Kin Is Charlie Cox’s Best TV Role

Charlie Cox’s role as Matt Murdoch in Daredevil has propelled him to A-list status. However, it’s not his appearance in the near-perfect Marvel series that is the highlight of his career, despite being brilliant and excellent in the show. The actor exquistely captures the hero’s need to do good and balances that with effortless-looking action sequences that stand out in the crowded genre.

However, Cox’s 2021 series, Kin, is the role that truly represents his range as an actor. Where Daredevil made him famous, Kin demonstrated a deeper and more complex portrayal of his acting ability. In the Irish crime drama, Cox plays Michael Kinsella, a man whose release from prison inspires him to live a better life.

Daredevil has a clear vision of who its lead character is: he is a hero who puts getting the bad guys first. In Kin, however, one cannot say that Cox’s Kinsella is good. Instead, Kinsella is a man whose family business has given him an ambiguity about his moral leanings. Due to the ambiguous nature of Cox’s character in Kin, the actor had far more room to stretch his muscles. He often seamlessly moves from restraint to anger in a way that is not only brilliant but a joy to watch.

Although overstated acting has its place in certain movies and TV shows, the main reason Kin is Cox’s best role is because of how he depicts his character’s internal conflict. Everything, from eye contact to emotionally heightened scenes, has an underlying message. Kinsella, essentially, feels and acts like a real person. He is shaped by trauma and family obligations as opposed to doing what he knows deep down is right.

Kinsella isn’t a hero who is guided by a strict moral code, but a man who is caught between a rock and a hard place, whose decisions are weighted and feel like they will define him for the rest of his life.

Charlie Cox Has So Many Overlooked Movie & TV Roles

While many recognize Charlie Cox from his role in Daredevil, the actor has several credits that are often overlooked. While Matt Murdoch put Cox firmly on the map as one of the greatest actors of recent years, the character has also overshadowed some of his best work. Unfortunately, not all of the actor’s projects have become mainstream successes, and oftentimes, he’s been part of movies and TV shows with more familiar faces. However, that in no way diminishes his range or how he has mastered his craft.

In 2007, Cox played the lead role in Stardust, a fantasy film adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novel. In it, Cox’s Tristan Thorn is a young man and hopeless romantic working to win the affection of the beautiful and well-sought-after Victoria (Sienna Miller). As the leading man, Cox’s charm, warmth, and energy carry the whole movie. The actor perfectly captured Tristan’s growth, from a naive young man to one who understands what true love is.

Steve Buscemi undoubtedly stole the show in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, but Cox, who portrayed Owen Sleater, a conflicted IRA enforcer, delivered a layered and emotionally complex performance that, while often forgotten, stands out as one of the actor’s best performances. With such a recognizable cast, it was far too easy for Cox to fade into the background, but the quiet intensity he brings to Owen proves that his range goes beyond playing a superhero.

Charlie Cox’s career is still growing, but movies and TV shows like Kin have gone a long way in showing how talented the actor is. There is no denying that Daredevil will always be among his best roles, but that’s not to say that his other projects don’t deserve the same level of acclaim.

Release Date

2021 – 2023-00-00

Network

RTÉ One

Directors

Felix Thompson, Tessa Hoffe, Diarmuid Goggins, Joseph Lawlor, Christine Molloy

Writers

Ciaran Donnelly

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  Aidan Gillen

  Frank Kinsella

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  David Herlihy

  Detective Paul Breslin

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  Danielle Galligan

  Pharmacist Molly