The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar cast guide: Who plays who in the Netflix short film?

Netflix doesn’t release short films often, but when it does, they’re almost always hits. We’re seeing this happen now with Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. It has a runtime of only 39 minutes, and every minute of the movie will keep you thoroughly entertained.

Roald Dahl was a bestselling British author of many popular short stories and children’s novels. Some of his best work includes the children’s books Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr Fox. His short story collections The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More and Tales of the Unexpected are also excellent material that we recommend reading.

Over the years, we’ve seen many of Dahl’s books and short stories being turned into TV shows and films. With Netflix acquiring Dahl’s entire catalog, we can expect to see many more adaptations. The streamer’s most recent adaptations of Dahl’s work are the short films The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison.

But The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the Netflix movie everyone’s currently raving about, and we’re not surprised because you have Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker Wes Anderson behind it and an incredible star-studded cast bringing it to life. Honestly, what more could you ask for?

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar cast guide

Remember when we said this film has a wonderful cast? Well, we weren’t lying because wait until you learn who stars in the leading roles.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Henry Sugar/Max Engelman

I’m pretty sure you already know of Benedict Cumberbatch. He’s an Emmy Award-winning actor who has been nominated for many other prestigious awards. He plays the roles of Henry Sugar and Max Engelman in the new Netflix short film.

Sugar is a 41-year-old wealthy man who has an urge to make himself richer. That’s why when he learns of a guru who can see without using his eyes, he sets out on a mission to master this impressive skill to cheat at gambling. Cumberbatch’s other character, Max Engelman, is a famous makeup artist.

• Where have you seen him before? Sherlock, Patrick Melrose, The Imitation Game, The Power of the Dog, 12 Years a Slave, The Hobbit film series, Doctor Strange film series

Sir Ben Kingsley as Imdad Khan/The Croupier

Academy Award-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley plays the roles of Imdad Khan and The Croupier in the movie. Khan is a mysterious man who works in a traveling theater. He learned how to see without using his eyes through extensive training with a guru. Kingsley’s other character is a casino croupier.

• Where have you seen him before? Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story, Joseph, Anne Frank: The Whole Story, Mrs. Harris, Gandhi,  Schindler’s List, Shutter Island, Hugo, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Here are the names of the other actors in the movie and the characters they play:

• Ralph Fiennes as Roald Dahl and The Policeman
• Dev Patel as Dr. Chatterjee and John Winston
• Richard Ayoade as Dr. Marshall and Yogi

See the cast in action in the official trailer below!

Be sure to check out The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, streaming now only on Netflix.