Andrew Lincoln’s 10 Best Roles, According To IMDb

While Andrew Lincoln became a household name after heading the cast of the hit AMC series The Walking Dead as Rick Grimes — which is a role he’ll reprise for the upcoming untitled movies — he had actually been acting in his home country of England since the mid ’90s.

While most of his roles were small ones in TV shorts or TV movies and even roles that didn’t have a name (such as “Man” or even “Party Stonehead 1”), Lincoln did manage to snag some great roles in films and TV series before he led a ragtag group of survivors in an America overrun by the dead. So, how do these roles rank? Here’s a look at the top ten movies and TV series he has been in, according to IMDb (not including shorts and TV movies).

10 Made in Dagenham (2010) – 7.2

In this British film that starred actors like Sally Hawkins and Rosamund Pike, Lincoln had a small role as the rude teacher Mr. Clarke.

The film, which was turned into a stage musical in 2014, is a dramatization of the Ford sewing machinists strike of 1968 that led to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. Described as Milk meets Mad Men, the film shed a spotlight not only on the issue of equal pay but also sexual discrimination.

9 Wuthering Heights (2009) – 7.6

This two-part British series based on the Emily Bronte novel of the same name starred Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley as lovers Heathcliff and Catherine. Lincoln played Edgar Linton, another man fighting to win Charlotte’s heart who was the exact opposite of Heathcliff: well-educated, wealthy, and refined.

As the story goes, Charlotte’s need for social recognition leads her to marry Edgar, even though she is still in love with Heathcliff.

8 Love, Actually (2003) – 7.6

One of the best Christmas movies that isn’t actually a Christmas movie, this romantic comedy has become a genuine cult classic that still boasts a loyal fanbase until today. Lincoln has a core role in Love, Actually among the star-studded ensemble cast. Here, he stars as Mark, a man who behaves as though he can’t stand his best friend’s fiancé only for her to realize after the wedding that he’s actually secretly in love with her.

Lincoln’s character is in that iconic scene where he arrives at Juliet’s door with a boombox, pretending to be Christmas carolers. He plays the music then holds up story cards proclaiming his unrequited love to her, including that iconic phrase that has become a thing of memes: “To me, you are perfect.”

7 Teachers (2001-2004) – 7.8

This British TV sitcom lasted for four seasons and Lincoln had a leading role as Simon Casey, a probationary teacher at a school that merges with another. The ensemble cast changed over time, though Lincoln was one of the few remaining originals who stayed on for the first three seasons.

The show, which also starred Adrian Bower and James Corden, received plenty of nominations for its first three seasons and even led to a short-lived American version in 2006.

6 Trevor’s World of Sport (2003) – 7.9

Featuring a cast of well-known actors on the British TV scene, including Neil Pearson, Paul Reynolds, Rosaline Ayres, and Cosima Shaw, this BBC sitcom is about the world of the sports relations firm, TS Sports.

The show centers on this PR firm’s boss, an honest man, along with his quirky employees. Lincoln only appeared in the very first episode of the series, which went on to last a single season of seven episodes.

5 Afterlife (2005-2006) – 7.9

Not to be confused with the new Netflix series of the same name by Ricky Gervais, this TV drama centers around Robert Bridge (Lincoln), a university professor who keeps finding himself in the midst of supernatural events.

But while he is skeptical, he commissions the help of a psychic medium while writing a book on the paranormal. He’s also intrigued that she claims to be able to see the spirit of his dead young son. Dubbed a drama, horror, and mystery, the British series lasted two seasons of 14 episodes.

4 Bramwell (1995-1998) – 8.0

This is one of Lincoln’s earliest roles, where he appeared in just one episode (“The Return of the Betrayer” in Series 2) of this medical drama that starred Jemma Redgrave, Ruth Sheen, and David Calder, and aired for four seasons through to 1998.

The focus of the show was on a woman challenging the status quo in the Victorian Era by running a free hospital for poor families in the East End of London.

3 Strike Back (2010) – 8.2

Based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Chris Ryan, a former Special Air Service (SAS) soldier, this British/American action adventure/spy series is about Section 20, a secret branch of the British Defense Intelligence service that operates high risk priority missions.

It lasted for eight seasons, each one with a different banner title. Lincoln played Hugh Collinson, the head of Section 20 in the first season who, it is discovered, actually covered up the murder of soldiers.

2 The Walking Dead (2010-2018) – 8.2

Rick Grimes is Lincoln’s first major role in an American series, and it also became his breakout role and the one for which he is most recognized around the world. Lincoln led an ensemble cast of survivors in this thrilling post-apocalyptic series about the world being overtaken by a virus that causes the dead to reanimate as zombies.

Rick wakes up after being in a coma to discover that life as he knew it is gone and heads out on a journey to find his family, meet others, and led his group on their fight for survival. Lincoln decided to exit the show in 2018 but will re-assume the identity of Grimes for the upcoming untitled films.

1 This Life (1996-1997) – 8.5

One of Lincoln’s earliest roles remains his most popular to date. Airing for two seasons followed by a reunion special a decade later, the TV drama was about a group of 20-somethings, all law graduates sharing a house in London as they try to get their careers going.

Considered among the greatest British series of all time, Lincoln played Edgar “Egg” Cook, a man whose relationship with his long-term girlfriend was on the rocks and who was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his career choice.

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