House of Guinness - who are each of the siblings portrayed in the Netflix series?

The gritty new historical drama House of Guinness is now out on Netflix, where we learn the backstory behind the iconic Irish drink.

From Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the show is “inspired by true stories” about the real-life Guinness family in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the eight-part series explores the rise of the legendary Irish dynasty.

So, who are the Guinness siblings we see in the show?

Here is who you need to know:

Arthur Guinness - played by Anthony Boyle

Netflix

If Arthur could be summed up in one word, it would be "complex."

Arthur's time was spent being educated at Eton and living in London in his 20s, which is clear from his posh accent influenced by his time in England. He also appreciates the finer things in life and is more interested in politics and personal interests, and so resents being forced to leave his life in London for the brewery business when his father dies.

“We find Arthur not feeling all that emotional on the day of his father’s funeral,” Boyle told Netflix's Tudum. “His siblings are crying and really emotional. But he’s masking his anxiety, his anger, and his emotions. It’s what he always does. He’s a complicated guy.”

According to Joe Joyce, author of 2009 book The Guinnesses: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Most Successful Family, Arthur was “probably gay” and we see Arthur being open about his sexuality in private with his wife and family, but keeping it a secret in public.

Edward Guinness - played by Louis Partridge

Netflix

He may be the youngest sibling, but Edward Guinness is full of ambition for his family's brewery, spending his time learning about the business as he grew up and has grand plans.

However, where he has confidence in the family business, he is not so confident amongst the upper classes - will he be able to enact his vision and call the shots with his siblings?

“Edward, he is very principled,” Partridge said. “I like that he really knows what he thinks. He's assertive, and he can be strong when he needs to be.”

Anne Plunket - played by Emily Fairn

Netflix

She's the eldest Guinness and has to navigate family matters as the only daughter in the 1800s, living in an unhappy marriage.

Despite these challenges, Anne Plunket is resolute in ensuring the family wealth is used to make a positive impact on society through philanthropic endeavours, and so you could argue that she is the moral backbone of the Guinnesses.

"There is so much she is battling against, and she’s trying her best to be strong and powerful despite all of this," Emily Fairn said.

Benjamin Guinness - played by Fionn O'Shea

Netflix

Being the middle child can be hard - and Benjamin Guinness knows this all too well, grappling with a gambling addiction and issues with substance abuse.

Ultimately, Benjamin seeks to find his life's purpose outside of the family business.

"When we first meet Ben, he’s battling a lot of demons,” O’Shea said. “He has never really been given a chance to be someone within the family. He feels like a ghost in his own home — ignored, overlooked.”

You can now watch House of Guinness on Netflix.

Elsewhere from Indy100, first look at Peaky Blinders creator's gritty new show 'House of Guinness', and Netflix film sparks 40 per cent surge in searches for South Korea

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.