Based on the New York Times best-selling book written by Ben Macintyre, the six-episode series dramatises the true story of Nicholas Elliott (played by Damian Lewis) and Kim Philby (played by Guy Pearce), two British spies and lifelong friends. Philby was the most notorious British defector and Soviet double agent in history.
A Spy Among Friends is a story of intimate duplicity; of loyalty, trust and treachery. Philby’s deeply personal betrayal, uncovered at the height of the Cold War, resulted in the gutting of British and American Intelligence.
For us, however, intelligence is readily available. Here are the characters you will come across in this brilliant espionage thriller. Be careful who you decide to share your secrets with.
Who's who in 'A Spy Among Friends'?
Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis)
Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor Damian Lewis has worked extensively in theatre, film and television, making his mark as one of this generation's most respected and sought-after actors.
In A Spy Among Friends, he plays Nicholas Elliott, a highly respected intelligence officer, known for his wit and keen mind.
Elliott's life could have been ruined by the discovery that his closest friend of 23 years, Kim Philby, had been betraying him all along, but his refusal to be beaten is a testament to his strength of character.
Kim Philby (Guy Pearce)
From Neighbours to The Adventures of Priscialla: Queen of the Desert, Guy Pearce is undeniably one of the most versatile actors of his generation, with a career spanning over 25 years in film, television and theatre.
Here he plays England's most famous traitor: Kim Philby, who was recruited by Russian Intelligence to penetrate Mi6; something he did for thirty years (1933-63), thanks in part to his very upper-crust English persona.
A man driven by ego as much as by ideology — until exposed, he was adored and revered by the friends he betrayed in British intelligence.
Lily Thomas (Anna Maxwell Martin)
Anna Maxwell Martin is a multi-BAFTA award-winning British actress, known for her wealth of work across TV, film and stage. Her broad body of work showcases her versatility.
In A Spy Among Friends, Martin plays Lily Thomas, a debriefer for the domestic security service, Mi5.
A working-class woman from the north of England, she is a fish out of water in Elliott and Philby’s world of secrets and gentlemen’s clubs.
Sir Roger Hollis (Adrian Edmondson)
Roger Hollis is an MI5 Director General. Old school. Quite the shady character. He is often spotted meeting with Sir Anthony Blunt in secret. What business does he have with Blunt?Could he be a soviet spy with secrets to hide?
Hollis is played by Adrian Edmondson, whose early work in 80's cult classics Bottom, The Young Ones and The Comic Strip Presents pioneered the way for alternative TV comedy. With a stacked resume including Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Eastenders as well as theatre roles in Waiting for Godot, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Twelfth Night, it is safe to say Edmondson is well-versed in playing a multi-faceted man of the shadows.
James Angleton (Stephen Kunken)
A poet, orchid enthusiast, Anglophile and rising star of the CIA. Angleton was a vehement enemy of communism whose intellectual vanity and snobbery provided the weaknesses Philby exploited.
He is played by Stephen Kunken, best known for his role as “Commander Warren Putnam” on The Handmaid's Tale.
A Spy Among Friends is now streaming at SBS On Demand. Episodes air weekly on SBS starting Thursday 19 February at 9.30pm.
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A Spy Among Friends
