Legendary British actor reveals shocking appearance in chart-topping Netflix thriller

Lillie Rohan

Published January 3, 2025 1:24pm Updated January 3, 2025 1:24pm

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for episode one of Netflix’s new series, Missing You.

A legendary British actor looks scarily different in Netflix’s latest Harlan Coben thriller Missing You.

The streaming service’s latest release only landed on New Year’s Day, but it’s already earned the number one spot.

While there’s no doubt this is largely due to the gripping storytelling, it might also be because of the many surprise cameos.

As well as I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here campmates GK Barry and Matt Willis appearing in the series, legendary British actor, Marc Warren also has a starring role – although you may struggle to recognise him from gaunt look at first.

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Led by Slow Horses actor Rosalind Eleazar, 36, the six-parter, which was released yesterday, follows her mind-bending investigation sparked after her ex-fiancé, who ghosted her, resurfaces on a dating app.

With many twists and turns, one being the murder of her father, Marc, 57, plays the convicted felon who confesses to the killing.

Marc Warren lying in a hospital bed with a gaunt appearance in a scene from Missing You — The actor had a very different look (Picture: Netflix)

VAN dER VALK Episode 2 MARC WARREN as Piet Van der Valk. — Marc usually has blonde hair and a fuller appearance (Picture: ITV)

"Hustle" Picture shows:- MARC WARREN as Danny in suit, holding an umbrella — The actor has dabbled in many different roles throughout his career (Picture: BBC)

Showing up only for a brief few minutes, the actor – most well-known for his roles in Mad Dogs, Hustle and Van Der Valk – had a completely different look, swapping his usual blonde locks for a shaved head, pale skin and gaunt, sunken cheeks.

This change in appearance was due to his character’s storyline, which saw him cooped up in a prison hospital, dying from cancer.

Marc’s most recent role prior to Missing You is in the ongoing ITV series Van Der Valk, in which he plays the lead role of the title name.

The award-winning actor’s cameo in the mini-series followed that of Busted star Matt, 41, which was such a surprise to fans that one said they felt as though they were in a ‘fever dream’.

Seen in the first episode on a date with Rosalind’s character Detective Kat Donovan, the noughties star caused a flurry of reactions from fans online, many of whom were shocked to see him in the show.

Matt Willis in a scene from Netflix thriller Missing You — Matt’s appearance in the series surprised fans (Picture: Netflix)

@OpheliaMCFLY_GD wrote: ‘Started watching Missing You on Netflix and up pops Matt Willis as a cameo. Didn’t even know, what a lovely surprise’.

While @pagerannigan could hardly believe what they were seeing: ‘am i having a fever dream? watching the new harlen coben series and swear I’ve just seen GK Barry and Matt Willis in it’.

@gracieXmcfc also weighed in, sharing on X: ‘So far this Missing You series has Matt Willis in and GK Barry, what a series this is gonna be if these are the backing cast’.

Rosalind Eleazar holding a phone to her ear in a scene from Netflix thriller Missing You — The gripping new thriller is led by Rosalind (Picture: Netflix/David Tarling)

Missing You. (L to R) Jessica Plummer as Stacey, Rosalind Elezar as Kat Donovan in Missing You looking at a phone — The show is currently number one on UK Netflix (Picture: Vishal Sharma/Netflix)

While the musician’s cameo was a short one, he left an impression on fans as his character appeared to give a subtle nod to the pop band’s 2003 track Air Hostess as he said to Rosalind’s character upon finding out she is a detective: ‘I thought you said you were an air hostess.’

It prompted one fan, @GeorginaCorney, to write on X: ‘Just started watching Missing You on Netflix UK with my mum and her bf, and I’m the only one laughing at Matt Willis saying “I thought you were an air hostess” … some jokes are wasted on people.’

Missing You is available to stream on Netflix now.

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