House of Guinness has just landed on Netflix, and the series boasts plenty of talent from Happy Valley's James Norton to Game of Thrones' Jack Gleeson and Masters of the Air's Anthony Boyle, but despite these big names, it's actually Louis Partridge who starred in one of Netflix's biggest ever shows. Back in 2020, the actor starred in Enola Holmes as Viscount Tewkesbury, the love interest of the titular character, played by Millie Bobby Brown; he subsequently appeared in the film's sequel, which was released in 2022, and will appear in the third instalment as well.
Enola Holmes was an adaptation of Nancy Springer's The Enola Holmes Mysteries, which focuses on iconic detective Sherlock Holmes' titular daughter. Upon its 2020 release, the film became the second-most-watched item on Netflix, and in just five days, it became the most-streamed movie in Netflix history. The streaming giant estimated that a month after its release, the film had reached 76 million households.
The film was also a critical success with a near-perfect 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although its sequel, which was based on real-life events instead of being an adaptation, was similarly praised by critics, it didn't smash the records set by its predecessor. However, it was still loved by audiences, and it was streamed for 64.08 million hours across 93 countries.
Enola Holmes has not hung onto its record; it was previously beaten by spy thriller Red Notice, which starred Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot. That has since been usurped by the streaming giant's smash hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, at the time of writing, the animated film had been streamed 266 million times, making it the most-watched item on the platform; previously it was held by the first season of Squid Games.
© ALEX BAILEY/LEGENDARY ©2020House of Guinness
In the new Netflix show, Louis plays Edward Guinness, the former head of his family's brewing empire. His activities in the country meant that at the time, Edward was the richest man in Ireland. The series has Netflix's approval and even before it hit screens, the show's writer, Stephen Knight, confirmed that a second season had been greenlit. Speaking to HELLO! on the red carpet he simply said "we are" when asked about a possible second season.
The show, which comes from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, transports audiences back to 1860s Dublin, where the powerful, titular family, who "experience ecstatic highs and heartbreaking lows as they work to live up to their birthright of black gold". The story opens in 19th-century Dublin and New York and begins following the death of Guinness patriarch, Sir Benjamin Guinness. The series explores how his will impacts the fate of his four children, Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Partridge), Anne (Emily Fairn), and Ben (Fionn O'Shea).
© Ben Blackall/NetflixThe full synopsis reads: "House of Guinness explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe's most famous and enduring dynasties - the Guinness Family. Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery, and the far-reaching impact of his will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the phenomenon that is Guinness."
