Sherlock Holmes is one of the world’s most recognizable detective franchises, but recently it has been another Holmes that has been gracing our screens. The Netflix film Enola Holmes debuted in 2020 and quickly became a hit with viewers. The film stars Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes, the younger sister to Sherlock Holmes and a budding detective in her own right. Soon, viewers can revel in more of the mystery, whimsy, and suspense that made the first film compelling. Enola Holmes 2 premiered on Netflix on November 4, 2022. With a cast of eccentric sleuths and mystery lovers, it's time for viewers to refresh their memories and see what old and new faces are on board for Enola Holmes 2.
Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes
Enola Holmes is the youngest sibling in the Holmes family but with the boldest personality. Younger sister to stick-in-the-mud Mycroft and the world-famous detective Sherlock, she is a headstrong young woman who defies societal expectations without batting an eyelash. Her strong-willed and eccentric personality was cultivated and encouraged by her mother, Eudoria. In the events of the first Enola Holmes movie, Enola goes on a mission to find her missing mother, who had been involved in an underground feminist organization. When she meets the young Lord Tewkesbury, she becomes entangled in an unraveling government conspiracy involving the House of Lords and a Reform Bill. After solving the mystery, she realizes that she, too, is interested in becoming a detective. Enola Holmes 2 offers an older, wiser, yet still eccentric young woman striving to step out of her brother’s shadow. She has recently started her own detective agency but is still looking for her big break. When a mysterious young woman asks for her help to find a missing person, the case soon proves to have connections that go deeper than just a mere missing person, and seem to connect to a case baffling her brother. Could this be her chance to prove that Sherlock isn’t the only Detective Holmes ready to solve the world’s most difficult mysteries?
Reprising her role as Enola Holmes is Millie Bobby Brown. The British actress has been a household name for some time now. After making guest appearances on shows like NCIS, Grey's Anatomy, and Modern Family, Brown’s breakout role came in 2016 with the release of Netflix’s smash hit Stranger Things where she played Eleven, a young girl with mysterious powers. She has since had roles in the Godzilla franchise, appearing in Godzilla: King of Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong. At only 18 years old, Brown is one of the world’s most recognizable young stars.
Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes needs little introduction: he is London’s most famous detective and has garnered himself a reputation as the premier mystery-solver in the world. But, as readers might have guessed, this story centers on Sherlock’s youngest sister and budding detective Enola. Sherlock is involved in investigating his own mystery this time around, but one which the trailer hints has possible connections to Enola’s. It will be interesting to see how the two go about their detective work: we could even see some friendly or not-so-friendly sibling competition.
Henry Cavill seems to have a knack for playing larger-than-life figures. He is best known for his continued portrayal of Superman in the DC Extended Universe starting with Man of Steel, and reprising for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and most recently in a cameo in Black Adam. Cavill brings a degree of steely stoicism to the role of Sherlock, but also a warmth and emotional depth that humanizes the character. Cavill's other film appearances include The Count of Monte Cristo, Tristan & Isolde, and Stardust. Caville’s television appearances include The Tudors and a leading role in Netflix’s fantasy series The Witcher.
Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes
Eudoria Holmes is the elusive and brilliant mother of Enola Holmes. She, like all of her children, has a knack for problem-solving. Eudoria has played a crucial role in raising Enola and has encouraged her to indulge in interests as varied as jujitsu and chess. In the first movie, it’s Eudoria’s disappearance that is the catalyst for the adventure. Enola slowly uncovers that Eudoria has been part of a group of feminist revolutionaries trying to create change in society. It leaves fans wondering what role Eudoria will play moving forward. The new film does promise a reunion between mother and daughter, after a long time spent on the run.
Helena Bonham Carter may be known to some as the queen of eccentric characters. She is a critically acclaimed actress who has received tons of recognition for her work, including a BAFTA Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, an International Emmy Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Her extensive work with Tim Burton has seen her in classics like The Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd, and Alice in Wonderland. She also had significant roles in everything from the Harry Potter franchise to the film adaptation of the play Les Misérables. She is the perfect actress to portray a character like Eudoria, whose gothic mansion, alternative interests, and women’s movement political leanings make her quite the oddity in her time period.
