Brian Vernel
Brian Vernel (born 29 December 1990) is a Scottish actor best known for his supporting roles in major film and television productions, including the sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and the historical drama series The Last Kingdom.[1] Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Vernel began his acting career with early television appearances in the crime thriller miniseries Prey (2014), where he played Dale Lomax, and the BBC adaptation The Casual Vacancy (2015) as Stuart "Fats" Wall.[1][2] Vernel's breakthrough came with his role as the gangster Bala-Tik, a member of the Kanjiklub syndicate, in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), directed by J.J. Abrams; this followed his film role as Caesar Sargison in Let Us Prey (2014). He followed this with roles in high-profile war dramas, portraying Highlander 1, one of the Scottish soldiers, in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk (2017), and the prisoner Guittou in the remake Papillon (2017) opposite Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek.[3][4] On television, he earned acclaim for his recurring role as the ambitious and conflicted nobleman Odda the Younger across the first three seasons of The Last Kingdom (2015–2022), a Netflix and BBC Two series based on Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories novels. In recent years, Vernel has continued to build his profile with intense character roles in genre television, including Billy Wallace, a key figure in the criminal underworld, in the action-crime series Gangs of London (2020–present) on Sky Atlantic and AMC. He appeared as Curly in the espionage thriller Slow Horses (2022) on Apple TV+, and as the monk Brother Mortimus in the historical mystery Shardlake (2024) on Disney+.[5] Vernel trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland after a year of general arts studies at the University of Glasgow, and he has also performed in stage productions, including at the Kiln Theatre in London.[6][7]Early life and education
Upbringing
Brian Vernel was born on December 29, 1990, in Glasgow, Scotland.[8] He attended St Mungo's Academy, a secondary school located in the Gallowgate area of the city.[9] Vernel grew up in Glasgow during the 1990s, a decade when the city underwent significant cultural regeneration, notably as the European Capital of Culture in 1990, transforming its image from one associated with industrial decline and poverty to a vibrant hub of arts and festivals.[10][11] His early interest in performing arts emerged during his teenage years, when at age 16 he joined a local youth theatre group in Glasgow, where he participated in musical productions.[12]Training
Following his secondary education at St Mungo's Academy in Glasgow, Vernel completed a one-year general arts foundation course at the University of Glasgow, which served as an introductory pathway into higher arts education.[13][9] He then enrolled in the BA Acting program at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), formerly known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, in the late 2000s, graduating in the early 2010s.[14][15] At RCS, Vernel underwent training in performance techniques through a curriculum that emphasized practical stage and screen work.[16] This conservatoire education, spanning three years, honed his skills via intensive workshops and ensemble productions, preparing him for professional transitions.[15]Career
Early roles
Vernel began his professional acting career with a television debut in the BBC One crime drama series The Field of Blood in 2011, where he appeared as the minor character Darren Naismith across two episodes.[17] This role marked his entry into on-screen work following his graduation from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2014, though the production predated his formal completion of training.[18] Transitioning to film, Vernel secured his first cinematic role in the 2012 British thriller Offender, directed by Ron Scalpello, portraying Genghis, a tough inmate entangled in a revenge plot within a prison setting.[19] The low-budget production, produced by Revolver Entertainment, provided Vernel with early exposure to intense dramatic scenes amid a cast including Joe Cole and Kimberley Nixon.[18] In 2014, Vernel took on additional television roles, including Dale Lomax in the BBC crime thriller Prey (3 episodes) and Tam in the ITV period drama Grantchester (3 episodes).[1] That same year, he appeared in the Scottish horror film Let Us Prey, directed by Brian O'Malley, playing the supporting role of Caesar Sargison, a reckless police sergeant whose hit-and-run incident unleashes the story's supernatural antagonist.[20] Produced by Makar Productions, the film was shot in rural Scotland and highlighted Vernel's ability to convey moral ambiguity in a tense ensemble alongside Liam Cunningham and Hanna Minnes.[18] These initial projects, often featuring gritty, character-driven narratives, helped establish Vernel's presence in the industry prior to more prominent opportunities.[18]Breakthrough period
