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Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Actor · Born August 23, 1977 (49) · Accra, Gold Coast, Ghana

Kobna Kuttah Holdbrook-Smith (born 23 August 1977) is a Ghanaian-English actor. He has played roles in films, including Father Richard Emery in Ghost Stories (2017), Oliver in The Commuter, Templeton Frye in Mary Poppins Returns and Doctor Wren in Gwen (2018). He has portrayed Crispus Allen in the superhero film Justice League (2017), part of the DC Extended Universe. For his performance in Tina in the West End, he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 23, 1977 (49)
From
Accra, Gold Coast, Ghana
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 49 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 41% in 30 days

What are Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
25%
Morality
21%
Power
17%
Bonds
14%
Self
12%
Society
6%
Ideas
4%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 1 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 3 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles
  • Mentoras Dr Wren in Gwen (2018)
  • Shadowas Wizard Lizard in Superworm (2021)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Dread
6
Hopeful
2
Contemplative
2
Joyful
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

49 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page.

  • Narnia: The Magician's Nephew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • The Sheep Detectives(2026)

    as Reverend Hillcoate

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • End of Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as The Caretaker

  • Wolf King(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Master Hogan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • The Gorge(2025)

    as Black Ops Commander

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: Coriolanus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Tullus Aufidius

  • Mr Loverman(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Apartment 7A(2024)

    as BJ

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Veil(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnson

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: The Effect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Dr Toby Sealey

  • Wonka(2023)

    as Officer Affable

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Sumotherhood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Shotti

  • Pretty Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Pastor Paul

  • TAMING A SEAHORSE (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Solomon

  • Twice As Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Dee Dee (Adult)

  • Superworm(2021)

    as Wizard Lizard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Ragdoll(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Joel Shepton

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Red Election(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · as Levi Nichols

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Dreaming Whilst Black(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · as Rudolph

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Zack Snyder's Justice League(2021)

    as Detective Crispus Allen

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • His Dark Materials(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Balthamos

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Mary Poppins Returns(2018)

    as Frye / Weasel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Gwen(2018)

    as Doctor Wren

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Stories(2017)

    as Father Emery

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Commuter(2018)

    as Oliver

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Justice League(2017)

    as Detective Crispus Allen

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Paddington 2(2017)

    as Warden Walker

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Motherland(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Nick

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Strange(2016)

    as Physical Therapist

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Class(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Jasper Adeola

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Roof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as David Lan's Assistant

  • Capital(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mashinko

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Panthers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as James Davis

  • National Theatre Live: Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Laertes

  • The Double(2013)

    as Guard / Doctor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Turks & Caicos(2014)

    as Colin Maitlis

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Father Brown(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Marvin Morris

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: Antigone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Messenger

  • Womack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Dan Tan

  • Rahab (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Mill

  • The Cafe(2011)

    Show 8 episodes · as Jason

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Sirens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ryan Bailey

  • Roadkill(2011)

    as Tommy

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Silk(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul McGovern

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Whites(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Barnaby

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Persuasionists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Zac

  • Mike Bassett: Manager (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · as Carlton Dawes

  • Midsomer Murders(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Rob Mead

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Silent Drift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as John-Michael

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 49 titles, 47 of them dated from 1997 to 2026; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The Sheep Detectives (2026)

$133M worldwide

Highest rated

The Sheep Detectives (2026)

Midcredits 95th

Film career

19972026

Peak 2017 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting49 of 49: 49 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s26 · acting2020s19 · acting

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 16; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Dreaming Whilst Black (2023)

78th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Paddington 2 (2017)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 28 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 54 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.