Who Is Sean Wallace on ‘Gangs of London’? Joe Cole’s Memorable Roles

U.K. drama Gangs of London has made its way across the pond with Netflix viewers thirsting over lead actor Joe Cole.

The show premiered in the U.S. via Netflix in September 2024, four years after it initially aired on Sky Atlantic. For the show’s second season, which premiered in 2022, Gangs of London was broadcast simultaneously in America for AMC+ subscribers.

Gangs of London, based on the 2006 video game of the same name, depicts the power struggle between rival gangs in London — just like the name suggests. The show’s first episode opens with Cole as Sean Wallace, quite literally, lighting a man on fire to avenge the death of his father, Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney). While Sean is focused on revenge for the entirety of the first season, others are focused on keeping his family business alive. This leads to his apparent death in the season 1 finale.

However — spoiler alert — it’s revealed that Sean is alive early on in season 2. Cole explained that his character coming back from the dead wasn’t always the plan.

“Originally, I signed on to the show to do one season, and that was kind of the agreement all the way along from when [creator] Gareth Evans cast me in the show,” the actor told GQ in October 2022. “As we went through the arc of season 1, I think the powers that be wanted to perhaps keep it ambiguous, and there were murmurs of wanting to bring me back if I was open to it.”

From the look of it, Cole will be back for the impending third season. While it’s unclear when Netflix viewers will get more Gangs of London, keep scrolling to see where you can watch Cole until then:

‘Skins’

Cole appeared as Luke in two 2012 episodes of the famed U.K. series.

‘Peaky Blinders’

Yes, that is John Shelby himself. Cole appeared in the first four seasons of the fan-favorite show before departing from the Cillian-Murphy led series.

‘Thank You for Your Service’

The 2017 movie, based on the book of the same name by David Finkel, has Cole starring as Billy Waller alongside Miles Teller.

‘A Prayer Before Dawn’

The actor won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor after starring as Billy Moore in the 2018 film.

‘Black Mirror’

While Cole was only in one 2017 episode — “Hang the DJ” — of the famed Netflix show, he received a BAFTA TV Award nomination in the Best Leading Actor category.

‘Against the Ice’

Cole starred as Iver Iversen alongside Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in the 2022 Netflix movie.

‘The Ipcress File’

A remake of the 1965 movie starring Michael Caine, the actor put more of a modern spin on his interpretation of Harry Palmer in the 2022 miniseries.

‘A Small Light’

The 2023 Disney+ series starred Cole as Jan Gies.

‘Nightsleeper’

Cole starred as Joe Roag in the 2024 miniseries.