Hero Fiennes Tiffin has become a household name thanks to his role as Hardin Scott in the After film franchise, where he captivated audiences with his brooding intensity and magnetic screen presence. But long before the fame, red carpets, and legions of fans, there was a moment — a single performance on television — that planted the seed for his acting career.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin was born into a family steeped in cinematic tradition. As the nephew of actors Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, The English Patient) and Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale, Shakespeare in Love), it would seem acting was in his blood. But Hero insists his journey into the craft wasn’t automatic.
“ I grew up around it, sure,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean I knew I wanted to act from day one. I was a quiet kid, more interested in football than anything else.”ent,” Hero reveals. “I watched Bryan Cranston as Walter White, and I was just… blown away. I’d never seen a character go from one extreme to another so naturally. He was this nerdy teacher, and then he became terrifying — but still human. I couldn’t look away.” Hero credits Breaking Bad not just as great television, but as a masterclass in performance. “It made me realize that acting wasn’t about pretending. It was about becoming. Cranston didn’t act like Walter White — he was Walter White.”
“It was the transformation,” he says. “Watching someone evolve in front of your eyes, but in a way that still made sense — that’s powerful storytelling. I remember thinking, ‘If I ever got the chance, I’d want to play a role like that.’ Something layered. Something challenging.” Hero adds that it wasn’t just about the intensity or the danger. “Even in his worst moments, you understood Walter. You didn’t always agree with him, but you felt him. That’s what great acting does — it makes you feel things you didn’t expect to feel.”
Inspired by what he saw, Hero began to look at acting differently. He started participating in school plays and took drama classes. Though naturally shy, he found that acting gave him a sense of confidence and control that surprised even him. “I wasn’t the loudest in the room,” he admits. “But when I stepped into a character, I felt seen. I could express things I didn’t know how to say in real life.”
His early talent didn’t go unnoticed. At the age of 11, he landed a small but memorable role as young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince — coincidentally, playing the younger version of the character his uncle Ralph Fiennes portrayed. “That was surreal,” Hero says. “To be part of something that iconic at that age — it showed me how massive this industry can be. And it made me want it even more.”
Fast forward a few years, and Hero’s breakout moment came with After, where he took on the emotionally turbulent role of Hardin Scott. For many fans, the character became synonymous with Hero himself — but for the actor, it was a role that allowed him to dive into the same emotional complexity that had first drawn him to Breaking Bad.
“Hardin’s not a villain, and he’s not a hero,” Hero explains. “He’s flawed, passionate, wounded. And that’s what made him interesting to me. That’s the kind of character I want to keep playing — ones who feel real, who live in the grey areas.” While Bryan Cranston may have lit the spark, Hero says he’s continued to study other great actors who bring nuance and humanity to their performances — people like Gary Oldman, Joaquin Phoenix, and yes, his own uncle.
“I’ve learned that the best performances aren’t always the loudest,” he says. “Sometimes it’s a pause, a glance, a breath. That’s what I picked up from watching Cranston — the power of subtlety.” He also credits his experience working with directors who push him to go deeper. “Good direction makes all the difference. When someone believes in you enough to challenge you, that’s when the magic happens.”
Hero is currently branching out into new genres, with several film and TV projects in development. He’s also exploring producing, hoping to create stories that reflect the kinds of characters and journeys that inspired him as a kid. “I want to tell stories that move people the way Breaking Bad moved me,” he says. “That show made me see the world — and myself — differently. If I can give that to someone else, even once, then I’ve done my job.”
