English actor James Frain has been a regular feature in historical film and television since the early 1990s. He’s definitely one of those actors that you realize you’ve seen in so many different things, playing a wide range of roles. I was recently reviewing The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) in which he plays a pivotal role and wondering to myself how we haven’t featured him yet for a Man Candy Monday, because he’s been in so many frock flicks. Well, looks like it’s time to remedy that situation!
An Awfully Big Adventure (1995)
The Buccaneers (1995)
Rasputin (1996)
The Mill on the Floss (1997)
Elizabeth (1998)
Vigo (1998)
Sunshine (1999)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Spartacus (2004)
Empire (2005)
The Tudors (2007-10)
Dark Relic (2010)
Bert & Dickie (2012)
The Lone Ranger (2013)
The White Queen (2013)
Agent Carter (2015-16)
Olivia Martha Ilse (2015)
Are you a fan of James Frain? Tell us about it in the comments!
He also had a role in Shadowlands, Peter Whistler, one of CS Lewis’ students at Magdalen College in the 1950s.
It took me forever to realize I’d first seen him in Elizabeth when I was still a wee history buff; I think because of the sheer amount of bronzer/tanner they slapped on him (presumably to make him look more Spanish?) Loved his Thomas Cromwell though and he was an excellent baddie in Agent Carter.
Yeah, I just zipped over to IMDb to check if this article didn’t misidentify the character he plays, because whoa.
He was a terrible Sarek. Of course the scripts weren’t his fault.
I enjoyed his performance as Sarek very much, along with Season One of “Star Trek Discovery”.
It takes all kinds. If you enjoyed it that’s good.
Goran Višnjić is one of my boyfriends’ major crushes, so I have probably seen everything he’s been in. He is not particularly fond of Spartacus, but I’m a fan of James Frain, so perhaps a rewatch is in order
Has Goran Višnjić been in enough Frock Flicks for a MCM? Certainly IMDB says yes if one counts the various episodes in “Timeless.”
Not Frock Flickie but Frain is quite enjoyable in Orphan Black.
Rasputin (1996) – Insert obligatory Boney M reference: https://youtu.be/16y1AkoZkmQ
Sunshine (1999) – Not to be confused with the 2007 sci-fi film.
Sunshine (2007) was the film that introduced me to the INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL Hiroyuki Sanada–who DEFINITELY deserves a Man Candy Monday post!!!!
He voices a goat familiar in an episode of “What We Do in the Shadows.” Sounded like he was having some fun. He’s one of those who I keep seeing pop up in small roles, and then think “isn’t he a fairly big name?”
I definitely get the sense he’s the type to take roles because they appeal to him, not necessarily because they’re going to net a big paycheque or are high prestige. He had an arc playing the season baddie on Gotham (DC, baby!Batman and Commissioner Gordon when he was still a detective) and he was clearly enjoying himself throughout.
Is it just me or does Mr Frain look enough like Mr Henry Cavill to be a blood relation?
Mr Frain is an actor I’m always delighted to see, so it’s mildly embarrassing that the first thing that pops into my mind when he appears is “Man he looks like Henry Cavill” (so I would appreciate an objective opinion on whether this impression of mine is utter nonsense or not).
Wow, he was in both “Awfully Big Adventure” AND “Sunshine,” two of my fave lesser-known films?
Pretty much love him in all of these, but I always forget it’s him in Elizabeth!
Sunshine is one of the most depressing movies I’ve ever seen. Empire is laugh out loud terrible. And yes, I definitely remember when Goran Visnjic was a thing. Whenever I think about him, I always wonder how and why he didn’t become “more” of a thing. I vote for Goran Visnjic MCM, if possible. The man on the right in The Mill on the Floss picture looks like he was pasted on from the cover of a romance novel.