Louis Partridge as Viscount Tewkesbury
Lord Tewkesbury is introduced fairly early on in the first installment of the Enola Holmes franchise. He is a young lord and a possible love interest to Enola after meeting her as a runaway. Tewkesbury eventually plays a key role as a young, progressive lord in Parliament and has a decisive vote in stalemate proceedings of the Reform Bill that is at the center of the mystery in the first movie. In the second movie, we see Tewkesbury once again assisting Enola, and the trailer suggests the proper beginnings of a romance between the two.
Tewkesbury is played by the charming Louis Partridge. Partridge is a young English actor, whose arrow seems to be trending upward. Starting off in minor roles in the short films Beneath Water and About a Dog, it was Partridge’s role in the period drama Medici that would garner him more attention. His appearance in Enola Holmes catapulted him to fame. He has since starred in the series Pistol portraying the infamous bassist of the Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious.
Susan Wokoma as Edith
To outsiders, Edith is a seemingly ordinary teahouse owner with a pleasant demeanor. What this doesn’t reveal is that Edith’s teahouse is actually a front. Inside is a training ground for women looking to hone their martial arts skills. Edith is a strong woman in both feats of strength, feats of the mind, and hopes for the world, with the intention of training other women to make a change within society. How she factors into the narrative of Enola Holmes 2 was kept rather under wraps but now that the movie's out, we can say that her assistance is critical to Enola's success and survival.
Edith is played by Susan Wokoma. Wokoma may best be known for her role in the comedy horror television show Crazyhead. Viewers may also recognize her from the British comedy Crashing, written and created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Adeel Akhtar as Lestrade
Lestrade is a detective with Scotland Yard. He is devoted to his duty and has a fairly strong sense of justice, however his inability to think outside the box often means that he’s a step behind the craftier Holmes. He is once again seen trailing at the heels of the Holmes siblings as they embark on this next adventure. Adeel Akhtar portrays Lestrade. Akhtar has played a number of characters who often serve as foils to more eccentric leaders, such as his role as Smee in Pan and Maroush in The Dictator. He has the distinction of being the first non-white actor to win the BAFTA award for Lead Actor for his role as Shahzad in the BBC drama Murdered by My Father.
David Thewlis as Superintendent Grail
For fans of a certain age, David Thewlis might be recognized for his role as Hogwarts professor and friendly werewolf Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter film series. In recent performances, Thewlis has a major role in the Netflix series The Sandman. In Enola Holmes 2, he plays Lestrade's boss, Superintendent Grail. The character serves as something of a primary antagonist for the majority of the film, though he may not be acting alone.
Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Ms. Troy
Ms. Troy is introduced as an intelligent but often-ignored secretary who offers friendly advice to Enola. However, there's more to this character than meets the eye. What do we mean by that? Well, now that's a spoiler you'll have to watch the movie to find out. Suffice it to say, we're definitely hoping to see Dune actor Sharon Duncan-Brewster return to the role for any future installments the franchise might have. Duncan-Brewster is best known for her part as Imperial Planetologist Dr. Liet-Kynes in Dune. The actress is also known for her work on Bad Girls and EastEnders.
Apart from these actors, Hannah Dodd, who is known for her role in the series Find Me in Paris on Hulu, plays a character first introduced to audiences as Cicely. Other notable cast members include Serranna Su-Ling Bliss as Bessie Chapman, Abbie Hern as Mae, Gabriel Tierney as William Lyon, Róisín Monaghan as Hilda Lyon, David Westhead as Henry Lyon, Tim McMullan as Charles McIntyre, Lee Boardman as Bill Crouch, and Himesh Patel in a cameo as a certain iconic Sherlock Holmes character.