1917 Cast & Cameo Guide

Who’s starring and cameoing in the upcoming World War I epic 1917, and what else have they been in? Directed by Sam Mendes, whose other credits include Skyfall and the Tom Hanks vehicle Road to Perdition, 1917 depicts the events of a seemingly impossible operation, in which two servicemen must relay a message across enemy lines to prevent a potentially catastrophic attack.

Interestingly enough, the story is based around a war-time fable Mendes’ grandfather had relayed to him when he was a young boy. And early on in the production, reports suggested that Spider-Man star Tom Holland would be a part of the film, though the lead roles eventually went to young performers George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman instead.

While 1917 primarily follows these two British soldiers on the cusp of their integral and dangerous mission, the film also contains a wide variety of cast members and cameo appearances throughout. The film boasts an incredibly talented cast, with familiar faces in cameo roles.

1917 Main Cast

Dean-Charles Chapman as Lance Corporal Blake: Chapman plays a British soldier tasked to help warn an ally battalion and whose brother is at risk of getting killed. A relatively new face to the big screen, the 22-year-old Chapman has appeared in three major films this year including 1917, the other two being the Netflix medieval piece The King and the Bruce Springsteen-inspired musical Blinded by the Light. Before then, he also starred as Tommen Baratheon in Game of Thrones and as Adam in Rowan Joffe’s horror-mystery Before I Go to Sleep.

George MacKay as Lance Corporal Schofield: Schofield is another British soldier tasked to deliver a warning to an ally battalion. George MacKay’s onscreen career began in 2003 as one of the Lost Boys in P.J. Hogan’s live-action Peter Pan. Since then, he’s taken part in films such as The Boys Are Back, How I Live Now, Ophelia, and Captain Fantastic.

1917’s Cameo Appearances

Mark Strong as Captain Smith: Smith is a British officer. Most known for his role as the tech-savvy guru Merlin from the Kingsman franchise, Mark Strong’s extensive blockbuster career also includes supporting roles in Zero Dark Thirty, The Imitation Game, Sherlock Holmes, and Kick-Ass. Most recently, Strong was featured as the lead antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in Shazam!

Andrew Scott as Lieutenant Leslie: Leslie is another British officer. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Andrew Scott first achieved widespread recognition for playing the part of Jim Moriarty in Sherlock. His film career, however, includes supporting roles in the most recent James Bond film Spectre, as well as movies like Pride and Victor Frankenstein.

Colin Firth as General Erinmore: Erinmore is a British General who debriefs Schofield and Blake on their mission. Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth has been a well-established and cherished name in the entertainment industry for nearly three decades. During that time, he has starred in such memorable films as The King’s Speech, Bridget Jones’s Diary, A Single Man, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins Returns, and Love, Actually, though perhaps his most mainstream role is that of Harry Hart in the Kingsman series.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Colonel Mackenzie: Mackenzie is another British officer. Benedict Cumberbatch’s highly-acclaimed career began performing Shakespeare at an open park in London. Since then he has emerged as a headlining figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the time-bending hero Doctor Strange, as well as other popular films and TV series like Sherlock, The Imitation Game, Star Trek Into Darkness, and The Grinch.