'Enola Holmes': Meet Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter and rest of the cast of Netflix film on Sherlock's sister
There has always been feminist speculation around the idea of Shakespeare's sister — would she have had the same opportunities her brother had and would she have achieved the same degree of popularity even if she had been as brilliant a wordsmith as him?
Author Nancy Springer, who wrote the popular 'The Enola Holmes Mysteries' young adult series, centers this speculation around the fictional sister of the fictional detective Sherlock Homles. Springer grew up on the Conan Doyle canon, but was dismayed by what she perceived as a misogynistic view towards women in the stories. So she decided to create a female foil to the famous detective in the form of a late-born teenage sister, Enola.
While we have had female detectives, the "Sherlock Holmes' sister" trope explores how the 'genius gene', canonically restricted to Sherlock and Mycroft, would present itself in a female.
In BBC's smash hit 'Sherlock', the famous detective's sister was portrayed as someone, who though more brilliant than her brothers, was also extremely dangerous. This is why 16-year-old Enola Holmes (aged up for the TV series), who rebels against her brothers' decision to send her to boarding school and instead sets out to solve the mystery of her missing mother, is a far better 'role model' material for young girls. In an appropriate casting choice, 'Stranger Things' actor and fan favorite Millie Bobby Brown plays Enola Holmes in the Netflix adaptation of the book series. Learn more about the cast of this Netflix movie.
Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes
As Enola Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown not only makes her debut as the lead in a feature film but also as a first-time producer. Brown is one of the few Hollywood actresses who has had a say in bringing a commercially-oriented, woman-centric story to the screen through her own production company and is certainly the first to do so at the young age of 16, leveraging her 'Stranger Things' fame.
Speaking about the character, she said: "I love the fact that she can be very vulnerable yet even in her deepest despair she’s able to find herself again and fight back." Brown rose to prominence for her role as Eleven in the Netflix series 'Stranger Things', for which she received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Her film debut came in 2019 with the monster film 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters'. She is the youngest person to be featured on the 'Time 100' list and is the youngest person to be appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes
Henry Cavill might be too handsome and well built to play the role of Sherlock Holmes, but he certainly has the cheekbones for it. Cavill plays a younger version of the famous detective who’s just coming into his fame and hasn’t quite developed the legendary emotional detachment he’s famous for. According to the makers of the film, they wanted to explore a more "contemplative Sherlock", rather than the fast-talking version we are so used to, who is "confronted with something in his personal life that challenges him emotionally, not just mentally... a more human Sherlock and one who learns something from his younger sister about caring for other people".
Talking about the film, Cavill said: "This isn’t a Sherlock Holmes movie. This is an Enola Holmes movie. And in this case, he’s (Sherock) actually with another pea in the pod (Enola), if you will, and you see a lot more warmth, kindness, and a humanity to Sherlock." The film sees Sherlock being "bowled over" by Enola's smarts and ultimately going against his older brother, Mycroft, for the first time to say, "I will look after her". Cavill is best known for his portrayal of the DC Comics character 'Superman' in various films as well as Geralt of Rivia in the Netflix series 'The Witcher'. He has also appeared in films like 'Mission: Impossible — Fallout' and 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'
Sam Claflin as Mycroft Holmes
Playing the misogynistic Mycroft Holmes, older brother to both Sherlock and Enola, is Sam Claflin. After their mother goes missing, he decides that Enola (who has been living with her) is best off in a boarding cum finishing school for ladies. Claflin also plays against the typical Mycroft audiences are used to seeing. While he is a "pompous" villain who wants to control Enola, we will also see his insecurity about being the least brilliant Holmes sibling.
Talking about his character Claflin said: "I found Mycroft through discussions with Harry (Bradbeer - the director), and with Consolata, the costume designer, with Millie (Bobby Brown) and Henry (Cavill). Together we pieced together where he fit into the family unit." He added, "As much as he’s been distant from the family home, Mycroft is still kind of the man of the house. He’s very much a man who lives by the book, has lived by the rules, is very ordered, and is practically the opposite of Enola."
Claflin is known for portraying Philip Swift in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides', Finnick Odair in 'The Hunger Games' film franchise, Alex Stewart in 'Love, Rosie', Will Traynor in 'Me Before You' and Oswald Mosley in the 'Peaky Blinders' television series.
Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes
Helena Bonham Carter plays the unconventional Holmes matriarch, Eudoria, who has allowed Enola to live a happy if unconventional life. While most girls her age are learning embroidery and other skills befitting a “proper” young lady, Enola’s education under Eudoria's watch consists of science, cryptology and martial arts. As the Homles siblings' mother, Eudoria appears primarily in flashbacks in Enola’s memory in all but one scene.
"Eudoria is the ultimate missing protagonist," said Bonham Carter about her role in the film. "She’s always had to operate under the radar because she has no power. But she’s determined to create a world where her daughter can have power and freedom. Hence her feminism and hence her support of the suffrage cause. She’s very clever. She’s also the mother to the most famous genius on earth, Sherlock Holmes, so I felt that there should be seeds of him in her – so I insisted that I smoke a pipe and I teach my daughter to watch, to look, to listen and to be aware and know what is going on at all times and use all her deductive thinking. I’m basically teaching her to be utterly independent," she elaborated, explaining the influence her character has on Enola.
Helena Bonham Carter is best known for her collaborations with director Tim Burton, and more recently her portrayal of Princess Margaret in 'The Crown' and as Bellatrix Lestrange in the 'Harry Potter' films. She has been nominated twice for an Academy Award in the acting category for 'The Wings of the Dove' and 'The King's Speech'. For the latter role, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She also won the 2010 International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role as author Enid Blyton in the BBC Four television film 'Enid'. Bonham Carter was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours list for services to drama.
'Enola Holmes' premieres on September 23 on Netflix.