Robert Sheehan is known for playing the iconic Klaus Hargreeves in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, but this isn’t the first time he has played a sarcastic, immortal superhero. The Umbrella Academy follows a dysfunctional family of superheros whose trauma keeps them bonded but also isolated at the same time. Despite the dark tone, The Umbrella Academy also provides a constant stream of comedy, and features a diverse cast of compelling characters. One of the most comedic and beloved characters is Klaus Hargreeves, who can communicate with the dead and is later revealed to be immortal.
Klaus Hargreeves is a fan favorite whose eccentric and troubled personality is perfectly conveyed by the talented Robert Sheehan. Besides the lovable Klaus, Sheehan is also known for portraying Nathan in Misfits and Darren in Love/Hate. After his roles in popular television series, Sheehan went on to act in films, such as The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones and Moonwalkers. After his time on both the stage and big screen, Sheehan returned to television to play a character eerily similar to his character in a previous series.
Umbrella Academy’s Klaus Is Weirdly Similar To Misfits’ Nathan
Misfits is a British science fiction comedy-drama series that ran from 2009 to 2013. The show follows a group of young offenders who work in a community service program, where they obtain superpowers in an electrical storm. Robert Sheehan played cult favorite Nathan, whose superpower was that he couldn’t be killed. Additionally, Nathan is revealed to have a second power to see ghosts in Misfits season 2. Klaus and Nathan are strikingly similar, even if one wears more eyeliner than the other.
While the two are virtually the same character, Klaus can be considered more eccentric and flamboyant than Nathan. But, even with some differences, Nathan is also cocky and foul-mouthed like Klaus. Nathan is often the comedic relief in Misfits, just like Klaus in The Umbrella Academy. While Robert Sheehan has already committed more years to The Umbrella Academy than Misfits, he still remembers the experience fondly. In an interview with The Independent in 2020, Sheehan says the project was “a lovely, gorgeous memory for me.” Yet, even with the positive memories, Sheehan left Misfits after two seasons.
Why Robert Sheehan Left Misfits (& Who Replaced Him)
Robert Sheehan left Misfits in 2011 and said his decision came well before season two finished production. In an interview with Digital Spy in 2015, Sheehan said he was restless and eager to take on new roles. Sheehan began a film career after he left the series, and also expressed interest in different projects. In Misfits season 3, the series introduced a new character named Rudy to replace Nathan. Rudy was played by Joe Gilgun who brought a slightly different tone of comedy to the show. Misfits creator Howard Overman wanted to make Rudy different from Nathan and created a character who was a bit more emotional.
While Misfits has been off the air for a while, Nathan is still considered one of the most memorable parts of the series. For those familiar with Nathan, it was a joy to see Nathan reincarnated in such a strange way in The Umbrella Academy. While Klaus isn’t the literal reincarnation of Nathan, it is a joy to see Sheehan’s charm brought back to another lovably complicated character.
