus as the husband of Odysseus' sister, Ctimene, and a native of the island of Same near Ithaca. Despite surviving many of the expedition's dangers, the character is often portrayed as fearful and divisive, with several episodes highlighting his strained relationship with Odysseus during the voyage.

Sharing the screen with Hollywood's biggest names

‘The Odyssey’ features one of the largest ensemble casts assembled for a Hollywood release in recent years.

Matt Damon leads the film as Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo and Elliot Page among the principal cast. Supporting roles are played by Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez and Mia Goth.

The film is produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan under the Syncopy banner, with Thomas Hayslip serving as executive producer. Universal Pictures will release the film in cinemas worldwide on July 17.

What's next for Himesh Patel?

Alongside ‘The Odyssey’, Patel has another high-profile project lined up. He is set to star opposite Danielle Deadwyler in Ryan Coogler's upcoming reboot of ‘The X-Files’.