Meet the cast of BBC2's King Lear
Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Emily Watson lead the A-List cast of the BBC's new Shakespeare drama
John MacMillan plays Edmund
Who is Edmund? Gloucester's younger, illegitimate son. He is an ambitious opportunist who resents his status as a bastard and comes up with a plot to serve himself, usurping his legitimate older brother.
What else has John Macmillan been in? John MacMillan’s stage roles include Victor in Yerma, and Malcolm in Macbeth. On TV he’s played Julian in Back, Saul Green in Kiss Me First, Ronald in Chewing Gum, and John Bright in Silk. He recently popped up in Midsomer Murders as Solomon, a Jane Austen-loving medical man attending an immersive Georgian weekend.
Tobias Menzies plays the Duke of Cornwall
Who is the Duke of Cornwall? Regan's brutal husband. He works with his wife and with his sister-in-law Goneril to bring down Lear and Gloucester.
What else has Tobias Menzies been in? As Jack Randall (and Frank Randall) in Outlander, Tobias Menzies has gained a huge following. In recent years he has appeared in the TV shows Catastrophe, The Terror, Game of Thrones, and The Night Manager, but soon he'll achieve another level of recognition when he takes on the part of Prince Philip in series three of The Crown.
Christopher Eccleston plays Oswald
Who is Oswald? Goneril's steward. He's a willing accomplice to his boss's plotting against King Lear.
What else has Christopher Eccleston been in? Best known for his role as the Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who, Christopher Eccleston has also starred in The Leftovers, The A Word, Our Friends in the North, Cracker, Come Home, and Heroes.
Karl Johnson plays Lear's Fool
Who is Lear's Fool? A loyal member of the king's court who becomes a protector to Lear in his madness.
What else has Karl Johnson been in? The Welsh actor starred in the 1993 movie Wittgenstein, with other film credits including Mr Turner, The Sea and Hot Fuzz. When not on stage at the National Theatre in London, he has appeared in the TV shows Born to Kill, Mum, Dickensian, and Lark Rise to Candleford.
Anthony Calf plays the Duke of Albany
Who is the Duke of Albany? Goneril's husband. He is good at heart and has more sympathy with King Lear than his wife.
What else has Anthony Calf been in? The actor has a strong theatre background, appearing in productions including The Madness of George III and A Midsummer Night's Dream. On TV he starred as DAC Robert Strickland in New Tricks, and made a recent appearance in Doctor Who as Godsacre.
Chukwudi Iwuji plays the King of France
Who is the King of France? Despite Cordelia's disinheritance, the honourable King of France marries her anyway and supports her efforts to rescue her father.
What else has Chukwudi Iwuji been in? If you've been watching BBC divorce drama The Split, you'll recognise Chukwudi Iwuji as Hannah's boss Zander. The actor's screen credits have included John Wick, Murder in Manhattan, and Doctor Who (as Carl). He is also known for his theatre work, including the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Henry VI trilogy.
King Lear will air on Monday 28th May at 9.30pm on BBC2
