In Eternal Guilt has dominated the Netflix charts since the beginning of the year. But where do we actually know Richard Armitage from? The actor is very familiar with Harlan Coben material
Netflix kicked off the new year with a dark crime thriller: In Eternal Guilt tells the story of Maya Stern, who suddenly discovers her husband Joe on surveillance camera footage. Wait, how can that be? He should actually be lying dead in the ground. Because he was murdered. Now he’s alive again.
The supposedly dead husband is played by Richard Armitage. If you’re wondering where you’ve seen the British actor’s face before, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll tell you where you might recognize Armitage from. Spoiler: He was already seen in two other Harlan Coben adaptations before In Eternal Guilt.
Before In Eternal Debt on Netflix, Richard Armitage experienced epic fantasy adventures in Middle-earth
Armitage has been in front of the camera and on stage since the 1990s. His first major blockbuster: In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, he has an extra role as an unspecified Naboo fighter pilot. He finally came to Middle-earth via films such as Captain America – The First Avenger.
(Richard Armitage in the Hobbit films)
As the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, Armitage played his most notable role to date. He can be seen in all three of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films, from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to The Hobbit: Smaug’s Desolation and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. However, he is most busy not in the movies, but on television.
For over three decades, Armitage has starred in a wide variety of series – as the lead actor, in supporting roles and as a guest star. Worth mentioning are In the sights of MI5, where he appeared as Lucas North for 25 episodes, as well as the six episodes of Hannibal, in which he brought serial killer Francis Dolarhyde to life.
The BBC’s historical adventure Robin Hood is the series to which he has had the longest association to date. From 2006 to 2009, he played Guy of Gisborne for 37 episodes. In recent years, he has set up camp at Netflix, starting with the anime Castlevania, in which he plays the lead role.
Thriller magnate: Richard Armitage now has three exciting Harlan Coben series on Netflix
The two Harlan Coben series that Armitage made before In Eternal Debt were also created at Netflix: I Silence for You (2020) and Who Lies Once (2021). Although all three projects are based on the same author, they are not connected in terms of content. Armitage plays a different character in each series
(Richard Armitage in Who Lies Once)
The big twist: Until now, Armitage has played men who have lost their wives. This time, he’s the man who’s dropped out of the picture … and unexpectedly reappears one day. Although it looks like Armitage is forever booked on the Coben subscription, at least there’s a bit of variance in the choice of roles.
Last but not least, he has done other things at Netflix. In 2023, for example, the four-part erotic thriller Obsession was released. His most outrageous project for the streaming service to date is the adrenaline-packed sci-fi action thriller Space Sweepers, in which he causes fear and terror as the villain.
Read on to find out more: Harlan Coben’s rising series universe at a glance
In Eternal Debt has been streaming on Netflix as a subscription since January 1, 2024. Season 1 comprises a total of eight episodes lasting between 35 and 55 minutes. A continuation of the story with a 2nd season is currently not planned
