IN CONVERSATION WITH HOLLY CATTLE

interview by JANA LETONJA

British actress Holly Cattle is gearing up for a career-defining 2026, stepping into two of the year’s most anticipated series. First, she stars in Young Sherlock for Amazon Prime Video and Guy Ritchie, in a role shrouded in secrecy and anchored by a major twist that reshapes the season’s final act. Later in the year, she joins the cast of Disney’s hit drama Rivals for its second season, solidifying her status as one of the UK’s most exciting rising talents. Best known for her standout turn as Ellie Sutherland in Sky’s COBRA, Holly brings a powerful blend of classical theatre training, emotional nuance, and screen presence to every project she takes on. 

Young Sherlock is one of 2026’s most anticipated releases, and your role comes with a major reveal. What drew you to this character when you first read the script?

When I read the script, Beatrice intimidated me. She’s a ferociously intelligent woman who will do anything at the expense of anyone to ensure she not only survives, but thrives. She commands any space she enters and through terrifying tactics of manipulation and mimicry she ends up with every character wrapped around her finger. I could never predict her next move. All I could think reading the script was “How cool is this? How often do we see women written like this?”. So yeah, I jumped at the chance. Matthew, our incredible show runner and writer, would often give me one note on set, “More badass”. And that’s Bea for you. 

Without giving away spoilers, what can you tease about the “twist” that reframes who your character really is?

All I’ll say is it’ll have you floored. Once the truth comes out, the whole chessboard flips, and you’ll want to go back and rewatch everything.

The series reimagines Sherlock as a 19-year-old navigating his first major case. How does your character challenge or influence his early evolution?

Sherlock meets my character while she’s disguised as someone else so their entire dynamic is rooted in deceit. It’s really compelling watching two characters circle each other, one known for perception and the other for deception. That’s a dance that can only end in tears. She’s tied to a part of his past he’s tried desperately to bury. Once that door is opened, they’re linked forever and Sherlock can’t go back to who he was, or the world he thought he knew. 

Guy Ritchie has a distinct visual and storytelling style. What was it like working under his direction?

Brilliant. Guy’s sets are high pressure, high octane. You’re totally kept on your toes with new pages of dialogue coming in seconds before he calls “action”. While that’s scary on day one, by the end of the shoot you can see how it transforms everyone’s performances. The work has this lightness and energy, that tonally he’s famous for. He knows exactly what he wants, and that makes it really easy for us actors to jump off the cliff and trust the result. It’s pretty cool. 

Did the secrecy around your role change the energy on set or the way you interacted with the cast?

The secrecy didn’t create any tension, just camaraderie and some “hot potato energy”. We’d work through a scene, and then sometimes have to revisit it with spoiler knowledge in hand, making sure all the beats landed perfectly. 

You’re currently also filming Season 2 of Rivals, another major global series. What excites you most about joining an already beloved ensemble?

Rivals is such an adored show, so joining it feels like a real privilege. I can’t pick one thing. The cast is incredible and everyone welcomed the S2 newbies with open arms, with many pints and a gorgeously chaotic group chat. It’s a totally different genre and period to anything I’ve worked on before, and diving into 1980s Britain has been nothing short of wild. No days are without laughter on Rivals and the script is the gift that keeps giving. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve made. 

How does the world of Rivals differ tonally or creatively from Young Sherlock, and what does that allow you to explore as an actor?

Although there’s about a century separating both of these shows, they both function through a very stylised, but very contrasting, lens. As an actor, that’s such an informative tool in character prep. It’s meant I’ve had a very clear vision for both my characters, how they move through their worlds and navigate their relationships. That said, one’s a thriller and one’s a comedy drama. So, I’ve had to flex very different sets of muscles for each!

What can you tease about the second season of Rivals?

We had a sneak peek at the wrap party, and I can safely say the baddies are badder, the hotties are hotter, and no one comes out unscathed. And don’t watch it with a hot drink, you’ll spill it laughing. 

You have deep theatre roots. How does your stage training inform your work on screen?

I love that I started in theatre, it’s taught me so much, but above all, it’s given me a community I keep returning to. My first job was Force Majeure at the Donmar Warehouse, and I still see that cast regularly. My theatre training was pretty methodical, particularly at Drama Centre, which is known for its rigorous Stanislavski process. On screen, you don’t always get the luxury of rehearsal, so I’ve found at times I’ve had to let go of some of that training and approach the work with a lighter touch than I might on stage. That said, both practices are always rooted in finding the truth.

Looking back at your trajectory from drama school to premium streaming projects, what feels like the biggest turning point so far?

Honestly, it feels like a combination of things, I couldn’t pick one single moment. As actors, we build on every job we do, and every day is still a school day. You take what you’ve learned from the last role into the next, and so on. It’s an ongoing process. That said, getting a leading role in a Guy Ritchie series was pretty epic.  

What kinds of characters or stories do you feel most drawn to at this point in your career?

I’ve been really lucky to play complex, outspoken characters who often seem to be at the heart of the story's chaos. I'd happily do more of that. But I’m always hungry for roles that push me to take risks, switch gears, and stretch myself creatively.

TEAM CREDITS

talent HOLLY CATTLE
photography DAVID REISS
styling GIULIO VENTISEI
hair SOPHIE SUGARMAN
makeup MIN SANDHU
interview JANA LETONJA
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA