As a scion of one of Britain's most distinguished acting dynasties, you might assume Hero Fiennes-Tiffin would wear his famous surname with unbridled pride. Yet, in a remarkably candid revelation, the 28-year-old actor has confessed to spending years feeling deeply embarrassed by his illustrious heritage and yearning for a more ordinary upbringing.
From Embarrassment to Acceptance
Posing for the cover of Tatler's March issue, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin spoke openly about the complex emotions surrounding his lineage. He is the nephew of acclaimed stars Ralph and Joseph Fiennes, with his mother, Martha, working as a director and his father, George, as a cinematographer. Surrounded by film industry professionals from birth, Hero admitted he actively tried to avoid the "eccentric" side of his family's world for much of his youth.
"I used to be so embarrassed of that," he said of his famous roots. "Maybe I still am a tiny bit. Hero Beauregard Faulkner Fiennes Tiffin is a lot. I mean, even Hero's a lot. My brother and I used to say, 'What's wrong with John and Mark? What's the next kid going to be called, Batman?'"
He revealed a long-held desire for normality, stating, "As I get older, I appreciate it more, but when I was younger, I think I just wanted to be more normal. Now I feel nothing but pride."
A Frank Admission on Nepotism
In a refreshing departure from many celebrities who bristle at the label, Hero directly addressed the 'nepo-baby' discourse. He acknowledged that his entry into acting was undeniably facilitated by his family's standing, calling the term 'nepotism' entirely appropriate.
"I don't feel any sense of it getting my back up. I think it's so fair," he stated. "I would never be an actor if it wasn't for my family being in the industry and I'm extremely lucky that they were, and nepotism is the appropriate word for why I do what I do."
He added a note of gratitude, saying, "If someone told me that I don't deserve it, then I definitely would defend myself. But no, I'm so lucky to have had the opportunities."
From Young Voldemort to Young Sherlock
Hero's career began with a surprising cinematic connection. He played a young Tom Riddle, later known as Lord Voldemort, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince—a role famously portrayed by his uncle Ralph Fiennes in the series' later films. Reflecting on landing that part, he shared his initial disbelief: "I was a bit like, 'I'm not going to get it, Mum. There's loads of people, like real actors, who practise acting and they're more likely to get the role.'"
Now, he is poised for his most significant role yet: starring as a young Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's new Prime Video series, Young Sherlock, based on the novels by Arthur Conan Doyle. This project is set to catapult him to a much wider audience.
Weighing Fame and Anonymity
With greater prominence comes the potential loss of privacy, a trade-off Hero contemplates with clear-eyed realism. He expressed a fondness for his current anonymity and simple pleasures.
"I never wanted to be famous, and my comforts are quite reliant on anonymity and staying local to where I’m from and being able to go into my local pub," he explained. "It really would be quite sad not to be able to do those things as much or as easily without being recognised."
However, he views the professional reward as worth the potential personal cost, concluding, "If that does happen and it’s harder for me to walk around, then so be it. I’ve played Sherlock Holmes for Guy Ritchie. It was worth it."
The full interview is featured in the March issue of Tatler, available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday, February 5th.
