Meet the cast of Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

As ever, Anderson has managed to secure some pretty stellar performers for the cast including both those new to his stable of actors – such as Benedict Cumberbatch – and those who have collaborated with him before, including Ralph Fiennes.

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast, including who they are playing and where you might have seen them before.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Henry Sugar

Who is Henry Sugar? A wealthy, immensely privileged 41-year-old who becomes determined to master an incredible skill so that he can cheat at gambling.

What else has Benedict Cumberbatch been in? Cumberbatch has appeared in a number of prominent roles on film and TV throughout his career – with his most famous roles being Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock and Doctor Strange in the MCU.

Meanwhile, other film credits include Amazing Grace, Atonement, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 12 Years a Slave, The Current War, 1917 and The Courier and his Academy Award-nominated performances in The Imitation Game and The Power of the Dog.

Ralph Fiennes plays Roald Dahl

Who is Roald Dahl? The iconic children's author whose story the film is based on – and who serves as narrator in the opening segment. Fiennes also plays other roles in the film – including a London copper, as seen in the above image.

What else has Ralph Fiennes been in? Fiennes previously collaborated with Anderson when he played the lead role in The Grand Budapest Hotel and has also appeared in a wealth of high-profile films including Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Schindler's List, Quiz Show, The English Patient, In Bruges, The Reader, A Bigger Splash, Hail, Caesar!, The King's Man, and The Menu.

He's also played two iconic roles in major franchises – Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films and M in James Bond.

Dev Patel plays Dr Chatterjee

Who is Dr. Chatterjee? A man who had an encounter with the guru Imdad Khan and who recounted his experiences in a book read by Henry Sugar.

What else has Dev Patel been in? Since breaking out as part of the cast of the hit E4 teen drama Skins, Patel has become a major movie star with highlights on his CV including Slumdog Millionaire, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Lion, The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Green Knight.

Ben Kingsley plays Imdad Khan

Who is Imdad Khan? A stage magician and guru who calls himself the Man Who Could Read Without His Eyes

What else has Ben Kingsley been in? Another legendary British thespian, Kingsley won the Oscar for Best Actor for his lead performance in Gandhi in 1982, while other well-known roles include Schindler's List, Sexy Beast, House of Sand and Fog, Shutter Island, Hugo, and Iron Man 3.

Richard Ayoade plays Dr Marshall

Who is Dr Marshall? A doctor who confirms that Imdad Khan's powers are real. Ayoade also appears in a number of other small roles during the film.

What else has Richard Ayoade been in? Ayoade is best known for appearing in a number of British sitcoms such as Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley, and most famously The IT Crowd.

He is also often seen as a panelist on a number of popular panel shows and directed the films Submarine and The Double. Other film roles include The Souvenir and it's sequel, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and voice roles in the likes of Early Man and Soul.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is on Netflix from Wednesday 27th September 2023. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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