Why Johnny Warren From War Looks So Familiar

In HBO's cutthroat legal series "War" — which focuses on the messy divorce of tech billionaire Morgan Henderson (Dominic West) and Hollywood starlet Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) — the scene-stealing Archie Renaux plays Jonathan "Johnny" Warren, an ambitious, up-and-coming London attorney who finds himself acting as a double agent between two prestigious law firms attached to the high-profile case.

Renaux's no stranger to playing the heartthrob. Before stepping into the courtroom, he made guest appearances in shows like "Hanna" and "Gold Digger," but audiences are more likely to recognize him from his breakout role as Malyen "Mal" Oretsev in Netflix's recently canceled fantasy hit "Shadow and Bone." As Mal, an elite tracker in the Ravkan First Army and childhood best friend to Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), Renaux anchored the emotional core of the series as he fought to protect Alina while they navigated through the war-torn magical world.

On the big screen, Renaux has a few notable projects on his resume as well. In 2022, he delivered a memorable performance as soldier Tom Collins in the biographical war drama "The Greatest Beer Run Ever." Reflecting on the project in an interview with Rolling Stone U.K., he shared his enthusiasm: "I absolutely loved that job, we shot in Thailand during COVID. I love a true story. Chickie Donohue going to Vietnam to do his part and feel like he's doing something for his friends," adding, "I'm very proud of that one."

In 2024, Renaux not only played the leading man in Prime Video's rom-com "Upgraded," he teamed up with Cailee Spaeny and battled one of the most terrifying creatures in sci-fi horror history in "Alien: Romulus." The actor played Tyler, the Jackson's Star colonist who leads the scavenging heist on the derelict Renaissance station. "Honestly? It was a dream!" Renaux told Rolling Stone U.K. of the blockbuster experience, while also praising director Fede Alvarez for "trying crazy stuff." 

Now with rom-com, fantasy, and sci-fi genre experiences under his belt, Renaux is ready for the edge-of-your-seat courtroom battles of "War." When he first got ahold of the script, it immediately snared him. He told 1883 Magazine that he as impressed with the pace of George Kay's writing, particularly with how each episode ended on a cliffhanger, how well developed the characters were, adding, "You could really feel things taking shape within those first two episodes, and it was clear it would be a great series."

He also noted that he was immediately sold on the character's journey, making him eager to dig into Johnny Warren's psyche. "He's battling a lot, particularly his ambition and his morals, and I think that's quite interesting to play with," Renaux explained. "What does it look like when someone's that desperate? And when do the repercussions begin to catch up with them?" As for Johnny's fate, Renaux remained tight-lipped about a second season of "War" — and it might be a while before you see him in something else. He told the outlet that he is currently in "dad mode" and looking forward to some family time.