Christopher NolanThe Odyssey boasts one of the biggest ensembles of 2026, but the one actor who has generated a lot of curiosity is a British-Indian star. Himesh Patel. After winning over audiences in Yesterday and delivering memorable performances in Tenet and Station Eleven, Patel reunited with Nolan for the epic mythological film.In The Odyssey, he played Eurylochus, Odysseus’ second-in-command and one of the most important characters in Homer’s epic. So who is Himesh Patel? Here’s a look at 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 families had moved to the UK from East Africa. His mother was born in Zambia, while his father was born in Kenya. The family ran a local newsagent, and Patel grew up speaking Gujarati at home.His love for acting started early. After impressing the teachers in a school play, he joined a local theater group and later trained at The Young Actors’ Company in Cambridge. He also learned piano and taught himself to play the guitar as a teenager.
EastEnders: made him a household name
Patel got his big break when he was just 16 years old. On the same day as his GCSE exams, he found out he had landed the role of Tamwar Masood in the hit BBC soap EastEnders.He stayed on the show for nine years, appearing in 566 episodes. During that time, he also wrote an episode of the spin off EastEnders E20, which 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 a variety of roles across television, theater and independent films instead of rushing into another long-running series.
Yesterday everything changed
Patel’s career took a big 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 remembers The Beatles but him. Patel himself composed the songs, and his warm, relatable performance won praise from audiences and critics alike.The film introduced him to international audiences and opened the doors of Hollywood.
Working with Christopher Nolan and the biggest stars in Hollywood
Shortly after yesterday, Patel started landing big projects. He worked with Christopher Nolan for the first time on Tenet before earning an Emmy nomination for HBO’s Station Eleven.He also appeared in Netflix’s Don’t Look Up alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and Timothee Chalamet.His recent projects include Enola Holmes 2, in which he played Dr John Watson, Good Grief, The Assessment and HBO’s comedy series The Franchise. He is also set to return as Watson in Enola Holmes 3.
What did Himesh Patel do in The Odyssey?
In The Odyssey, Patel played Eurylochus, the second in command of 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 an important role during the long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War, making him one of the most important supporting characters in the story.Patel shares screen space with a star packed cast led by Matt Damon, alongside Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyongo, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo and Elliot Page.
What’s next for Himesh Patel?
Besides The Odyssey, Patel is also set to star opposite Danielle Deadwyler in Ryan Coogler’s upcoming reboot of The X Files.From being a teenager in EastEnders to starring in some of Hollywood’s biggest films, Himesh Patel has steadily built an impressive career. With The Odyssey set to release on July 17, the British-Indian actor is now stepping into one of the biggest stages of his career.