Howard Charles gives tough men enough warmth and uncertainty to keep them interesting. We rate his physical assurance, though Fightland asks him to hold our attention for far longer than its writing deserves.
Fi1m perspective
In Fightland (2026), Howard Charles gives Duke Kilroy a physical authority that holds our attention while the boxing crime drama struggles around him. He makes its lead worth following even when the writing offers little help. We rate Charles here, but the programme asks too much of that strength. Across eight episodes, uncertainty about why people behave as they do becomes a problem that his presence cannot solve.
His breakthrough as Porthos in The Musketeers (2014–2016) put that physical confidence to work in period adventure. Porthos's larger-than-life manner came with camaraderie, giving Charles room to contribute to an ensemble rather than supply only muscle. As DCI Mike McGuire in Whitstable Pearl (2021–2024), he brought a more grounded authority to a detective role. The useful thread is his ability to suggest that a tough man might need loyalty and companionship as much as anyone else.
For Duke, boxing ought to make that combination useful: ambition, fear and dependence can all be made visible in the sport. Charles prepared for Fightland with boxing training, but the programme's perfunctory fights do not give physical action enough weight. We were frustrated because he kept us interested in Duke while the drama spent so much time with gangsters who could not sustain our interest. Anita-Joy Uwajeh and Nicholas Pinnock offer further reasons for patience, but the performances remain more compelling than the story.
Repeated casting in physically dominant roles could limit what Charles gets to do. His ensemble instincts are worth remembering when a programme such as Fightland depends so heavily on his ability to hold our attention alone. There is more use for an actor who can convey loyalty than standing him in the middle of a muddled story. Leave this one to viewers already coming for the cast.
Biography
Howard Charles is an English actor. Born in Brixton, London, he studied at Kingston College and trained at the Drama Centre London, where he received a Lady Rothermere Drama Award and a Leverhulme scholarship. He began his career on stage, appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court and in the West End.
His television credits include Porthos in The Musketeers (2014–2016), Curtis in Top Boy (2013–2022), Wolf in Alex Rider (2020), Arken in Shadow and Bone (2021) and DCI Mike McGuire in Whitstable Pearl (2021–2024). Film roles include Uruk in The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018) and Captain Royce in Cleaner (2025).
In 2026 he stars as Maduka 'Duke' Kilroy in the series Fightland.
