Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Entertainment
Megan Shaw

Emmerdale's Luke Posner star Max Parker unrecognisable in new Netflix role as he drops 'nice guy' image

Former Emmerdale star Max Parker looks completely unrecognisable after undergoing a transformation for his new role, following his departure from the ITV soap.

The soap star is renowned for his portrayal of Luke Posner in the Yorkshire based soap before he was dumped by Victoria Sugden and left the village. Fans of Emmerdale were gutted when Max exited the show after just two years. His character Luke was outed for being gay and there were also rumours that he had been involved in his sibling's death.

Max quit the soap last year in the hopes of making it big in Hollywood. At the time a source told the Sun said: “Max was never going to stay on the soap for years.

READ MORE: Emmerdale's Mimi Slinger unrecognisable in new role after ITV soap exit

“He’s ambitious and a talented guy - he’s already auditioning for new roles and excited for the future. But never say never - there’s always a chance he could return one day.”

And now a year on from his departure Max will feature in a new Netflix show that looks set to rival worldwide smash Bridgerton. The actor will soon be seen in the streaming service’s new drama series Blood, Sex and Royalty. The upcoming series will document and explore the early days of King Henry VIII, played by Max, and his turbulent marriage with Anne Boleyn.

Luke Posner was portrayed by Max Parker (ITV)

In the first-look trailer for the series Max looks a far cry from his former role as Luke Posner. In the clip, Max can be seen in regal garb with golden chains around his neck.

Speaking of joining the series, Max said: “People will be expecting to see the story they know about Anne Boleyn - the famous story we all know. You learn that Henry’s the bad guy and Anne Boleyn gets beheaded. But in this film, you learn so much more about their personalities - the reason why they did what they did.

You can vote for your favourite Emmerdale character of all-time below. Alternatively, you can vote here.

"You get to see a lot of different sides to both characters and you, as the audience, can decide who’s guilty for what happened. It’s super educational and I’m so glad I did it.”

Asked what it was like to portray the legendary King, the former soap star added: “It was really great. A fellow redhead!

“I have actually auditioned to play Henry VIII three times before this. If you look at the calibre - Eric Bana, Damian Lewis, Jonathan Rhys Meyers – they’ve all played Henry VIII – that’s a great alumnus to be part of.

“Throughout my career, I play a lot of nice guys and parts that are quite similar to me, so this was a real challenge for me to step outside the box and get my teeth in to some juicy drama. He’s got so many sides.”

Blood, Sex and Royalty drops on Netflix on November 23.

Read next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.