Nicholas Galitzine has starred in several iconic roles in movies and TV shows in his relatively young career. The English actor was born Nicholas Dimitri Constantine Galitzine in Hammersmith, London, on September 29, 1994. As a child, Galitzine has a passion for sports.
However, an injury to his rotator cuff killed his dream of ever having a professional career in rugby and football. Since making his screen debut in 2014, Nicholas Galitzine has starred in both lead and supporting roles. These are Nicholas Galitzine’s top 7 movies and TV shows throughout his decade-long career.
7. Chambers
Although not cast in the lead role, Nicholas Galitzine delivered an exceptional performance as a drug addict on the Netflix supernatural horror series Chambers. The show centered on Sasha Yazzie, a young woman who has a heart attack and is given a transplant. However, she soon realizes she didn’t just receive a heart but also the donor’s spirit. Galitzine plays Elliot Lefevre, the dead girl/donor’s twin brother. In supporting roles and playing Galitzine’s on-screen parents were Tony Goldwyn (as Ben Lefevre) and Uma Thurman (as Nancy Lefevre). Chambers only aired for one season before Netflix canceled it.
6. High Strung
Nicholas Galitzine landed his first lead role in a movie with his sophomore film, High Strung. Directed by Michael Damian from a screenplay he co-wrote with his wife, Janeen Damian, Galitzine plays Johnnie Blackwell. Galitzine’s character is introduced as an undocumented British violinist who performs in the New York City Subway. Although he loses his gifted violin and rent money while trying to help Ruby, their chance meeting brings an opportunity for a scholarship, study visa, and money to live in the United States. In High Strung, Galitzine shows he’s much more than a pretty face and singer; he delivers an impressive dance performance. High Strung holds a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Handsome Devil
“You spend your life being someone else; who’s going to be you?”
In Handsome Devil, Nicholas Galitzine plays Conor Masters, a gay, closeted student at the fictional Wood Hill College. Although he does his best to keep a low profile and excel at rugby, he forms a close relationship with his roommate, Ned Roche (Fionn O’Shea), which soon threatens Conor’s secret. Galitzine played a supporting role in the Irish coming-of-age movie alongside Irish actor Andrew Scott, who played Mr. Dan Sherry. Handsome Devil received positive reviews from critics and holds an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4. Purple Hearts
Netflix’s Purple Heart took a spin on the conventional love and fairytale of a rich guy and poor girl to breathe life into one of its sweetest romantic movies. Nicholas Galitzine co-led the musical romance film with actress and singer Sofia Carson. In Purple Heart, Galitzine played U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Luke Morrow. His and Carson’s character, Cassie Salazar, enter into a marriage of convenience to receive military benefits and settle their debts. Although they had planned to divorce after a year, things took a turn as they began to develop true feelings for one another. After a day of release on Netflix, Purple Heart displaced the Russo Brother‘s The Gray Man to sit on the top spot. At the end of 2022, Purple Heart was the third-most-watched movie of the year.
3. Red, White & Royal Blue
Matthew López feature directorial debut Red, White & Royal Blue is arguably Nicholas Galitzine’s most popular movie. The 2023 romantic comedy was released on Amazon Prime Video on August 11, 2023, to positive reviews. In the movie, Galitzine played a British prince, Prince Henry. The movie’s plot centered around the love affair between Prince Henry and the first son of the president of the United States, Alex Claremont-Diaz (played by Taylor Zakhar Perez). Red, White & Royal Blue’s screenplay was based on Casey McQuiston’s 2019 novel of the same name.
2. Mary & George
In 2024, Nicholas Galitzine returned to television in the British historical drama miniseries Mary & George. Galitzine portrayed the title character George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, alongside Julianne Moore, who portrayed his mother, Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham. Although the miniseries shares a somewhat similar storyline with Red, White & Royal Blue, it is based on Benjamin Woolley‘s 2017 non-fiction book The King’s Assassin. Mary & George revolved around the love affair between George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, and King James VI and I. The miniseries was a critical success.
1. The Idea of You
Nicholas Galitzine’s 2024 romantic comedy The Idea of You tops the list of his best performances. Galitzine co-stars alongside Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway in a love story that got audiences talking for weeks. Stepping away from playing gay characters, Galitzine plays Hayes Campbell, a boy band leader who falls in love with an older woman. Although they meet by chance, they begin a secret romantic relationship until it goes viral.
As much as they believe they’re meant to be together, Hayes’ celebrity life becomes too overwhelming for Solène (Hathaway). The Idea of You is based on Robinne Lee’s novel. Besides receiving praise for their chemistry, Galitzine’s performance in The Idea of You showed his growth as an actor, especially in the rom-com genre. If you enjoyed reading about Nicholas Galitzine’s movies and TV shows, check out Michael Emerson’s top TV shows.
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