The 26-year-old English actor is probably best known for playing vampire Marcus Whitmore in last year’s A Discovery of Witches and Maeve Wiley’s brother, Sean, in Netflix’s Sex Education. But you also may have seen him pop-up in Holby City and The Crown.
As of tonight Bluemel will also be known as a star of the acclaimed Killing Eve in its much-anticipated second series. He plays Hugo, and according to all sources - including this series 2 promo - he’s an infuriating innuendo-spouting character we’ll love to hate.
The sly and crafty Hugo is an intern at MI6 a weird reminder that yes, spy agencies have interns too. He’s the well-connected sort, Eton- and Oxford-educated, ambitious and not above manipulating people to get his way. Of the character’s relationships with the rest of MI6, Bluemel told the BBC there’s a difference between Hugo’s attitude to Sandra Oh’s Eve and his attitude to Fiona Shaw’s Carolyn: “To Carolyn, Hugo’s just a clever intern but to Eve, he’s a potential threat to her position.”
Bluemel was born in Somerset to two science teachers and got his acting chops at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and on stage. He currently lives in South London with his actor friends. Bluemel says acting alongside Killing Eve’s stellar and experienced cast has been a great learning experience, telling The Gentleman’s Journal “I relish the intimidation. Because, if you see how comfortable older actors are, you can use that as inspiration. There’s nothing wrong with being intimidated. That’s how you learn.”
Killing Eve has definitely raised Bluemel’s profile making him an actor to watch. Look out for him in How To Build A Girl, a comedy based on Caitlin Moran’s semi-autobiographical novel, with a glittering cast including Emma Thompson, Chris O’Dowd, Jameela Jamil and Frank Dillane.
READ MORE: Killing Eve: 11 Killer Filming Locations You Can Visit IRL
Killing Eve: Killer Filming Locations You Can Visit IRL
1 of 11Place Vendôme, France
Paris' Place Vendôme is where we witness Villanelle confront her handler Konstantin, but more importantly, where she debuts her infamous Molly Goddard pink dress. This bold dress is incredibly striking against the peaceful French backdrop.
2 of 11Hornsey Town Hall, England
Crouch End's Hornsey Town Hall, which boasts a 1930s modernist style, was used during filming to create the lobby, restaurant, bar, hotel corridor and hotel rooms that make up Hotel Atlasov, the place in which Eve and her manager Carolyn stay while chasing Villanelle.
3 of 11Bode Museum, Germany
A lot of street scenes were filmed in Berlin, and especially around Bode Museum. In the plot, Villanelle lures Eve to Berlin after committing another murder, so a lot of action takes place in this edgy city.
4 of 11Cafe Garibaldi, Italy
Remember the opening scene of Killing Eve, where we see Villanelle eating an ice cream while pulling faces at a little girl on another table? That was shot at Cafe Garibaldi in Colle di Val d'Elsa, Tuscany. The credits on the show state that this scene takes place in Vienna, but this isn't actually the case.
5 of 11Reading Gaol, England
Some Killing Eve scenes were filmed against the interior inside Reading Gaol, which is a disused prison that opened in 1844 and was a working prison until 2013. You can't actually visit this prison, but it is occasionally open to the public when events are hosted.
6 of 11Mildmay Club, England
The Mildmay Club in Stoke Newington is where we watch Eve meet her husband in the Mildmay Club, where he teaches cards. The working mens' club boasts vintage wood-panels and was the perfect backdrop for the hit TV show.
7 of 11Old Nick's Pub, England
Old Nick's Pub in Sandland Street is where we see Eve get together for a drink with her colleagues Bill, Elena and Frank. After all, it wouldn't be a London-based location without the inclusion of a good old pub!
8 of 11Turville, England
An English atmosphere is provided by the beautiful village of Turville in Buckinghamshire, where Villanelle tries to track down Frank.
9 of 11Friedrichstrasse Station, Germany
The busy Friedrichstrasse Station in Berlin makes a debut in episode 3 of Killing Eve, when Villanelle lures Bill out of the station, before entering the nightclub where she attacks him.
10 of 11Fabric Nightclub, England
The gripping and bloody scene where Bill follows Villanelle into a club was filmed in none other than Fabric nightclub in London. In the episode, we're led to believe that this takes place in a club in Berlin, but alas, it's really London!
11 of 11Romanian Athenaeum, Romania
Infamous neoclassical concert hall Romanian Athenaeum in Romania was converted into a decadent cafe for a scene in the series. Romania was frequently used for scenes that were made to look like they were set in Russia.