Tobias Menzies has a face that feels familiar even if you can’t quite place why. Maybe it’s the sharp jawline or that intense, slightly weary gaze he does so well. Honestly, he’s the king of the "prestige" supporting role—the guy who shows up in your favorite high-budget drama and quietly out-acts everyone else in the room.
You’ve likely seen him. He’s been a Roman senator, a sadistic Redcoat, a grieving husband, and a literal Prince. But because he vanishes so completely into his roles, it’s easy to miss the man behind the performance.
Finding the best tobias menzies movies and tv shows is like going on a scavenger hunt through the last twenty years of "Golden Age" television. He doesn't just play characters; he inhabits them with a sort of monomaniacal discipline. He’s admitted in interviews that he gets "slightly obsessive" about details, whether it’s hitting forehands on a tennis court for six months or looping YouTube clips of Prince Philip to nail a specific vocal tic.
The Roles That Defined Him: From Outlander to The Crown
If you ask a casual fan where they know him from, the answer is usually Outlander. Or maybe The Crown. Those are the big ones. But the range between those performances is actually kind of staggering.
In Outlander, Menzies pulled off a feat that most actors would find terrifying. He played two men who look identical but share absolutely nothing else. Frank Randall is a 1940s historian—gentle, intellectual, and deeply hurting. Then there’s Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, his 18th-century ancestor. Black Jack is, quite frankly, one of the most repulsive villains in TV history. He’s a psychopath who uses "personal insight" to destroy people rather than help them. Fans often talk about the "mouth thing"—a specific way Menzies sets his jaw when playing the villain that makes him look entirely different from the kind-hearted Frank.
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Then you have The Crown. Taking over the role of Prince Philip from Matt Smith was no small task. While Smith played the younger, more restless Philip, Menzies brought a "weary exasperation" to seasons 3 and 4. He won an Emmy for it in 2021, and it’s easy to see why. His performance in the episode "Moondust"—where Philip faces a midlife crisis while watching the Apollo 11 moon landing—is a masterclass in quiet, masculine vulnerability.
A Quick Look at the Heavy Hitters
- Outlander: The dual role of Frank and Black Jack Randall. This is where he proved he could be both the hero and the monster.
- The Crown: Prince Philip. He captured the transition from a man of action to a man of "ceremonial duty."
- Rome: Marcus Junius Brutus. This was his big breakout. He played the ultimate betrayer with so much internal conflict you almost felt sorry for him.
- Game of Thrones: Edmure Tully. He’s the guy who famously missed the shot at his father’s funeral pyre. A "hapless" role, but he made Edmure feel real.
- The Terror: James Fitzjames. A sprawling, icy horror story where he plays a naval captain who starts off arrogant and ends up profoundly human.
The "Under the Radar" Must-Watches
While the big period dramas get the most clicks, Menzies is actually a bit of a secret weapon in contemporary comedy and indie film.
Take Catastrophe, for example. He plays a tactless, germaphobic OB-GYN named Dr. Kenneth Harries. It’s a small role, but he’s a total scene-stealer. It’s the kind of performance that reminds you he isn't just a "stately, dignified" actor. He’s got serious comedic timing.
Then there’s This Way Up, where he plays Richard, a grieving father who strikes up a complicated, dryly funny relationship with his son’s teacher. It’s subtle work. No costumes, no accents, just a guy trying to navigate a "normal" life after a tragedy.
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If you want to see him lead a project, look no further than the 2024 Apple TV+ series Manhunt. He plays Edwin Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War who led the search for John Wilkes Booth. Unlike the rigid constraints of playing a modern royal, Menzies said he felt he had "more licence" to create Stanton. He portrayed him as a man of immense moral purpose and "obsessive" drive. It’s a cat-and-mouse thriller that finally puts him front and center as the protagonist.
Why Critics Can't Stop Talking About Him
Experts and critics often point to his "Resting Villain Face" as both a blessing and a curse. His sharp features give him an immediate gravitas, which is why he’s constantly cast as lieutenants, doctors, or counts. But the real magic is how he softens that face.
In the 2023 film You Hurt My Feelings, he stars opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus. He plays a husband who is "disgustingly perfect" until his wife overhears him being honest about her book. It’s a tiny, domestic drama, yet he treats it with the same intensity he’d give a Shakespearean tragedy.
He doesn't just show up and say lines. He "drags a lot of himself" into the roles. He once mentioned in an interview with Interview Magazine that he likes dark material because it’s harder for the audience to discount the character—they have to engage. Whether it's the "alchemical" weariness of an aging prince or the cold calculation of a Lycan villain in Underworld: Blood Wars, the commitment is always at 100 percent.
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The Future: What’s Next for Tobias Menzies?
Looking ahead, Menzies isn't slowing down. He’s been busy filming the high-octane F1 movie F1 (originally titled Apex) alongside Brad Pitt. Produced by Lewis Hamilton, this is a massive shift from the quiet halls of Buckingham Palace. He plays an investor in the racing team, and they’ve been shooting "guerrilla-style" at actual Grands Prix like Silverstone and Monza.
He’s also taking the lead in A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower and a project titled Nobody Listens Anymore.
If you’re looking to dive into his filmography, don’t just stick to the hits.
- Start with Outlander Season 1. Watch how he switches between the two Randalls. It’s jarring in the best way.
- Move to The Crown Season 3. Specifically the "Moondust" episode.
- Binge Manhunt. It’s probably his most definitive "lead" role to date.
- Find the weird stuff. Watch his guest spot in Black Mirror (The Waldo Moment) or his stint as a voice actor in Star Wars Rebels (Tiber Saxon).
The real joy of following tobias menzies movies and tv shows is seeing an actor who is clearly in it for the craft, not the fame. He famously said he likes to "watch the world and not have the world watch me." Lucky for us, as long as he keeps picking these complex, "contradictory" characters, we won't be able to look away.
Check out Manhunt on Apple TV+ if you want to see him at his most "unorthodox detective" best, or revisit The Terror for a dose of historical dread that feels eerily relevant to his career-long fascination with flawed men trying to be decent.