Fabien Frankel rose to international recognition as Ser Criston Cole in HBO's massive fantasy series House of the Dragon. Born in London to an Anglo-French family, the bilingual actor grew up speaking French at home and English outside. That multicultural background shaped his early life and laid the groundwork for a steady, deliberate climb through the ranks of British and American television.
Before landing his breakout role in Westeros, Frankel built a diverse resume across stage, indie film, and crime drama. Understanding his career requires looking past the glossy red carpets to examine his training at premier drama institutions, his early casting near-misses, and the tragic family history that preceded his entry into the industry.
Early Life and Family Background
Fabien Joseph Frankel was born on April 6, 1994, in London, England. His mother, Caroline Besson, is French, and his father was the late British actor Mark Frankel, known for his work in films like Leon the Pig Farmer. Growing up, French was spoken predominantly within his household, instilling a natural bilingualism that remains a unique asset in his acting toolkit.
Tragedy struck early when his father died in a motorcycle accident at age 34, leaving Fabien just two years old. Raised primarily by his mother alongside his younger brother Max, Frankel developed a deep affinity for cinema. His mother routinely took the boys to local theaters once a week, sparking an early appreciation for storytelling, even if Frankel admits he was initially terrible in school plays. He once recalled being cast as "Photographer No. 2" in a school production of Singin' in the Rain, where he froze up completely under the lights.
Despite early stumbles, he committed to the craft professionally. He completed a foundation course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Acting from the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in 2017.
Formal Training and Stage Beginnings
Drama school gave Frankel the technical discipline required for rigorous stage and screen work. He made his professional stage debut shortly after graduating from LAMDA, appearing in the 2017 production of The Knowledge at the Charing Cross Theatre. Stage acting provided an immediate proving ground, sharpening his voice projection, physical control, and stage combat skills—he trained to an advanced level in single-sword stage combat, earning an examiner's gold star.
Transitioning to screen acting brought immediate challenges. His cinematic debut came in Paul Feig's romantic comedy Last Christmas (2019), a modest supporting role that introduced him to feature film sets. That same year, he landed a major television break: casting as Theo Sipowicz, the son of the iconic Andy Sipowicz, in a proposed NYPD Blue sequel pilot for ABC. Though the network ultimately passed on picking up the series, the high-profile audition process put Frankel on the radar of international casting directors.
Breakthrough Roles: The Serpent and House of the Dragon
Frankel's international profile expanded significantly when he joined the cast of the BBC and Netflix true-crime drama series The Serpent in 2021. He played Dominique Renelleau, a young French traveler unwittingly ensnared in the web of serial killer Charles Sobhraj. Portraying a character enduring intense psychological isolation allowed Frankel to showcase a quiet, vulnerable intensity that contrasted sharply with his later genre work.
Later that same year, casting directors for Variety named him one of their "10 Brits to Watch". Momentum culminated in April 2021 when HBO announced his casting as Ser Criston Cole, a knight of the Kingsguard with a central, deeply polarizing arc in the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.
Playing Criston Cole required physical transformation and emotional whiplash. Frankel navigated the character's evolution from an idealistic, honorable commoner into a bitter, hardened commander serving Queen Alicent Hightower. He spent months rehearsing complex fight sequences and stunt choreography while balancing the psychological demands of playing a character reviled and debated by a passionate global fandom.
Expanding Horizons: Directing and Independent Film
Rather than resting on the commercial success of a major franchise, Frankel leveraged his industry access to support independent storytelling. In 2025, he and his brother Max founded the production company MarcelMonique Pictures. Their narrative short film Still Life, starring actor Ewan Mitchell, marked Frankel's transition behind the camera as an award-nominated director and producer.
He also expanded his dramatic range in contemporary crime television, taking on roles in gritty urban dramas like Task, which allowed him to shed the medieval armor of Westeros and adopt a grounded, modern aesthetic. Additionally, indie projects like Venice at Dawn demonstrated his comfort moving fluidly between blockbuster fantasy and intimate indie character studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fabien Frankel actually bilingual?
Yes. Born to a French mother and an English father in London, Frankel grew up speaking French at home and English in his daily life, making him genuinely bilingual.
What is Fabien Frankel's most famous role?
He is best known for playing Ser Criston Cole in the HBO fantasy drama series House of the Dragon.
Did Fabien Frankel's family have a background in acting?
Yes. His father was the late British actor Mark Frankel, who starred in various films and television series during the late 1980s and 1990s.
Where did Fabien Frankel study acting?
He completed a foundation course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) before earning his Bachelor of Arts in Professional Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in 2017.
