James Frain
{{short description|English stage and screen actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = James Frain
| image = James Frain 2010 (cropped 2).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Frain at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
| education = Newport Free Grammar School
| alma_mater = University of East Anglia
Central School of Speech and Drama
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1993–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Marta Cunningham|2004|2023|end=separated}}
| children = 2
}}
James Frain is an English actor. His best known television roles include Thomas Cromwell in the Showtime/CBC historical drama The Tudors (2007–2009), Franklin Mott in the HBO drama True Blood (2010), Warwick the Kingmaker in the BBC drama serial The White Queen (2013), John Sumner in the Sky/Canal+ crime drama The Tunnel (2013), Ferdinand Chevalier in the BBC/Space sci-fi thriller Orphan Black (2015–2017), Theo Galavan/Azrael in Fox's Gotham (2015–2016), and Sarek in Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2019).
In film, he is best known for playing Daniel Barenboim and Álvaro de la Quadra in the biographical dramas Hilary and Jackie and Elizabeth, respectively (both 1998), Bassianus in the Shakespeare adaptation Titus (1999), and Gérard de Villefort in the historical drama The Count of Monte Cristo (2002).
Early life and education
James Frain was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, and brought up in Stansted Mountfitchet, near Bishop's Stortford, Essex, the eldest of eight children of a teacher mother and a stockbroker father.
He was educated at Newport Free Grammar School, studied Drama and Film at the University of East Anglia, and trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.{{cite web |url= https://www.empireonline.com/people/james-frain/ |title=James Frain |work=Empire |access-date=18 October 2020}}
Career
= Screen =
In 1993, while in his final year of drama school, Frain made his film debut in Shadowlands, after being spotted by the film director Richard Attenborough. In 1995, He starred as a Northern Irish terrorist in the Thaddeus O'Sullivan directed film, Nothing Personal.{{cite web |url= https://www.tvguide.com/movies/nothing-personal/2030009461/ |title=Nothing Personal |publisher=TV Guide |access-date=5 November 2022}}
In 2000, he was nominated for Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's 20th Genie Awards in Toronto, for his performance as Gustave Sonnenschein in the István Szabó directed film Sunshine.{{cite web |url= https://www.hamiltonhodell.co.uk/talent/james-frain/ |title=James Frain |website=hamiltonhodell.co.uk|access-date=5 November 2022}}
Frain has also appeared in a number of television series, including Soldier Soldier (1993); Armadillo (2001); 24 (2005); Invasion (2006); and The Closer (2006). He played Thomas Cromwell in Showtime's The Tudors; the villainous billionaire "Chess" in the NBC superhero/crime drama series The Cape; heroic Templar Sir Gregory in the Syfy original film Dark Relic (2010); and vampire Franklin Mott in the HBO drama True Blood. In season 2 of Grimm, Frain joined the cast as a mysterious recurring character named Eric Renard.
He appeared in the second season of Gotham as Azrael, and portrayed Sarek, the father of Spock, on Star Trek: Discovery, the second prequel TV series in the Star Trek franchise.{{when|date=January 2025}}
= Stage =
Frain has been a regular on the stage in the United Kingdom, appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal Court Theatre, as well as on the West End. He has also appeared on Broadway in New York. He was a recipient of the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performances along with the rest of the cast of The Homecoming (2007).