Vernel's breakthrough came in 2015 with his role as Bala-Tik, a ruthless enforcer for the Guavian Death Gang, in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams.[9] In this high-stakes scene aboard the Falcon, Bala-Tik confronts Han Solo over an unpaid debt, delivering threats in a distinctive Glaswegian accent that highlighted Vernel's versatility.[21] The film's global success, grossing over $2 billion worldwide, significantly boosted Vernel's visibility, introducing him to international audiences and establishing him within a major franchise.[22] That same year, Vernel portrayed Odda the Younger in the BBC Two historical drama The Last Kingdom, appearing in seven episodes of the first season.[13] As the ambitious son of Ealdorman Odda the Elder, the character evolves from a scheming underling in King Alfred's court to a treacherous antagonist, driven by cowardice and a hunger for power that leads him to betray allies and even murder his father in a bid for influence.[23] Filmed over seven months in Budapest, the role required Vernel to adopt received pronunciation, contrasting his natural Scottish dialect and allowing him to explore complex villainy in a period piece set during the Viking invasions of 9th-century England.[13] In 2017, Vernel expanded his film presence with supporting roles in two ensemble historical dramas. He appeared as Highlander 1, one of the Scottish soldiers aboard a civilian boat during the Dunkirk evacuation, in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, capturing the chaos and tension of the 1940 Allied retreat from Nazi-occupied France amid a star-studded cast including Fionn Whitehead and Mark Rylance.[24] Similarly, in the remake of Papillon, directed by Michael Noer, Vernel played Guittou, a fellow inmate in the French penal colony of Devil's Island, supporting Charlie Hunnam's depiction of convict Henri Charrière's infamous escape attempts based on real events from the 1930s.[25] These projects underscored his growing affinity for intense, historically grounded narratives. Vernel's rising profile during this period earned him recognition as one of Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow in 2015, spotlighting his potential amid roles in acclaimed productions.[13] The high-profile collaborations, including working with Nolan and Abrams, facilitated valuable networking and professional development, opening doors to further opportunities in film and television.[14] This momentum carried into subsequent series, building on his established screen presence.Recent projects
Following his breakthrough roles, Brian Vernel continued to take on notable television roles, including DS Nathan Bilk in the BBC thriller Collateral (2018, 4 episodes) and Curly in the Apple TV+ espionage series Slow Horses (2022). He has solidified his presence in high-profile television and film projects, showcasing his range across intense dramatic narratives. In the Sky Original series Gangs of London (2020–2025), Vernel portrays Billy Wallace, the troubled older son of crime family matriarch Marian Wallace, appearing in 25 episodes across three seasons.[26] The series has evolved from its debut season's focus on immediate power struggles in London's underworld to deeper explorations of family betrayal and personal redemption in later installments; in season three, which premiered on 20 March 2025, Billy begins sober after battling addiction, collaborating with a new character named Cornelius to orchestrate his brother Sean's prison break, while grappling with his longstanding feelings of inadequacy as the unchosen sibling.[27] Vernel has described the show's progression as a return "to basics" with the core characters, emphasizing its "blood opera" style of visceral action and emotional depth.[27] Vernel expanded into psychological thriller territory with his role as John, the middle brother in the 2023 independent film Betrayal, directed by Rodger Griffiths.[28] In this survivalist story, John returns with his siblings to a remote Scottish woodland to confront the aftermath of killing their abusive father, only to find his grave disturbed, heightening tensions and paranoia among the brothers.[29] The project marked a shift toward smaller-scale, character-driven indie productions for Vernel, contrasting the expansive ensemble dynamics of his television work.[30] In 2024, Vernel took on a supporting role as Brother Mortimus in the Disney+ limited series Shardlake, appearing in all four episodes of the historical murder mystery set during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.