In a fascinating TV experiment The Trial: A Murder in the Family tonight revealed the deliberations of a jury and legal workers by pitting them against a fake case. And centre of this fictional crime is Michael Gould, who plays man-accused-of-murder Simon Davis.
However, extremely eagle-eyed Star Wars fans might recognise Gould as Admiral Gorin from Rogue One. Okay, he’s not as famous as Grand Moff Tarkin amongst stormtroopers, but Gorin was involved in that midichloria-melting scene when two star destroyers collided above Scarif.
You can see Gould’s small role at the 1.48 mark in the video below – he’s the one who shouts “Reverse engines. Full power!" Spoilers ahoy: he doesn’t make it out alive. But what a way to go.
And that’s just one entry in Gould’s lengthy screen CV. He’s also had a role in BBC's Decline and Fall as Porter Blacknall, played a Pathologist in Ashes to Ashes and who can forget him as ‘man on tube’ in Mr Sloane.
Okay, he’s not had the most distinctive career on TV, but he’s had several high-profile roles on stage, including narrator Alfieri in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, and Greg in Other Hands, alongside The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson.
And Gould isn't the only familiar face on The Trial. You might also recognise who plays murder victim Carla Davis: Downton Abbey’s Emma Lowndes. She portrayed Margie Drewe, wife of tenant farmer Timothy Drewe in series five of the historical drama (see below). Lowndes has also had roles in Cranford (as Bella Gregson) and The Musketeers (Emilie).
So there you have it. Just try not to think that Trial is about whether one of Darth Vader’s cronies killed his Downton-resident wife. You can't give a man a fair trial after seeing him in an imperial officer's uniform...
The Trial: A Murder in the Family is on C4 Sunday to Thursday, 9pm
