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Six Michael Sheen Films & Series You Can Stream Right Now

We might all associate him with Amazon Prime’s Good Omens now, but Welsh actor Michael Christopher Sheen found his start in theatre, getting his first stage role before he’d even graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After being nominated for four Olivier Awards, he made the move into screen acting pretty smoothly in the 2000s, starring in a trio of movies where he portrayed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair: The Deal, The Queen, and Special Relationship.

He was nominated for several awards for those roles, but he became more widely known when he appeared in two fantasy franchises, Underworld and The Twilight Saga. From there, his star only continued to rise.

From Good Omens to good causes — Sheen is a rare breed in the celebrity world. Last year he described himself as a “not-for-profit actor,” a personal vow he came to after selling his own homes to fund the 2019 Homeless World Cup. He has pledged to carry on using the money he earns from acting to fund more charity projects.

Since the mid-2000s, Sheen has also done a lot of TV work, appearing in several popular series — one of the most well-known of which is his memorable turn as the angel Aziraphale in Good Omens, the Amazon Prime adaptation of the Neil Gaiman book of the same name. Season 2 is due to delight us later this year. Luckily, Sheen’s impressive career history has resulted in plenty of content to help fill the void until it airs, including several projects that are available on streaming services around the world.

Here are six shows you can stream right now to get your Michael Sheen fix.

Prodigal Son – HBO Max

Phil Caruso/FOX

If watching Sheen play an angel in Good Omens impressed you but you’d like to see more of his range, there can’t be a better recommendation than Prodigal Son. The series centers around FBI profiler Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne), the son of infamous serial killer Martin Whitly — played by Sheen. The pair haven’t seen each other since Malcolm was responsible for his father’s arrest ten years ago, but as the series begins Malcolm is forced to confront the past in order to use Whitly’s insights when a copycat serial killer emerges.  

You can stream Prodigal Son now on HBO Max.

Staged – Amazon Prime

Hulu

One of the best parts of Good Omens is watching Sheen interact with costar David Tennant. If you loved the two of them sharing the screen, you simply have to watch Staged. The comedy drama stars Sheen and Tennant as two actors whose West End play has been put on hold due to COVID-19, but whose director has persuaded them to carry on rehearsing online. The show is primarily filmed using video-conferencing technology, and Sheen and Tennant play fictionalized versions of themselves alongside their real-life significant others. Staged is unique in its format and premise, and also never fails to be funny—critics loved it, and you probably will too!

You can stream Staged now on Prime Video.

Masters of Sex – Amazon

Showtime

Sheen stars as Dr. William Masters in Masters of Sex, a pioneer of the science of human sexuality. Set in the 1950s through to the late 1960s, the critically acclaimed show also stars Lizzy Caplan as Sheen’s co-researcher Virginia Johnson. Masters is a brilliant scientist, but also kind of a jerk who is totally out of touch with his own feelings. Sheen portrays him amazingly well, with a level of nuance that does the great writing of this series justice. There are four complete seasons of this one to binge, so dig in and enjoy!

You can stream Masters of Sex now on Prime Video.

The Good Fight – Paramount+

Paramount+

Legal drama The Good Fight is a standalone spinoff to The Good Wife, produced by CBS. It has five seasons already with a sixth on the way, so there’s a lot of content here! Sheen has a recurring role in season 3, as Roland Blum, an attorney working on a murder trial. Sheen described him as “devilish,” saying “he wants to eat and disrupt and fuck, and poke people.” Definitely a different flavor than the angelic Aziraphale, but a lot of fun to watch!

You can stream The Good Fight now on Paramount+.

Underworld – HBO Max

Sony Pictures Entertainment

If you don’t have time to plunge into multiple series but want to get a dose of Sheen, there’s no better way than to revisit one of his movie franchises. In Underworld and Underworld: Rise of Lycans, Sheen plays Lucien, a half-human, half-werewolf slave, and defender of the empire. Fast paced and gory, the Underworld movies are the kind of pulpy, punkish cinema that critics love to pan but audiences often gobble up.  

You can stream Underworld and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans now on HBO Max.

Twilight – Peacock

Summit Entertainment

Arguably one of Sheen’s most famous movie roles was as the vampire Aro in The Twilight Saga. Convinced to take the role by his daughter Lily, Sheen is a delight to watch as the quirky, creepy Volturi. Whether you’re a fan of Edward and Bella or not, Aro is well worth a watch—his maniacal cackle in Breaking Dawn: Part 2 particularly. His hysterical and somewhat evil joy at finding something that breaks the boredom of the centuries is forever seared into the cultural consciousness, and it became something of a meme when the movie aired.

You can watch Twilight now on Peacock.

Upcoming Projects

Upcoming projects for Sheen include Heart of Darkness and Best Interests, both expected to release in 2023, and of course the second season of Good Omens. While there’s no confirmed release date for the season yet, keep an eye on Nerds and Beyond for the latest updates!

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