You probably recognize that face, but you might not be able to place why. Honestly, Maxim Baldry is one of those actors who has been lurking in the background of your favorite childhood memories and your current prestige TV binges simultaneously. Most people remember him as the wide-eyed kid in a suit traveling through France with Rowan Atkinson, but these days, he’s carrying the weight of a fantasy empire on his shoulders.
It's a weird career trajectory. He went from being a child star to a soap opera hunk, then a refugee in a dystopian drama, and now he’s Isildur. Yeah, that Isildur. The guy who eventually fails to destroy the One Ring.
The Early Days: Caesarion and a Very Famous Holiday
Maxim Alexander Baldry didn't exactly have a traditional start. Born in Redhill, England, in 1996, he spent his first seven years living in Moscow and Warsaw. Russian was actually his first language. You can see that international background play into his early roles, especially when he landed the part of Stepan Dachevsky in Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007).
He was only eleven.
Acting next to a legend like Rowan Atkinson is a trial by fire. He played the son of a Russian filmmaker who gets separated from his father at a train station. It’s a largely silent performance, relying on physical comedy and expressive eyes. If you revisit that movie now, it's wild to think that kid is the same man fighting Orcs.
Around that same time, he showed up in the HBO epic Rome. He played Caesarion, the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. It was a heavy role for a kid, dealing with political intrigue and the downfall of a dynasty. Then, basically, he vanished.
He took a massive break.
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Baldry stepped away from the spotlight for nearly a decade to live a normal life. He went to school, studied at Hurtwood House, and even briefly attended the University of Edinburgh for English Literature before the acting bug bit him again.
The Comeback: From Hollyoaks to Dystopian Heartbreak
When Baldry returned to the screen in 2016, he didn't go for a blockbuster. He went for the British soap circuit. He joined Hollyoaks as Liam Donovan.
He was a series regular for about 80 episodes. It was your classic soap role—he played a "cheeky charmer" who dealt with family drama and typical soap opera chaos. It was the perfect way to get his feet wet again. But the project that really shifted people's perception of him was Russell T Davies’ Years and Years (2019).
In this series, he played Viktor Goraya.
Viktor is a Ukrainian refugee who falls in love with one of the main characters, Daniel Lyons. The show is a terrifyingly plausible look at the next fifteen years of human history. Baldry's performance was heartbreaking. He managed to capture the vulnerability of someone caught in a bureaucratic nightmare while the world literally burns around him. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, go watch it. It’s arguably his best work.
Maxim Baldry Movies and TV Shows: The Big List
If you're looking to binge his filmography, here's a look at the most notable projects he's been involved in. It’s a mix of voice work, guest spots, and leading roles.
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- The Little Polar Bear 2: The Mysterious Island (2005): His first credit, providing the English voice for Chucho.
- Rome (2007): A three-episode arc as the doomed Caesarion.
- Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007): The big breakout role as Stepan.
- Hollyoaks (2016–2017): A long stint as the troublemaker Liam Donovan.
- Lake Placid: Legacy (2018): A TV horror movie about a giant crocodile. We’ve all got to pay the bills, right?
- Last Christmas (2019): A small role as Ed in the Emilia Clarke rom-com.
- Doctor Who (2020): He played John Polidori in "The Haunting of Villa Diodati." It’s the episode where they meet the inspiration for Frankenstein.
- Strike Back: Vendetta (2020): He played Loric Demachi in a four-episode guest arc.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–Present): His current gig as Isildur.
Joining the Legend: The Rings of Power
Landing a lead in a billion-dollar Amazon series is a life-changer. When the news broke that Maxim Baldry was joining The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the internet immediately started speculating.
Isildur is a complicated figure. In the Peter Jackson movies, we only see him as the man who couldn't throw the ring into the fire. In the show, we see him as a young sailor in Númenor who is just trying to find his way. He's reckless. He's grieving his mother. He's a bit of a mess, actually.
Baldry has talked about how he wanted to make Isildur feel "human." It’s easy to play a legendary hero, but it’s harder to play a kid who is just lost. Season two saw him stranded in Middle-earth, fighting for survival and dealing with the psychological fallout of being abandoned. He's forced to grow up fast.
The physical toll of the role is no joke either. He’s often covered in mud, blood, and prosthetic grime. It’s a far cry from the pristine sets of Hollyoaks.
What Most People Get Wrong About Him
Because he was a child star, people assume he never stopped acting. They think he’s been "groomed" for Hollywood since birth.
In reality, he’s spent a lot of time doing other things. He’s actually a musician. He has a band called Terra Twin, and they play what he describes as "trashy" indie music. He’s also performed under the name Melodie Saviour. He’s not just an actor; he’s an artist who seems genuinely interested in the craft rather than just the fame.
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He’s also surprisingly grounded. In interviews, he talks about the importance of drinking two liters of water a day and why we should stop using plastic straws. He's basically that one friend who is really into sustainability but also happens to be a key figure in Tolkien lore.
Why His Career Matters Now
Baldry represents a specific kind of modern actor. He’s versatile enough to jump between a goofy comedy with Rowan Atkinson and a gritty refugee drama. He doesn't shy away from his soap opera past, but he’s clearly aiming for roles with more depth.
His work in The Rings of Power is going to define his career for the next decade. We know where Isildur ends up, but Baldry is making us care about the journey. That’s a tough trick to pull off when everyone knows the ending of the story.
If you want to dive deeper into his work, start with Years and Years. It shows a range that you won't necessarily see in the big-budget fantasy stuff. After that, go back and watch Mr. Bean's Holiday. It’s a great reminder of where he started and how much he’s changed.
Moving forward, keep an eye on his music with Terra Twin. It’s a side of him that doesn't get as much press as his TV roles, but it's where he seems to be most himself.