Jacob Fortune-Lloyd

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd was born in West London in 1988 and grew up with an education that had little to do with red carpets. He studied English literature at the University of Oxford before deciding his path was in acting. After graduating in 2014 from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he began working in major theater productions.

The stage was his initial refuge.

During his early professional years, he was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company in productions such as The Merchant of Venice. That period gave him a stage presence that caught the attention of casting directors in British television. But film would soon claim its place on his schedule.

In 2020, he played journalist and chess player Townes in the series The Queen's Gambit. The Netflix production reached 62 million views in its first four weeks of release. Fortune-Lloyd brought a restrained calm that balanced the intensity of Anya Taylor-Joy, and his face became recognizable to international audiences.

The Leap to Major Productions

Before that massive success, he had a brief role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. He played a First Order officer in one of the most profitable franchises in history. Although his role was minor, it taught him how the major Hollywood studios operate.

And the gamble paid off.

In 2022, he appeared in the mystery film See How They Run alongside Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan. His role as Max Mallowan in this Searchlight Pictures film confirmed that he fit well in big-budget ensemble casts. Fortune-Lloyd prefers projects where the script has clear literary weight.

In 2023, he took on the role of the Duke of Buckingham in the French blockbuster The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan. This film adaptation had a budget of €72 million for the two parts, shot back to back. The actor had to shoot in French and prove his ability in action and period films.

The Beatles Challenge

His chance to lead a project came with Midas Man in 2024. Fortune-Lloyd was cast to play Brian Epstein, the manager who discovered the Beatles. Recreating the life of such a complex man in 1960s Liverpool posed a major physical and emotional challenge.

The production of this movie went through several director changes during filming. But the actor stayed firm in the lead role to keep the biographical storyline on track. His performance became the central pillar that held up the entire shoot at the Blackpool studios.

In 2023, he also starred in the Netflix series Cadáveres, playing detective Karl Whiteman. The story unfolds across four timelines as it investigates a single murder in London. His character is set in 1941 against the backdrop of the Blitz during World War II.

Filming of Midas Man in 2024 was plagued by significant delays due to constant directing changes and scheduling issues at the Liverpool studios.