# Max Benitz
**Max Benitz** (born 1985) is a British writer, journalist, and former film and television actor who first came to public attention as the young Midshipman Peter Calamy in *Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World* (2003) and later turned to writing, publishing an account of his time embedded with the [British Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-army) in Afghanistan.[1](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/max-benitz/umc.cpc.3o9htqayo6uiyxdgmec2cjdav)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985, London, England, UK[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) |
| Breakthrough role | Midshipman Peter Calamy in *Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World* (2003)[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/54272) |
| Other acting credits | *Tom Brown's Schooldays* (2005), *Trial & Retribution* (2006 to 2007), *The Water Diviner* (2014), *Mara* (2018)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/) |
| Book | *Six Months Without Sundays*, an account of being embedded with the British Army in Afghanistan, described as "unusually well written" by *The Times*[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz) |
| Journalism | *The New Statesman*, *The Daily Telegraph*, *The Scotsman*, and other outlets[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) |
| Writing and producing | Television projects *Diva*, *Villa Paz*, *Free Pass*, and *Convictions*; executive producer on *Love Is Thicker Than Water* (2016)[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/) |
| Education | Modern History at the University of Edinburgh; Study India Programme at the University of Calcutta; Creative Europe's MIDPOINT TV Launch Programme[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) |
## Acting career
Benitz was born in London in 1985 and attended [Harrow School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harrow-school) from September 1998 until July 2003, where he performed in school productions of *As You Like It*, *Hamlet*, *The Pirates of Penzance*, and *Me and My Girl*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/)
**Master and Commander.** His screen debut came at 18 as Midshipman Peter Calamy in [Peter Weir](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-weir)'s *Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World* (2003), which starred [Russell Crowe](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-crowe) and [Paul Bettany](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-bettany) as Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin in an adaptation of Patrick O'Brian's naval novels.[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/54272) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) According to his biography, he was chosen for the role after completing an improvisational interview with Weir and a second reading with other cast members.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) The film's cast lists him among the ship's midshipmen, alongside Max Pirkis as Lord Blakeney and Lee Ingleby as Hollom.[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/54272)
His subsequent acting work was sparse, and his career moved toward journalism and writing. He appeared as Huband in the television film *Tom Brown's Schooldays* (2005), played James Harrogate in two episodes of *Trial & Retribution* (2006 to 2007), and took the small role of a lieutenant in Russell Crowe's *The Water Diviner* (2014).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/) • [6](https://www.sinemalar.com/sanatci/82984/max-benitz) In the horror film *Mara* (2018), credited as Max Benitz Ferguson, he played Justin.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/)
## Journalism and writing
Benitz wrote *Six Months Without Sundays*, an account of his time embedded with the British Army in Afghanistan, which *The Times* described as "unusually well written".[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz) His journalism has been published in *The New Statesman*, *The Daily Telegraph*, *The Scotsman*, and elsewhere.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/)
**Television development.** As a writer and executive producer, he has worked with clients in Britain and America.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/) His television projects include the original dramas *Diva* and *Villa Paz*, developed as studio projects with showrunners Vince Marcello and Matthew Hastings respectively, and *Convictions*, written for the Vespucci Group; his feature *Free Pass* is in active television development with FTV and ZDF.[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz) His spec projects include *Strictly Beginners*, a web series that won awards at Marseille WebFest and the London Short Series Festival, and the television thriller *Disciple*.[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz) As a producer he was an executive producer on the short film *Alpha Beta* (2015) and the feature *Love Is Thicker Than Water* (2016).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/)
**Public-service role.** He is a member of the Creative Industries Advisory Group, a committee invited by [UK Research and Innovation](https://www.edgepedia.org/uk-research-and-innovation) to evaluate how the body invests in Britain's creative economy.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/)
## Education
Benitz studied Modern History at the [University of Edinburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-edinburgh), and while there he took part in the Study India Programme at the [University of Calcutta](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-calcutta); he also completed Creative Europe's MIDPOINT TV Launch Programme, a course for television writers.[5](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz)
## Personal life
Benitz was in a relationship with the Ukrainian-French actress [Olga Kurylenko](https://www.edgepedia.org/olga-kurylenko) from 2014 to 2017, and they have one child, a son born in 2015.[7](https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/max-benitz)
## References
1. [Max Benitz, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/max-benitz/umc.cpc.3o9htqayo6uiyxdgmec2cjdav)
2. [Max Benitz Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/bio/)
3. [Master and Commander, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/54272)
4. [Max Benitz, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1263131/)
5. [Max Benitz, Revolution Talent](https://www.revolutiontalent.co.uk/writer-director-producers/max-benitz)
6. [Max Benitz, Sinemalar](https://www.sinemalar.com/sanatci/82984/max-benitz)
7. [Max Benitz dating history, Who's Dated Who](https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/max-benitz)
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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 Be to B*
*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