Personal life
In 2004, Frain married director Marta Cunningham; they have two children.{{Cite web |url=https://hitberry.com/true-blood-star-james-frain-reveals-what-he-likes-to-do-on-date-nights-with-his-wife-marta |title=True Blood star James Frain reveals what he likes to do on date nights with his wife Marta. Read on for the full scoop |access-date=9 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227153421/https://hitberry.com/true-blood-star-james-frain-reveals-what-he-likes-to-do-on-date-nights-with-his-wife-marta |archive-date=27 February 2018 |url-status=dead }} The couple announced their separation in February 2023.{{cite web |title='Star Trek' Star James Frain & Marta Cunningham Split |url=https://extratv.com/2023/02/21/star-trek-star-james-frain-and-marta-cunningham-split/ |website=Extra |language=en}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 1993
|Peter Whistler | |
| rowspan="3"|1995
|John Harbour | |
| Nothing Personal
|Kenny | |
| Bruised Fruit
|Dan |Short film |
| 1996
|Adrian Foote | |
| rowspan="2"|1997
|Victor | |
| Robinson Crusoe
|Robert | |
| rowspan="4"|1998
|Jack | |
| Hilary and Jackie
| |
| Elizabeth
| |
| Vigo: A Passion for Life
|Jean Vigo | |
| rowspan="2"|1999
|Gustave Sonnenschein | |
| Titus
|Bassianus | |
| rowspan="4"|2000
|Zero Eight | |Short film |
| Reindeer Games
|Nick Cassidy | |
| The Miracle Maker
|Thomas (voice) | |
| Where the Heart Is
|Forney Hull | |
| 2002
|J.F. Villefort | |
| 2005
|Reyes | |
| 2006
|Eddie Gilroy | |
| 2008
|Father Dave | |
| 2009
|Tom | |
| 2010
|Jarvis | |
| 2011
|Rosie's Caretaker | |
| rowspan="2"|2012
|Marek | |
| Bert and Dickie
|Jack Beresford | |
| rowspan="3"|2013
|Attorney General | |
| The Lone Ranger
|Barret | |
| Alpha Alert
|Andrews | |
| 2014
|Born of War |Simon | |
| 2015
|Olivia Martha Ilse |William Bailey |Short film |
| 2016
|Miles Moss | |
| 2019
|Dr. A | |
| 2021
| Escape Room: Tournament of Champions |Henry |Extended cut version |
=Television=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|1993
|Lt. Giles Chapman |Episode: "Disintegration" |
| Prime Suspect 3
|Jason Baldwin |Miniseries |
| rowspan="2"|1995
|Doctor Vesti |TV movie |
| The Buccaneers
|Julius Folyat |Miniseries |
| rowspan="3"|1996
|Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny |Prince Felix Yusupov |TV movie |
| Tales from the Crypt
|Elliot |Episode: "Report from the Grave" |
| Strangers
|Dirk |Episode: "Ceremony" |
| rowspan="2"|1997
|Philip Wakem |TV movie |
| Macbeth on the Estate
|Macbeth |TV movie |
| 2000
|Miniseries |
| 2001
|Lorimer Black |Miniseries |
| 2001
|Gordon Ellis |Episode: "Trade" |
| rowspan="2"|2002
|TV movie |
| The Project
|Harvey |TV movie |
| 2003
|Leonardo |Miniseries |
| rowspan="2"|2004
|David |Miniseries |
| Pilot Season
|Jeremy Pilodes |Miniseries |
| rowspan="5"|2005
|24 |10 episodes |
| Strong Medicine
|Art Gallery Painter |Episode: "Clinical Risk" |
| Empire
|Miniseries |
| Medium
|Calley |Episode: "Light Sleeper" |
| Threshold
|Reverend Lavory |Episode: "Revelations" |
| rowspan="2"|2006
|Eli Szura |Recurring |
| The Closer
|Paul Andrews |Episode: "Critical Missing" |
| 2007
|Allister McClair |Episode: "The Janus List" |
| 2007–2009
|Main role; 24 episodes |
| 2008
|Dean Holiday |Episode: "Vanishing Act" |
| 2008–2009
|Salman Kohl |2 episodes |
| rowspan="5"|2009
|Phillip Ashmore/Phillip Andrews |Episode: "Once a Ponzi Time" |
| Grey's Anatomy
|Tom Crowley |Episode: "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watchin' Me" |
| Lie to Me
|Lance McClellan |Episode: "Grievous Bodily Harm" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
