Poldark Cast: Where Are They Now? | Masterpiece

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The 2015-2019 Poldark revival became appointment MASTERPIECE viewing through its five swashbuckling seasons—and 10 years later, audiences still devotedly stream full episodes on PBS Passport. Learn what Turner and cast mates Eleanor Tomlinson, Harry Richardson, Jack Farthing, and others have gone on to do, and who is returning to MASTERPIECE!

  • 1.

    Aidan Turner

    Paired image of actor Aidan Turner (left) with his character Ross Poldark from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    Turner smoldered his way through five seasons of Poldark, winning over hearts and earning accolades. In 2016 alone, he racked up GQ’s UK TV Actor of the Year Award, Broadcasting Press Guild’s Award for Breakthrough Actor, and the Radio Times Drama Champion Award.

    Since hanging up his 18th-century tricorn hat, the Irish actor has kept busy with a string of high-profile roles, most recently as sharp-tongued TV presenter Declan O’Hara in Rivals, which dives into the cutthroat world of British television in the 1980s. He also portrayed Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci in the biographical miniseries Leonardo and brought a dangerous charm to mercenary Philip Lombard in the star-studded TV adaptation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

    Fun Fact: Turner’s Rivals character has a countryside home in England’s Cotwolds. Coincidentally, this home—Chavenage House—also served as Trenwick House in Poldark! “My first scene on the first day of production in Poldark was me riding up to Chavenage on a horse,” Turner tells The Times (UK). “In Rivals, my first scene was driving a car up to the house.”

  • 2.

    Eleanor Tomlinson

    Paired image of actor Eleanor Tomlinson (left) with her character Demelza Poldark from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.Paired image of actor Eleanor Tomlinson (left) with her character Demelza Poldark from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    Poldark fans fell in love with Tomlinson’s character Demelza, a flame-haired force of nature with both grit and grace. Demelza didn’t just make her a household name; it seems to have left a lasting impression on the actor. “Such is the influence of her Poldark alter-ego that she’s decided to keep her naturally brunette hair the same Demelza red,” reports Harper’s Bazaar.

    Tomlinson has kept things intriguing onscreen. Audiences may have spotted her as Dexter Mayhew’s posh partner-turned-wife Sylvie in the Netflix adaptation of One Day (2024). She brought slow-burn tension to The Couple Next Door (2021) playing flirty neighbor Evie to Outlander star Sam Heughan’s Danny, and starred opposite Keira Knightley in Colette (2018) as the famed French writer’s lover.

    Fun Fact: Tomlinson is set to return to MASTERPIECE in the upcoming period drama The Forsytes, adapted from John Galsworthy’s classic novel The Forsyte Saga. In a “small world” twist, the series reunites her with acclaimed screenwriter Debbie Horsfield—who just so happened to be the creator and head writer of Poldark.

  • 3.

    Jack Farthing

    Paired image of actor Jack Farthing (left) with his character George Warleggan from Poldark on PBS MASTERPIECE.Paired image of actor Jack Farthing (left) with his character George Warleggan from Poldark on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    No one did icy stares and ruthless ambition quite like George Warleggan. As Poldark’s resident villain-in-a-waistcoat, Jack Farthing turned the role into a career-defining performance—something he reflected on in the MASTERPIECE Studio podcast, calling it a major turning point in his career.

    Farthing’s career has soared ever since. His recent TV work includes the offbeat dramedy Rain Dogs (2023) alongside Tom Durant Pritchard (Miss Scarlet, The Forsytes), the suspense series The Serial Killer’s Wife (2023), and the psychological thriller Chloe (2022). Farthing stepped into royal shoes as Prince Charles in the biopic Spencer (2021) opposite Kristen Stewart’s Princess Diana.

    Fun Fact: Farthing once revealed to Radio Times that he can imitate bird calls. During the interview, he reportedly demonstrated this ability so convincingly, it was likened to “a nightingale warbling in your garden at dusk.”

  • 4.

    Harry Richardson

    Paired image of actor Harry Richardson (left) with his character Drake Carne from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.Paired image of actor Harry Richardson (left) with his character Drake Carne from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    In Poldark, Richardson brought an easygoing charm to the role of Drake Carne—Demelza’s little brother. “Drake’s an eternal optimist,” the actor tells London Live. “And how he navigates a complicated, sad love story with Morwenna is really beautiful.”

    These days, the Australian actor has traded 18th-century Cornwall for 1880s New York in Julian Fellowes’s lavish drama The Gilded Age. He plays Larry Russell, ambitious and affable heir to the powerful “new money” Russell family. Once again, Richardson leans into his talent for portraying kind-hearted charmers—and it’s paying off. The Gilded Age cast earned a 2024 nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

    Fun Fact: During breaks on The Gilded Age set, Richardson plays music and sings with members of the cast and crew. He plays the charango, a 10-string instrument from Argentina, which he affectionately calls “a fun little friend to have on set,” as he tells  Town & Country.

  • 5.

    Kyle Soller

    Paired image of actor Kyle Soller (left) with his character Francis Poldark from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.Paired image of actor Kyle Soller (left) with his character Francis Poldark from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    Soller played the troubled Francis Poldark, Ross’s cousin and heir to the Trenwith estate. Francis was a breakout role for this American actor, who portrayed the character as affable but lacking confidence. Nevertheless, he wins the hand of Elizabeth, who was once engaged to Ross.

    Since Poldark, Soller has returned to screens in a big way as Syril Karn, a tightly wound Imperial inspector in the Star Wars series Andor. The role places him at the heart of one of the most critically acclaimed entries in the Star Wars universe to date. Offscreen, Soller also voiced the character Drew in the podcast thriller People Who Knew Me (2023) alongside Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie.

    Fun Fact: Soller isn’t the only Poldark alum to join the galaxy far, far away—Caroline Blakiston (Aunt Agatha) played none other than the original Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi, a bit of deep-cut casting trivia to delight Star Wars aficionados. Beatie Edney (Prudie) more recently journeyed to the Empire, appearing as a judge in Andor.

  • 6.

    Pip Torrens

    Paired image of actor Pip Torrens (left) with his character Uncle Cary Warleggan from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.Paired image of actor Pip Torrens (left) with his character Uncle Cary Warleggan from the 18th century drama, Poldark, on PBS MASTERPIECE.

    Torrens gave a chilling performance as Cary Warleggan, the sharp-tongued uncle to George in Poldark. As a wealthy banker with little patience for sentiment, Cary constantly pushed his nephew toward increasingly callous business decisions.

    Torrens was a busy actor before Poldark and ever since. He’s played Sir Edward Kendall, Amanda’s elitist father in Grantchester, and the real-life judge Sir Peter Fraser in the Peabody Award-winning Mr Bates vs the Post Office on MASTERPIECE. He also left his mark as Peter Munion in Succession and as the steely royal advisor Tommy Lascelles in The Crown.

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