Charles Brandon

Charles Brandon is the king's closest friend, a dashing soldier and jouster who moves through the Tudor court with easy charm and a wandering eye. Handsome, loyal, and hungry for advancement, he trades on his friendship with Henry VIII to climb, chasing glory, women, and royal favor in equal measure.

Cavill plays Brandon with a swagger that makes his ambition feel like appetite rather than calculation, all physical confidence and quick smiles. The part gives him access to court intrigue without the crown's burdens, and Cavill uses that freedom to make Brandon the most purely enjoyable presence in a court built on anxiety.