Louis Partridge Takes Centre Stage in House Of Guinness, Cementing Britain's Period Drama Heir

Louis Partridge, 22, stars as Edward Guinness in Netflix's eight-part House Of Guinness, which releases Thursday, marking his biggest role to date and underscoring his status as Britain's go-to lead for period dramas since his breakout in Enola Holmes in 2020.

House Of Guinness follows the brewing dynasty across 19th-century Dublin and New York. Partridge plays Edward Guinness, the youngest son who leads the family business while navigating public scrutiny and personal turmoil. The series, from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, anchors its eight episodes around ambition, tradition and the curse-filled family saga. Partridge described his character as straight, sober, and someone who tries to keep everything in check, a departure from the more impulsive parts he has played.

Before fame, Partridge studied at Dulwich Preparatory School and Alleyn's School in Dulwich, with fees historically cited by the schools at around £9,745 per term and about £31,014 per year, respectively. He pursued A-levels in English, Film Studies and French, and began acting with small roles in Call The Midwife's Christmas Special, Pan and Paddington 2, after his 2014 debut in the short Beneath Water. His breakout came in 2020 when he was cast as Tewkesbury opposite Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes, a role that helped propel him onto the global stage.

Partridge has since expanded his résumé with parts in the Disney+ series Pistol and Apple's thriller miniseries Disclaimer, and he is widely reported to be in contention for a future James Bond role. He is also set to play Mr Wickham in Netflix's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and is expected to reprise the role of Tewkesbury in Enola Holmes 3, filmed earlier this year. His rising profile has intensified public interest in his personal life, including his relationship with American pop star Olivia Rodrigo, which began in October 2023.

The couple has kept much of their romance private, though they have made high-profile appearances together, including events at Wimbledon and the Venice Film Festival, and Rodrigo has publicly acknowledged Partridge in interviews and on social media. Partridge has tried to strike a balance between fame and privacy, noting that staying grounded is essential. In remarks tied to his upbringing, he has emphasized that living at home helps him remain ordinary, driving a dusty VW Golf and enjoying simple activities like frisbee.

At its London premiere, Partridge appeared alongside co-star James Norton and members of the Guinness family, underscoring the prestige surrounding the project. In conversations with Variety, he described his Edward Guinness as a sober, principled figure navigating a family empire under pressure, a character arc that contrasts with some of his previous work and positions him for broader, more serious leading roles in the era of streaming prestige.

Netflix’s House Of Guinness is set to expand Partridge’s range beyond the romantic leads that defined his breakout years and to establish him as one of Britain’s foremost talents in contemporary period drama. The eight-episode series traverses Irish and American landscapes in a narrative built around ambition, legacy and the personal costs of carrying a family name, with a production pedigree that includes Steven Knight, a name associated with large-scale historical storytelling. The series streams from Thursday, September 25.