FORMER EastEnders favourite Himesh Patel is stepping into Christopher Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, lining up alongside Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya.

Patel, 35, first became known to UK audiences as Tamwar Masood — the loveable geek on the BBC One soap — after making his debut in 2007. He left EastEnders in 2016, then kept a low profile away from the British celebrity circuit.

He’s previously explained he’s tried to stay focused on acting rather than the fame that can come with a long-running soap role. In an interview with Red, Patel said there’s “a thin line on soaps between being a celebrity and being an actor,” adding: “If you want to be an actor, you have to keep it about the work.”

His big screen breakthrough came three years after his exit when he landed the leading role in Danny Boyle’s Yesterday. Patel played Jack Malik, a struggling musician who wakes up after being hit by a bus to find The Beatles have been erased from history — except in his memory.

Patel has also credited his parents for his work ethic. They ran a newsagents in Cambridgeshire, and he worked doing a paper round from 16 until 21 — continuing even after joining EastEnders.

And despite the jump from Albert Square to Hollywood sets, Patel has said he’s proud of his roots. In a recent interview, he reflected on his early EastEnders days and said he hopes the industry keeps seeing young actors from soaps as “potential talents for the future.”