Indian-origin actor Himesh Patel has emerged as one of the most talked-about names surrounding Christopher Nolan's 2026 epic, 'The Odyssey'. Born in Huntingdon to parents of Gujarati heritage who emigrated from East Africa, Patel began his career with the BBC's EastEnders in 2007, reportedly appearing in 566 episodes. His international breakthrough came with Danny Boyle's 'Yesterday' (2019), where he played the only person who remembers The Beatles.
In 'The Odyssey', Patel plays Eurylochus. The character appears as the second-in-command of Odysseus' ship during the return to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The character challenges Odysseus's decisions while remaining central to the crew's survival. In Homer's epic poem, he is portrayed as an unpleasant, cowardly individual who often stirs up trouble. In ancient Greek literature, the warrior was from the island of Same near Ithaca. He was the husband of Odysseus's sister, Ctimene.
Before portraying the iconic Greek warrior, Patel’s professional career began at a young age. At 16, he landed the role of Tamwar Masood in the BBC soap opera 'EastEnders' on the day of his GCSE exams. He spent nine years on the show (2007–2016), co-writing an episode of its spin-off EastEnders: E20, starring in the web-series 'Tamwar Tales', and winning an Inside Soap Award alongside co-actor Meryl Fernandes.
An Emmy nomination for HBO's 'Station Eleven' (2021) and appearances in 'Tenet' (2020) and 'Don't Look Up' (2021) cemented his standing in prestige cinema.
Patel was born on October 13, 1990, in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire. His parents are both Indian Gujarati Hindus, who ran a newsagent's shop in Cambridgeshire. His mother was born in Zambia, and his father was born in Kenya. The 35-year-old grew up speaking Gujarati and attended Prince William School in Oundle, Northamptonshire.