[31] Portraying a monk entangled in a cloister conspiracy, his performance added layers of quiet menace to the Tudor-era intrigue.[32] Vernel's recent output reflects a deliberate pivot toward diverse genres, moving from large-scale action in Gangs of London to intimate historical dramas like Shardlake and gritty thrillers such as Betrayal, allowing him to explore complex, morally ambiguous characters on varying production scales.[1] As of 2025, Vernel has expressed interest in continuing to tackle roles that delve into personal turmoil and family dynamics, as seen in his reflections on Billy Wallace's arc, though he has not detailed specific upcoming film or television commitments beyond the ongoing Gangs of London narrative.[27]Filmography
Films
Brian Vernel's film credits are presented below in chronological order, including his role and the film's director for each entry.| Year | Title | Role | Director | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Offender | Genghis | Ron Scalpello | [33] |
| 2014 | Let Us Prey | Caesar Sargison | Brian O'Malley | [34] |
| 2015 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Bala-Tik | J.J. Abrams | [35] |
| 2017 | Dunkirk | Highlander 1 | Christopher Nolan | [36] |
| 2017 | Papillon | Guittou | Michael Noer | [37] |
| 2023 | Betrayal | John | Rodger Griffiths | [28] |
| 2024 | Booty | Simon | N/A | [38] |
Television
Vernel began his television career with a recurring role in the BBC One crime drama miniseries The Field of Blood, where he portrayed Darren Naismith and Kevin McCorkhill across 2 episodes aired from August to September 2011.[39] In 2014, he appeared as Tam in two episodes of the ITV period drama Grantchester, which premiered on October 9, 2014.[40] That same year, Vernel played Dale Lomax in three episodes of the BBC Two thriller Prey, broadcast starting April 28, 2014.[41] His breakthrough on television came in 2015 with the role of Stuart "Fats" Wall in the three-episode BBC One/HBO adaptation of The Casual Vacancy, which aired from February 29, 2015.[42] Later that year, he gained prominence as Odda the Younger in seven episodes of the BBC Two historical series The Last Kingdom, spanning the first season from March 4 to October 31, 2015. In 2016, Vernel guest-starred as Young Adam Gettrick in one episode ("1991") of the BBC One anthology series The Missing season 2, aired on November 23, 2016.[43] Vernel continued with a guest appearance as Lucius in the single episode "The Eaters of Light" of BBC One's Doctor Who season 10, broadcast on June 17, 2017.[44] He then portrayed Anton Stokes in five episodes of Channel 4's The Tunnel season 3 (Vengeance), which aired from January 11 to February 8, 2018. In 2018, he appeared as Mikey Gowans in three episodes of the BBC Two miniseries Collateral, from February 12 to 26, 2018.[45] From 2020 to 2025, Vernel had a major recurring role as Billy Wallace in the Sky Atlantic/AMC action series Gangs of London, appearing in 23 episodes across three seasons, with the series premiering on April 23, 2020, and season 3 airing in 2025; this role significantly elevated his international profile.[26] In 2022, he played Curly, a member of the far-right group Sons of Albion, in five episodes of Apple TV+'s Slow Horses season 1, aired from April 1, 2022. Most recently, in 2024, Vernel portrayed Brother Mortimus in all four episodes of the Disney+ historical mystery Shardlake, which premiered on May 1, 2024.[46]| Year | Title | Role | Episodes | Network | Premiere/Air Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Field of Blood | Darren Naismith / Kevin McCorkhill | 2 | BBC One | August–September 2011 |
| 2014 | Grantchester | Tam | 2 | ITV | October 9, 2014 (season 1 episodes 3–4) |
| 2014 | Prey | Dale Lomax | 3 | BBC Two | April 28–May 12, 2014 (season 1) |
| 2015 | The Casual Vacancy | Stuart "Fats" Wall | 3 | BBC One / HBO | February 29–March 1, 2015 |
| 2015 | The Last Kingdom | Odda the Younger | 7 | BBC Two / Netflix | March 4–October 31, 2015 (season 1 episodes 2–8) |
| 2016 | The Missing | Young Adam Gettrick | 1 | BBC One / Starz | November 23, 2016 (season 2, episode 7) |
| 2017 | Doctor Who | Lucius | 1 | BBC One | June 17, 2017 (season 10, episode 10) |
| 2018 | The Tunnel | Anton Stokes | 5 | Channel 4 | January 11–February 8, 2018 (season 3) |
| 2018 | Collateral | Mikey Gowans | 3 | BBC Two | February 12–26, 2018 (episodes 1, 2, 4) |
| 2020–2025 | Gangs of London | Billy Wallace | 23 | Sky Atlantic / AMC / Disney+ | April 23, 2020 (season 1); October 20, 2022 (season 2); March 2025 (season 3 premiere) |
| 2022 | Slow Horses | Curly | 5 | Apple TV+ | April 1–May 6, 2022 (season 1 episodes 2–6) |
| 2024 | Shardlake | Brother Mortimus | 4 | Disney+ / Hulu | May 1–22, 2024 |