James Frain
James Dominic Frain is an English stage and screen 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). He also played leading roles in the BBC dramas "Armadillo" (2001), "The  Buccaneers" (1995) and "The Mill on the Floss" (1997). 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. Frain was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, and brought up in Stansted Mountfitchet, 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. Career. While in his final year of drama school, he made his film debut in "Shadowlands" (1993) after being spotted by Richard Attenborough. He was nominated for Best Actor at the 1995 Venice Film Festival for his performance as a Northern Irish terrorist in Thaddeus O'Sullivan's film, "Nothing Personal" (1995), and for Best Supporting Actor at the Genies in Toronto for his performance in István Szabó's "Sunshine" (1999). He 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 and was a recipient of the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performances along with the rest of the cast of "The Homecoming" (2007). He has appeared in a number of television series, such as "Soldier Soldier" (1993); "Armadillo" (2001); "24" (2005); "Invasion" (2006); and "The Closer" (2006). His more recent roles include 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. He currently portrays Sarek, the father of Spock, on "", the second prequel TV series in the Star Trek franchise. Personal life. In 2004, Frain married director Marta Cunningham; they have two children.