# Enzo Cilenti
**Enzo Cilenti** (full name Vincenzo Leonardo Cilenti) is an English actor and producer of Italian heritage, born in 1974 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and known for character roles in films such as *In the Loop*, *Guardians of the Galaxy*, and *Free Fire*, and for television parts including Yezzan zo Qaggaz in *Game of Thrones* and Ruggieri in *The Serpent Queen*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/bio/) • [2](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Enzo_Cilenti)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, to Italian parents from Benevento, Campania[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/bio/) |
| Spouse | Actress Sienna Guillory, married 17 August 2002; two children[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) |
| Screen break | Co-starred in Michael Winterbottom's *Wonderland* (1999), then played graphic designer Peter Saville in *24 Hour Party People* (2002)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/enzo-cilenti/) |
| Known films | *In the Loop* (2009), *The Theory of Everything* (2014), *Guardians of the Galaxy* (2014), *Free Fire* (2016)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) |
| Notable television | Yezzan zo Qaggaz in *Game of Thrones* (seasons 5 and 6); Ruggieri in *The Serpent Queen* (2022–2024); Mario Brenna in *The Crown* season 6[2](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Enzo_Cilenti) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) • [5](https://time.com/6335670/mario-brenna-paparazzi-diana-the-crown-season-6/) |
| West End | One credited West End appearance, as Joe Lyppiatt in *Present Laughter* at The Old Vic (2019)[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Enzo-Cilenti/) |
| Other work | Co-wrote the novel *Mediterranean Homesick Blues* with Ben Chatfield; produced and wrote the film *The Wicked Within* (2015)[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html) |
## Early life and training
Cilenti was born in Bradford to Italian parents from [Benevento](https://www.edgepedia.org/benevento), in Campania.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/bio/) After Bradford Grammar School he took a degree in French and Spanish at the [University of Nottingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-nottingham), then worked as a night porter and a bodyguard on the Côte d'Azur and in Mexico City before completing a one-year postgraduate acting course at Drama Studio London.[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html)
His first professional acting role came in *Trial & Retribution*, which led to the role of Grant in the world premiere of Liz Lochhead's play *Perfect Days* at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. There he was spotted by the casting Wendy Brazington, who was casting [Michael Winterbottom](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-winterbottom)'s film *Wonderland* (released 1999).[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html)
## Screen career
The 1999 *[Wonderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/wonderland-1999-film)* role is described as his big break, playing an estranged though happy brother to three struggling sisters in London.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/enzo-cilenti/) He worked with Winterbottom again in *24 Hour Party People* (2002), about the Manchester music scene of the 1980s, playing the graphic designer Peter Saville.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/enzo-cilenti/)
Through the 2000s he took supporting parts in *Millions* ([Danny Boyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-boyle)), *Next* (with [Nicolas Cage](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-cage)), and *In the Loop* (2009), [Armando Iannucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/armando-iannucci)'s political satire, in which he played Bob Adriano.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/enzo-cilenti/) His film work in the 2010s included the physicist Kip Thorne in *The Theory of Everything* (2014), the Watchtower Guard in *Guardians of the Galaxy* (2014), Talbot in *High-Rise* (2015), Mike Watkins in *The Martian* (2015), Bernie in Ben Wheatley's *Free Fire* (2016), and Gianni in *Bridget Jones's Baby* (2016).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) • [8](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/enzo-cilenti/)
## Television
On television Cilenti has played a series of recurring and guest roles. In *Game of Thrones* he portrayed Yezzan zo Qaggaz, a former slave trader, in seasons 5 and 6 (2015–2016).[2](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Enzo_Cilenti) • [9](https://time.com/3038171/game-of-thrones-season-5-cast/) Earlier genre and drama work included Captain Dance in ITV's *Jekyll and Hyde* (2015), Childermass in *Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell* (2015), Jeremy Lake in *[Luther](https://www.edgepedia.org/luther-tv-series)* season 5 (2019), and Tiberius Claudius Nero in the [Sky Atlantic](https://www.edgepedia.org/sky-atlantic) series *[Domina](https://www.edgepedia.org/domina-tv-series)* (2021).[10](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/91494-enzo-cilenti?language=en-US) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/)
His largest recent recurring role is Ruggieri in the Starz drama *The Serpent Queen*, which he played across both seasons from 2022 to 2024; IMDb credits the role with 16 episodes.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) In 2023 he appeared in one episode of *The Crown* season 6 as the paparazzo Mario Brenna, a character TIME's account identifies as among the best-paid photographers who pursued Diana's image.[5](https://time.com/6335670/mario-brenna-paparazzi-diana-the-crown-season-6/)
More recent credits include *Alien: Earth* (2025) as Petrovich, *I Fought the Law* (2025) as DS Mark Braithwaite, and a 2025 episode of *Black Mirror*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) He is cast as Don Markel opposite [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/catherine-zeta-jones) in *[Kill Jackie](https://www.edgepedia.org/kill-jackie)*, an eight-episode revenge thriller set to stream on AMC+ in 2026.[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Enzo-Cilenti/)
## Stage
Cilenti's first and, per BroadwayWorld, only West End show was the 2019 Old Vic revival of [Noël Coward](https://www.edgepedia.org/noel-coward)'s *Present Laughter*, in which he played Joe Lyppiatt alongside Andrew Scott; BroadwayWorld records that he has not appeared on Broadway.[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Enzo-Cilenti/) Off and beyond the West End, his stage work has included lead roles in [Neil LaBute](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-labute)'s *The Shape of Things* at the New Ambassadors Theatre and the European premiere of the [Pulitzer Prize](https://www.edgepedia.org/pulitzer-prize)-winning *Anna in the Tropics* at the Hampstead Theatre, performances at the Royal Court in plays written and directed by Russian artists entirely in Russian, and conceptual theater for the new-writing company Paines Plough commissioned by Miuccia Prada for Milan Fashion Week.[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html)
## Writing and producing
Beyond acting, Cilenti produced, wrote, and appeared in the film *The Wicked Within* (2015), his only listed producing credit.[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/) He also co-wrote the novel *Mediterranean Homesick Blues* with Ben Chatfield.[7](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html)
## References
1. [Enzo Cilenti Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/bio/)
2. [Enzo Cilenti, Wiki of Westeros (Game of Thrones Fandom)](https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Enzo_Cilenti)
3. [Enzo Cilenti - Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/enzo-cilenti/)
4. [Enzo Cilenti, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162281/)
5. [How The Crown's Depiction of Paparazzo Mario Brenna Stacks Up Against History, TIME](https://time.com/6335670/mario-brenna-paparazzi-diana-the-crown-season-6/)
6. [Enzo Cilenti (Actor) - Broadway & Theatre Credits, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Enzo-Cilenti/)
7. [Enzo Cilenti, Union Films](https://www.unionfilms.org/films/people/enzo-cilenti.html)
8. [Enzo Cilenti, Shakespeare's Globe biography](https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/bio/enzo-cilenti/)
9. [Game of Thrones Confirms New Season 5 Cast Members, TIME](https://time.com/3038171/game-of-thrones-season-5-cast/)
10. [Enzo Cilenti, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/91494-enzo-cilenti?language=en-US)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license