Christopher Nolan‘The Odyssey’ is boasting one of the biggest casts of 2026, but one actor who’s causing a lot of curiosity is a British-Indian star Himish Patel. After winning over audiences with “Yesterday” and delivering unforgettable performances in “Tenet” and “Station 11,” Patel will reunite with Nolan in this epic mythology film.In The Odyssey, he plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ trusted lieutenant and one of the most important characters in Homer’s epic poem. So who is Himish Patel? Here’s his journey from British television to Hollywood.
A Gujarati family, a small town and big dreams
Himesh Patel was born on October 13, 1990 in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, England. His parents were Gujarati Hindus whose family moved to England from East Africa. His mother was born in Zambia and his father in Kenya. The family ran a local newsagent and Patel grew up speaking Gujarati at home.His love for acting began early. After impressing his teachers in a school play, he joined a local theater group and later trained with the Young Actors Company in Cambridge. As a teenager he also took piano lessons and taught himself to play guitar.
eastenders Make him a household name
Patel got her big break at the age of 16. On the same day as his GCSE exams, he found out he had landed the role of Tamwar Masood in the hit BBC soap opera EastEnders.He stayed on the show for nine years and appeared in 566 episodes. During this time, he also co-wrote an episode of spin-off EastEnders E20, starred in the web series Tamwar Tales, and won an Inside Soap Award.When she left the soap in 2016, Patel chose to take on different types of roles in television, theater and independent films rather than rush into another long-running series.
Yesterday changed everything
Patel’s career took a giant leap in 2019 with Danny Boyle’s musical comedy Yesterday.He plays Jack Malik, a struggling musician who wakes up in a world where no one but him remembers the Beatles. Patel sang the songs himself, and his warm, relatable performance won over audiences and critics alike.The film introduced him to an international audience and opened doors in Hollywood.
Working with Christopher Nolan and Hollywood’s biggest stars
Shortly after yesterday, Patel began landing major projects. He first worked with Christopher Nolan on “Tenet” and went on to receive an Emmy nomination for HBO’s “Station 11.”He also appeared in Netflix’s Don’t Look Up alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Timothée Chalamet.His most recent credits include “Enola Holmes 2,” in which he played Dr. John Watson, “Good Grief,” “The Assessment” and the HBO comedy series “The Franchise.” He will also play Watson in “Enola Holmes 3.”
What role does Himish Patel play in The Odyssey?
In “The Odyssey,” Patel plays Eurylochus, the second-in-command on Odysseus’ ship.In Greek mythology, Eurylochus was one of Odysseus’ closest companions, but he was also known for questioning his leader’s decisions. He plays a key role in the long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War, making him one of the most important supporting characters in the story.Patel joins a star-studded cast led by Matt Damon, which also includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyongo, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo and Elliot Page.
What’s next for Himish Patel?
In addition to “The Odyssey,” Patel will star opposite Danielle Deadweiler in Ryan Coogler’s upcoming “The X-Files.”Himesh Patel has steadily built an impressive career, from being an EastEnders teenager to starring in some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. With The Odyssey set to hit theaters on July 17, the British-Indian actor is now stepping onto one of the biggest stages of his career.