Our next TV obsession has officially landed. Say hello to House of Guinness, the new Netflix show that charts the dynasty behind one of the most infamous brewing houses.
The eight-part series follows siblings Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anne (Emily Fairn), and Ben (Fionn O’Shea) as they experience the highs and lows of inheriting their father's legacy in the 1860s. Starting from the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness in 1868 and his will reading, the show charts a family fallout that gives Succession a run for its money.
Many of the characters in Netflix's House of Guinness are based on real members of the Guinness family, although the show isn't a true retelling of their stories and takes some creative liberties. One of the fictional characters is Sean Rafferty, who is expected to stir up lots of drama on the show...
Who is Sean Rafferty?
Although not directly part of the Guinness clan, Sean Rafferty is the brewery's foreman - and doubles up as their fixer. His role is to help the family maintain a squeaky clean public image. As the show's director Steven Knight says, Rafferty represents 'how modern the story actually is', adding he is 'one of the most extraordinary aspects of this series.'
We can't find anything online about whether Rafferty was a real character or not, with reports describing him as a fictional character added into the Guinness‑story for dramatic purposes. But judging by Knight's comments, we can expect Rafferty to be driving plenty of the drama.
Who plays Sean Rafferty in House of Guinness?
Sean Rafferty is played by James Norton in the show. Norton is no stranger to the small screen, having had starring roles in Happy Valley, Grantchester, War&Peace, Black Mirror and McMafia. He has also appeared in several films, including Greta Gerwig's Little Woman and Nowhere Special.
Speaking to the Guardian, Norton spoke about playing a dark character like Rafferty. 'And it felt great,' he told the outlet. 'Because it taps into that alter ego of who you’d love to be. He’s violent, but he’s romantic, too. There’s a thug in all of us.'
When is House of Guinness on Netflix?
Right now! You can stream all eight episodes of House of Guinness on Netflix from today. You just need a Netflix subscription to watch them.
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.