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Lucian Msamati

Lucian Msamati

Actor · Born March 5, 1976 (50) · London, England, UK

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · BAFTA Award nominee

Lucian Gabriel Wiina Msamati (born 5 March 1976) is an British-Tanzanian actor, writer, director and producer . His notable screen roles include Salladhor Saan in the HBO series Game of Thrones, J.L.B. Matekoni in the BBC/HBO adaptation of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, David Runihura in the Netflix/BBC thriller Black Earth Rising, Ed Dumani in the Sky/AMC series Gangs of London and Cardinal Adeyemi in Conclave. He is also known for his work in theatre and radio.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 5, 1976 (50)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 138% in 30 days

What are Lucian Msamati's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
25%
Morality
21%
Bonds
17%
Survival
15%
Power
12%
Society
9%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 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 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 5 · Intense 0

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

Steady 2 · 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 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 1 · 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 1 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 6
Mentor
2 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
6
Contemplative
5
Dread
4
Hopeful
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Bittersweet8
  • Ambiguous3

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 Lucian Msamati's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lucian Msamati'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

41 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Run Away(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · as Cornelius Faber

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Hostage(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · as Kofi Adomako

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Conclave(2024)

    as Adeyemi

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

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

    as John Harms

  • Breaking Point(2023)

    as Martin

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Best Interests(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Derek

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Chemistry of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · as Henry Maitland

  • See How They Run(2022)

    as Max Mallowan

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Score(2021)

    as The Photographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Slow Horses(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Oliver Nash

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Friar Laurence

  • Zog and the Flying Doctors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Lion (voice)

  • The Bike Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Victor

  • This Fortress Built By Nature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Alan Bennett's Talking Heads(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Wilfred

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Gangs of London(2020)

    Show 25 episodes · as Ed Dumani

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: 'Master Harold'... and the boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Sam

  • The Good Liar(2019)

    as Beni

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • His Dark Materials(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · as John Faa

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Black Earth Rising(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as David Runihura

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • National Treasure: Kiri(2018)

    Show 4 episodes · as Tobi Akindele

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Electric Dreams(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: Amadeus(2017)

    as Antonio Salieri

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Urban Myths (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Herbert Muhammed

  • Taboo(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as George Chichester

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • RSC Live: Othello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Iago

  • The Hollow Crown(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Bishop of Carlisle

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • National Theatre Live: The Comedy of Errors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Dromio of Syracuse

  • Death in Paradise(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Johnson

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Game of Thrones(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Salladhor Saan

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Luther(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ken Barnaby

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • 10 Minute Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Flirty Orderly

  • The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency(2008)

    Show 6 episodes · as JLB Matekoni

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The International(2009)

    as General Charles Motomba

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Ashes to Ashes(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Tobias Ndbele

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Guido

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Legend of the Sky Kingdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Italiano (voice)

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Manu Buffong

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Horizon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator

  • A Blue Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Found (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 41 titles, 39 of them dated from 1964 to 2026; peak year 2024.

Biggest box office

Conclave (2024)

$128M worldwide

Highest rated

National Theatre Live: Amadeus (2017)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Gangs of London (2020)

Film career

19642026

Peak 2024 · at the high point of their film career. 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
Acting41 of 41: 41 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score83rd

By decade

1960s1 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s15 · acting2020s16 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 5 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.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award from 2 major nominations, 2019–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  2. 2019
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Lucian Msamati's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 7; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

Breaking Point (2023)

81st percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Game of Thrones (2011)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 80/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 59. 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 Lucian Msamati's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 73 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 57 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 60 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

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

Who does Lucian Msamati work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lucian Msamati's MovieCove titles; Sarah Lancashire shares the most, 2.