|Martin Gold |Episode: "Users" |
| Californication
|Paul Rider |Episode: "Mia Culpa" |
| 2009–2010
|Dr. Gordon Myhill |2 episodes |
| rowspan="6"|2010
|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Jeffrey Hughes |Episode: "Sin City Blue" |
| Dark Relic
|Sir Gregory |TV movie |
| Miami Medical
|Brian |Episode: "Man on the Road" |
| Leverage
|John Douglas Keller |Episode: "The King George Job" |
| True Blood
|8 episodes |
| CSI: Miami
|Richard Ellison |Episode: "Sudden Death" |
| rowspan="2"|2011
|Peter Fleming/Chess |Main cast |
| Burn Notice
|James Forte |Episode: "Eye for an Eye" |
| 2012
|Terry Murphy |Episode: "At First Blush" |
| 2012–2013
|Eric Renard |8 episodes |
| rowspan="3"|2013
|Miniseries |
| Sleepy Hollow
|Rutelidge |Episode: "The Sin Eater"{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2013/09/18/sleepy-hollow-cast-james-frain-nobleman|title=Sleepy Hollow Exclusive: True Blood Baddie to Butt Heads With Ichabod|date=18 September 2013|publisher=tvline.com}} |
| The Tunnel
|John Sumner |Main role; 4 episodes |
| rowspan="2"|2014
|Stanford Ashby |Episode: "When the Smoke Clears" |
| Intruders
|Richard Shepherd |Main cast |
| rowspan="2"|2015
|2 episodes |
| True Detective
|Kevin Burris |Main role; 7 episodes |
| 2015–2016
|Gotham{{Cite web|url=http://en.yibada.com/articles/103973/20160213/don-t-watch-gotham-season-2-episode-12-mr-freeze.htm|title = Don't watch 'Gotham' Season 2 Episode 12 'Mr. Freeze' while eating; 'Law & Order: SVU' alum BD Wong plays Professor Strange|date = 13 February 2016}} |Theo Galavan/Azrael{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/06/gotham-james-frain-cast-villain-tigress-brother-1201454198/|title='Gotham' Casts James Frain As Regular, Will Play New Villain & Tigress' Brother|author=Nellie Andreeva|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=24 June 2015|access-date=23 July 2015}} |Main role; 16 episodes |
| 2015–2017
|8 episodes |
| 2017
|Sebastian Wake |Episode: "Kama' oma' o ka 'aina huli hana" |
| 2017–2019
|Sarek{{cite news |url=http://www.startrek.com/article/james-frain-joins-discovery-as-sarek |title=James Frain Joins Discovery As Sarek |date=2017-01-18 |access-date=2017-01-18 |work=Startrek.com}} |Recurring role |
| rowspan="2"|2019
|Agent Allendale |
| Elementary
|7 episodes |
| 2020
|Black Peter |Episode: "Witches" |
| 2021
|Sir Damian Campbell | Mini-Series |
| 2023
|Gideon Rydge | |
=Video games=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role |
|---|
| 2010
|Zuse |
| 2021
|Major Henry Hamms |
=Theatre=
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Play ! Role ! Venue ! Notes |
| 1991
| Myris | |
| 1992
| Giorgo | |
| 1993
| George Hastings | with Peter Hall Company |
| 1995
| Zenobia | Wahballat | with Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2000
| Mark | |
| 2001
| Edmund | |
| 2007
| Teddy | |
| 2019
| Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0289656}}
- [https://www.hamiltonhodell.co.uk/talent/james-frain/ Hamilton Hodell Profile]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frain, James}}
Category:Alumni of the University of East Anglia
Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male stage actors
Category:English male television actors
Category:20th-century English male actors
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Male actors from Essex
Category:People educated at Hockerill Anglo-European College
Category:People educated at Newport Free Grammar School
Category:English male Shakespearean actors
Category:People from Stansted Mountfitchet