Breaking Down the Guinness Dynasty: Meet the Cast Behind Netflix's Most Anticipated Drama

Netflix’s latest historical drama, created by the mastermind behind Peaky Blinders, dives deep into one of Europe’s most powerful aristocratic clans. The series, set across 19th-century Dublin and New York, unfolds after the patriarch’s death, forcing four adult siblings to navigate inheritance, ambition, and family secrets.

The Core Guinness Siblings

Arthur: The Composed Eldest

Anthony Boyle takes on Arthur Guinness, the calculated eldest son. Educated at Eton and polished by years in London, he presents a facade of aristocratic confidence while concealing deeper turmoil. Boyle reveals that Arthur masks anxiety and fury beneath his composed exterior—a survival mechanism honed since childhood. His television credits include appearances in Masters of the Air, Manhunt, and Derry Girls.

Edward: The Idealistic Younger Son

Louis Partridge, recognized for his role in the Enola Holmes franchise, embodies Edward Guinness. The youngest sibling believes his understanding of the family brewery operations positions him as the rightful leader. Unlike Arthur’s natural charisma, Edward operates on principle and conviction, sometimes lacking the polish needed in upper-class circles. Partridge’s other notable work spans Disclaimer and The Lost Girls.

Anne: The Only Daughter’s Struggle

Emily Fairn portrays Anne Plunket, the sole female sibling shackled by a loveless marriage to a minor nobleman. Trapped by 19th-century restrictions on women’s power, she yearns for meaningful influence within both family and business. Fairn, known for work on The Responder and Black Mirror, captures a woman fighting systemic constraints while seeking agency.

Benjamin: The Forgotten Middle Child

Fionn O’Shea plays Benjamin Guinness, overshadowed and battling personal demons—gambling and substance abuse plague him. Feeling like a phantom within his own family, he harbors untapped romantic idealism. O’Shea, who appeared in Normal People, brings depth to a character perpetually underestimated by his siblings.

The Power Players and Antagonists

Sean Rafferty: The Factory’s Iron Fist

James Norton transforms into Sean Rafferty, the brewery’s ruthless foreman whose allegiance to the Guinness operation borders on zealotry. Serving as Edward’s former mentor, tensions now simmer between him and the siblings. Norton describes Rafferty as someone whose religion is work itself—a man willing to blur ethical lines to maintain control. His filmography includes Happy Valley and Bob Marley: One Love.

Patrick Cochrane: Revolutionary Threat

Seamus O’Hara embodies Patrick Cochrane, an Irish Fenian firebrand determined to dismantle the Guinness empire and challenge the aristocratic establishment. Despite his volatile revolutionary zeal, familial bonds with his sister Ellen temper his destructive impulses. O’Hara’s previous roles include Blue Lights and An Irish Goodbye.

Supporting Players Reshaping the Story

Niamh McCormack brings Ellen Cochrane to life—Patrick’s intelligent, fiercely Republican sister who weaponizes her limited power with calculated precision. Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones alumnus) plays Byron Hedges, the dual-natured cousin navigating both Catholic rebellion and Protestant propriety in New York. Dervla Kirwan anchors the narrative as Aunt Agnes, tasked with protecting family reputation amid inherited chaos.

Michael Colgan delivers Reverend Henry Gratton, a loyal spiritual guide intertwined with each sibling’s personal struggles. Danielle Galligan portrays Lady Olivia Hedges, an impoverished aristocrat who refuses genteel decline, bending societal rules to her advantage. Ann Skelly embodies Adelaide Guinness, an independent cousin pressured into matrimonial expectations despite her unconventional nature.

David Wilmot rounds out the ensemble as Bonnie Champion, a Dublin underworld racketeer controlling barrel distribution and trafficking in secrets. Hilda Fay plays Sultan, a cryptic healer whose intersection with Anne Guinness introduces mystical tension to the unfolding drama.

Why This Guinness Family Story Matters

The series transcends typical period drama by grounding itself in historical authenticity. Creator Steven Knight meticulously researched actual family members and era-appropriate professions, breathing dramatic life into documented figures. The ensemble cast transforms archival material into visceral human conflict—inheritance disputes become ideological battlegrounds, family dinners turn into power struggles, and business succession reveals deeper character fractures.

The Guinness dynasty narrative explores timeless themes: sibling rivalry, gendered limitations on power, class anxiety, and the collision between tradition and revolution—all crystallized through expertly assembled performances.

House of Guinness is currently available on Netflix.