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If you've dipped your toe into the seductive, dangerous waters of Netflix's new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's famous novel, you, like us, probably went straight to Google to find out who plays Freddie in Ripley.
As fans of the novel and the 1999 cult classic know, Freddie plays a crucial role in the glamorous, deadly saga of Tom Ripley. In the 1999 film, he is played by Philip Seymour Hoffman — his arrival sees him careening a red convertible into an Italian piazza, and, naturally, it's become something of a meme over the years. Seymour-Hoffman's acclaimed turn as Freddie was all machismo and bravado and charm.
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In the new Netflix series, however, newcomer Eliot Sumner brings a welcome understated magnetism to the role, offering up a quieter, calmer, more enigmatic rendering of the pivotal character. Naturally, we all want to know more about him.
Who plays Freddie in Ripley?
Freddie is played by up-and-comer Eliot Sumner.
Although you may not recognise the name, Sumner is the child of music legend Sting (aka Gordon Sumner). Yes, Sumner is technically our latest nepo baby.
Eliot Sumner got their star as a child actor
Sumner has appeared in a number of films over the years. Their first, 2001's Me Without You, saw Sumner playing the child of Anna Friel and Michelle Williams. They've also appeared in Stardust, No Time to Die and Infinite Storm.
Eliot Sumner has released two studio albums
Music clearly runs in the family — Sumner released the pop-reggae The Constant in 2010 and the synth-infused, brooding Information in 2014.
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Eliot Sumner is non-binary
In 2015, Sumner explained to the Evening Standard that they identify as non-binary. “I think forever I was trying to figure out maybe… what I am. But I don’t think anyone should feel pressured to have any kind of label or tag on them,” they said. “We should treat everybody the same… Me, I don’t like to be put down to a specific thing. We’re all human beings.”
They added that they're not planning on transitioning. “I’m very happy the way that I am. Yeah. I don’t see any need for change,” they said, adding that they were pleased to see trans issues being discussed in mainstream media. “Um, but no, we’re living in really good times now," they said. "So many more people finally can breathe because they can actually talk about their issues.”
Freddie is Eliot Sumner's second big role
Sumner may seem all quiet confidence on-screen, but in reality, stepping onto the Netflix set was daunting. “This was my second big acting job, and Andrew [Scott] has obviously been doing this for a really long time," said Sumner to Netflix's Tudum. "It takes me a minute to get comfortable with people because I’m quite a shy person.”
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Prior to Ripley, Sumner had appeared as Laura Pressfield, the troubled daughter of aristocratic parents, in Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen.
Eliot Sumner has met “thousands” of Freddies in real life
Sumner next expected to land the role of Freddie. In fact, when Sumner first got the audition, they ended up putting their own spin on the character, transforming him from the brash American Seymour-Hoffman portrayed in the film into a quieter, perhaps more sinister character. As Sumner recalled, the audition sides “said he was a loud American and I decided to make him a very observant, arrogant English person and see how that went." They added, "I really thought, it’s very nice of them to give me a shot, but I wasn’t going to get it.”
Even though Sumner ended up delivering a very different Freddie, there was something about the character that resonated with the young actor.
“Freddie is this posh boarding school guy living abroad who’s unapologetically well off, and most of all he’s everything Tom Ripley hates,” Sumner said. “I found that very, very fun to play.” They added that they based the character on the “thousands of Freddies [they've] come across” in real life.
