Watching director Ridley Scott’s new film should not be confused with a world history class. Between the fierce battle sequences and the intimacies of Napoleon and Josephine, there is not much space to delve into who all the characters are that revolve around that leader of post-revolutionary France. So it doesn’t hurt to share some details of the cast of the epic film Napoleon and the historical figures that embody it; at least the most important ones within this biopic produced by Apple Studios.
Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte
After witnessing the award-winning performance of Joaquin Phoenix in joker (2019), director Ridley Scott knew that his Napoleon was there. And what better than him being an actor with whom he had already worked before thanks to Gladiator (2000), another of Scott’s historical epics that greatly helped elevate Phoenix. In subsequent years, the Puerto Rican-born performer would also gain recognition for his stellar work in Johnny and June: Passion and madness (2005), The master (2012), Her (2013) and You will never be safe (2017).
In Napoleon, Phoenix wears the costume of the iconic titular figure; a strategist adored by his men and feared by his enemies, who after fighting for the revolutionary cause at the end of the 18th century, became the top leader of France between 1799 and 1815; initially, as First Consul, before crowning himself Emperor. Napoleon Bonaparte fought more than 80 battles during his military career and only lost eleven of them.
Vanessa Kirby as Josephine Bonaparte
Originally, director Ridley Scott had Jodie Comer (The last duel) for the role of Josefina in the cast of Napoleon, but due to scheduling problems, Comer could not remain involved. In his place he entered Vanessa Kirbywho by then was already world famous for her work in Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018), The Crown (2016-2022) and Fragments of a woman (2020), which earned her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival and an Oscar nomination.
From a wealthy family, this renowned empress of France was not Josephine (or Joséphine) by birth. Curiously, that was the name that Napoleon – then a brigadier general – began calling her after meeting her and making her his lover. Before that, Josefina lost her first husband to the guillotine and she was imprisoned for several months during the “Reign of Terror,” because she was believed to be very close to counterrevolutionary circles. She would eventually be free and in 1796 she would marry Napoleon.
Tahar Rahim as Paul Barras
The French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim He achieved global recognition for his leading role in the legal drama The Mauritanian (2021), worthy of BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. He had previously worked alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the biblical film Maria Magdalena (2018) where he played Judas. We will see it later in the movie Madame Web from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, in the role of Ezekiel Sims.
Paul Barras was a commissioner of the revolutionary forces who rose through the ranks to become one of the five members of the Directory that led France’s first republic, after Robespierre was overthrown. Barras also remained very close to his general Napoleon, who looked after the interests of the Directory, at least until he decided to remove him from power in 1799.
Rupert Everett is the Duke of Wellington
In the nineties, Ruper Everett was an accomplice of Julia Roberts in My best friend’s Wedding (1997), unforgettable romantic comedy that earned him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He later had an antagonistic role in Inspector Gadget (1999), gave voice in English to Prince Charming in the saga Shrek (2004-2007) and shared credits with Harry Styles in the drama My Policeman (2022).
Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, was a Dublin-born officer who became a key player in England’s fight against Napoleonic France. In fact, Wellesley led one of the armies of the Seventh Coalition in 1815 that defeated Napoleon in the definitive Battle of Waterloo. Later, he would serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on two occasions, between 1828 and 1834.
Catherine Walker as Marie Antoinette
This is not the first time that Catherine Walker is directed by Ridley Scott, since the Irish actor had a small participation in The Gucci house (2021), giving life to Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour. Now, she reunites with the cast of Napoleon. He is also remembered for appearing alongside Amy Adams in the comedy Leap-year (2010) and for her role as Lenore in the epic series Damned (2020) from Netflix.
Catherine Walker’s Marie Antoinette appears rarely in Napoleon, but it has the weight of being the first character to appear in the film, with a brutal sequence: his execution by guillotine. Wife of monarch Louis XVI, she was the last queen of France before the outbreak of the French Revolution. She was known as Madame Deficit, due to her wasteful spending that aggravated the country’s financial crisis.
Paul Rhys as Talleyrand
With an acting career that spans more than four decades, the Welsh Paul Rhys has shared the screen with actors of the stature of Robert Downey Jr., in Chaplin (1992), Colin Firth, in Tumbledown (1988), and Peter O’Toole, in Rebecca’s Daughters (1992). She also recently worked under director Emerald Fennell on her comedic thriller Saltburn (2023).
This French diplomat, named Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, remained in the political life of France before, during and many years after the revolution. He was Napoleon’s top diplomat during his mandate, but ended up conspiring against the emperor, eager to end the Napoleonic Wars and bring the long-awaited peace to the territory.
Other key characters in the cast of Napoleon
- Sam Troughton (mank) is Maximilien Robespierre, one of the main promoters of the French Revolution and who later became an authoritarian leader, who chose to eradicate those he believed to be opponents through countless public executions.
- Ben Miles (Andor) is Caulaincourt, Napoleon’s advisor who attempted to dissuade him from carrying out his disastrous attempt to invade Russia in 1812.
- Ludivine Sagnier (Lupine) is Madame Tallien, a socialite who met Josephine in prison and who also became a prominent political figure in France after the fall of Robespierre.
- Matthew Needham (The House of the Dragon) is Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon’s younger brother, whom he supported in the coup d’état that dissolved the Directory.
- Edouard Philipponnat (The Gucci house) is Alexander I of Russia, Russian emperor who temporarily allied himself with Napoleon – due to the French leader’s victories at Austerlitz and Friedland – and who later thwarted his invasion plans.
- Anna Mawn (The Nevers) is Marie Louise of Austria in the cast of NapoleonArchduchess of Austria and second wife of Napoleon, whom he married in 1810.
- Ian McNeice (Doctor Who) is King Louis XVIII, who succeeded Napoleon to the throne, following his exile on the island of Elba.
Antonio G. Spindola I have very bad memory. Out of solidarity with my memories, I choose to get lost too. Preferably, in a movie theater.