Benjamin Wainwright

Wainwright trained at the University of Leeds and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His acting career began in 2016 with a role as Young Austin Dickinson in A Quiet Passion, followed by appearances in Holby City, Unforgotten, The Conductor, and Endeavour, where he was credited as Ben Wainwright.

His television work includes Randy in World on Fire, Seb in Pure, Rory in The Split, a tavern visitor in The Sandman, Raphael in Gangs of London, and Gunnery Sgt Boone in Halo. He also played Roy in the short film Your Move and George Atwood Jr. in Tommy's Honour.

In 2024, Wainwright played Frederick Trenchard, the lead role in Julian Fellowes's period drama Belgravia: The Next Chapter. He appeared in all eight episodes of the series and was central to its story of romance, family secrets, and social expectations.

His performance opposite Harriet Slater formed the show's central love story. The role established Wainwright as a leading television actor and preceded his move into the title role of Maigret.

Wainwright plays Chief Inspector Jules Maigret in the contemporary adaptation of Georges Simenon's detective stories for PBS Masterpiece. He secured the role after an audition process involving more than 100 actors. He learned that he had been cast while on holiday in France, shortly after travelling through a hailstorm, and had to reorganize his plans to begin production in London.

Wainwright's French-speaking ability helped him approach the character and contribute to the show's use of authentic French. Writer and director Patrick Harbinson and Reda Elazour, who plays Lapointe, also speak French, and Wainwright said they helped monitor the linguistic details. The series was filmed in Paris and Budapest, with Budapest serving as a double for Paris.

Stefanie Martini plays Louise Maigret, Jules Maigret's wife, and Wainwright described their on-screen relationship as positive and egalitarian. He said the partnership gives the modern adaptation a domestic balance while Maigret investigates crimes and remains sympathetic to both criminals and colleagues.

Wainwright has also worked as a voice actor. He provided the voice of Haleth in the animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and voiced Finlay Hall in the video game CrossfireX.

His earlier voice work includes voice talent for Star Wars: Battlefront II. These roles complement his live-action credits in period drama, crime television, and genre series.

Wainwright has described himself as a Francophile who speaks French. His interest in France began with childhood camping trips in Brittany, boating, and later visits to the mountains for skiing. He has said that this connection helped him feel more comfortable playing the French detective Maigret.

He lives in the countryside, an hour outside London, and enjoys outdoor activities including running, cycling, climbing, skiing, and spending time in the mountains and on the coast. He has climbed Mont Blanc and hopes to complete a week-long ski-mountaineering route through the Alps.