Merlin: 10 Other Projects Where You’ve Seen The Main Cast

The BBC series Merlin consists of many well-known British actors. Some of the main cast members got their break-out role in Merlin. But, these actors have continued to land notable roles in other films and shows since Merlin ended in 2012. As a result, audiences watching Merlin today may recognize the main cast for their more recent projects.

Other Merlin actors made their mark before the series began in 2008. Their faces are familiar to some due to their previous roles, which viewers may have forgotten about until now.

10 Colin Morgan – The Crown (2016 – Present)

Colin Morgan’s performance in Merlin was met with great acclaim, and he won a National Television Award for his role. Before Merlin, he starred in plays and landed minor television parts. However, viewers will most likely recognize Morgan for his more recent role in The Crown.

In season three, Morgan appeared as John Armstrong, a journalist who writes critical articles about the royals. But, he later writes a more positive piece on Princess Alice. Even though Morgan was only in one episode, his character made a lasting impression.

9 Bradley James – iZombie (2015 – 2019)

After playing a King of Camelot, Bradley James took on quite a different role as a zombie in the CW series iZombie. He plays the musician, Lowell, who falls for the protagonist, Liv. The two become one of the best romantic couples in the series. 

Lowell appeared in multiple episodes in season one but was murdered by Blaine, the show’s antagonist. Quite a few fans were disappointed by this turn of events. Many viewers thought Liv shouldn’t have ended up with Major, as Lowell was better for her. 

8 Katie McGrath – Supergirl (2015 – Present)

Katie McGrath is well-known for playing Morgana, the sorceress in Merlin. But, after playing a villainous half-sister, McGrath went on to play a more heroic half-sibling on Supergirl. She first appears in season two as the half-sister of Lex Luthor, a villain of Superman. 

Lena works to make up for her brother’s sins, renaming the family company L-Corp and relocating it to National City. Viewers can watch both Merlin and Supergirl on Netflix to see McGrath play two very different roles.

7 Richard Wilson – One Foot In The Grave (1990 – 2000)

Many fans know the actor Richard Wilson as Gaius, who’s the first to know about Merlin’s magic in Camelot. However, British fans also know him for his many other BBC projects. Wilson’s most famous role is in the British sitcom, One Foot In The Grave. 

For six seasons, Wilson played the character Victor, a retiree who desperately tries to keep himself busy. But, unfortunately, Gaius isn’t as lucky as Victor. Gaius remains the court physician with no foreseeable end to his career.

6 Anthony Head – Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997 – 2003)

The actor Anthony Head, who plays King Uther, likely causes many viewers to go searching for his other roles on IMDb. And his face looks familiar for good reason. Head had a role in one of the most famous cult shows of the early 2000s, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. 

Head plays Rupert Giles, an advisor, and father figure to Buffy. The series lasted for seven seasons, but he was only a regular character for the first five. After that, Head’s had a minimized role so Buffy could better embrace adulthood.

5 Angel Coulby – Doctor Who (2005 – Present)

The character of Guinevere, Queen of Camelot, has been played in many adaptations of the tales of King Arthur. However, in Merlin, Angel Coulby plays a younger Guinevere before marrying Arthur. Some fans of Merlin may recognize Coulby, as she once appeared in the hit show Doctor Who. 

Coulby appeared in the episode, “The Girl In The Fireplace” in season two of Doctor Who. She plays Katherine, a friend of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson in France. She converses about King’s paramour Madame de Châteauroux, who is close to death.

4 Tom Hopper – The Umbrella Academy (2019 – Present)

The strongest and sweetest knight of the round table is Sir Percival, played by Tom Hopper. After playing Percival, he went on to play Luther in the Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy. 

Hopper plays Number One, otherwise known as Luther Hargreeves, a superhero with ape-like physiology. While his role in the Umbrella Academy is more prominent than his one in Merlin, Percival is more liked by fans than Luther. Often, Luther is the worst character because his self-righteousness causes many problems in the show. 

3 Eoin Macken – The Night Shift (2014 – 2017)

Sir Gwaine, played by Eoin Macken, is a humorous and debonair member of the Knights of the Round Table. Macken’s acting career has thrived since Merlin, earning roles in popular series such as The Night Shift. 

The show revolves around doctors who’ve returned from the army to work the night shift at a hospital. Macken stars as Doctor TC Callahan. His characters of Gwaine and Callahan are obviously quite dissimilar. However, both have found themselves in jail cells for drunken fights.

2 Santiago Cabrera – The Musketeers (2014 – 2016)

Santiago Cabrera is best known for playing Lancelot, a knight of Camelot. He’s also a love interest of Guinevere’s, who dies tragically in the series. But, Cabrera’s acting career after Merlin has been far from tragic. 

He’s been in both Big Little Lies and Heroes. However, Merlin fans mainly recognize him from a show also on the BBC, The Musketeers. Cabrera uses his swordsman skills in The Musketeers, just as he did in Merlin. He plays Aramis, a member of the King’s Guard.

1 John Hurt – Alien (1979)

One of the most well-known actors on Merlin is John Hurt. Viewers don’t get to physically see Hurt in the series, as he voices the dragon Kilgharrah. But, audiences have probably seen Hurt before in the film, Alien. 

In Alien, Hurt plays Kane, an officer of the ship who becomes the alien’s host. The film was met with critical acclaim and box office success. Although Hurt passed away in 2017, his work in Alien, Merlin, and other projects cement him in history.

About The Author