Fabien Frankel

Fabien Joseph Frankel is an English actor and director. He rose to prominence playing Ser Criston Cole in HBO's House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones. His character, a skilled Dornish knight and member of the Kingsguard, became a fan favorite for his complex loyalties and tragic arc. Frankel's performance earned him widespread recognition and placed him at the center of one of television's biggest dramas.

Beyond Westeros, Frankel has built a diverse career. He played Anthony Grasso in the indie film Task and portrayed Dominique Renelleau in the BBC series The Serpent, a true-crime drama about serial killer Charles Sobhraj. He also appeared in the 2021 film The Last Duel, directed by Ridley Scott. Across film and television, Frankel has taken on roles that span historical epics, crime thrillers, and character-driven dramas. He is also an award-nominated director and producer, with a short film, Pulse, receiving critical praise. Frankel continues to expand his range, balancing high-profile series with independent projects. [edit]

Fabien Joseph Frankel was born on 6 April 1994 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. His father, English actor Mark Frankel, died in a road accident when Fabien was two years old, while his mother, French advertising executive Caroline Besson, was pregnant with his younger brother Max. The two brothers were raised in London by their mother, who spoke French at home and took them to the cinema once a week, introducing them to film. Frankel is bilingual in English and French.

He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) for a foundation course from 2013 to 2014, then earned a BA (Hons) in Professional Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), graduating in 2017. During his training, he studied Advanced Level 3 Single Sword Stage Combat and received an Examiner's Gold Star award. His first professional stage role came in 2017 in an off-West End production of The Knowledge at the Charing Cross Theatre in London, playing Chris. [edit]

Frankel made his on-screen debut in 2019 playing a romantic interest of Emilia Clarke's character in the romantic comedy Last Christmas, directed by Paul Feig. That same year, he was cast as Theo Sipowicz in the pilot of a reboot of NYPD Blue for ABC. In 2021, he played Dominique Renelleau in the BBC One/Netflix true-crime series The Serpent, about serial killer Charles Sobhraj. Variety named him a Brit to Watch in 2021. Also in 2021, he appeared in Ridley Scott's historical drama The Last Duel.

Frankel's breakthrough came in 2022 when he was cast as Ser Criston Cole in HBO's House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones. The role, a skilled Dornish knight and member of the Kingsguard, made him a fan favorite. He appeared in Seasons 1 and 2, and Season 3 premiered on 22 June 2026. He also starred in the HBO series Task Force, which aired in September 2025. Other credits include the indie film Task (as Anthony Grasso) and the short film Pulse, which he directed and produced and which received critical praise. [edit]

Frankel is known for his portrayal of the complex, tragic knight Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon. Media portrays him as a rising talent with a grounded, vulnerable acting style. His content's tone is serious and character-driven. No official or unofficial fandom name is documented. His social media voice is professional and low-key. Frankel keeps his personal life private, rarely sharing details about his relationships or daily life. [edit]

Fabien Frankel's fame is inextricably linked to his portrayal of Ser Criston Cole, a character whose tragic arc and polarizing nature have made him a fixture of online discourse. The fanbase, while substantial, has no formal name; discussions flourish on platforms like Reddit, where debates over Cole's morality are a recurring theme. Frankel's Instagram following of 442,000 reflects his reach, yet his public persona remains measured and professional, with little personal detail shared. No organized fan campaigns or distinctive rituals have been documented; the fandom's energy is channeled into analyzing his character's choices and anticipating his scenes.

In August 2026, iFANN's Global Fame Engine evaluated Frankel but he does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings, whether the Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. This absence from the rankings is notable given the cultural resonance of his work, but iFANN's assessments reflect a broad synthesis of worldwide media coverage, search activity, and consumption signals, and at this moment, those signals do not place him among the ranked.[edit]

Frankel's father, Mark Frankel, was a prominent leading man who died at age 34. His family has a long history in performing arts: Mark Frankel's grandmother was a concert pianist, and Mark's grandfather was a prominent violinist and conductor. Frankel's full birth name is sometimes given as Fabien Joseph Besson-Frankel. He is of French, British, Indian, Iraqi-Jewish, and Ashkenazi Jewish descent. He is a trained stage combatant with a Gold Star award in single sword.

A widely retold story from the set of House of the Dragon concerns the death of Ser Criston Cole in Season 3. The gruesome battle scene, which aired in 2026, was the subject of extensive coverage, with outlets noting that Frankel 'finally gets his flowers' for his performance. Frankel himself revealed a detail about the death scene that was 'years in the making,' a fact that has become part of the show's lore. Another recurring topic is the 'villain' debate: fans and critics have described Cole as 'one of HBO show's most reviled men,' yet Frankel has argued that the character is not the villain people think he is. This ongoing conversation has become a defining aspect of his public image.[edit]

Frankel's father was English actor Mark Frankel (1962–1996), who died in a road accident when Fabien was two. His mother is French advertising executive Caroline Besson. He has a younger brother, Max. Frankel's paternal grandmother was from an Iraqi Jewish family that moved to India; his paternal grandfather's family were Ashkenazi Jewish emigrants from Russia and Poland to London's East End. His maternal grandmother was from a Jewish family in Mumbai and Iraq. Frankel was raised in London by his mother, speaking French at home. [edit]

Frankel has collaborated with Emma D'Arcy and other cast members on House of the Dragon. He worked with Emilia Clarke in Last Christmas, directed by Paul Feig. He appeared in Ridley Scott's The Last Duel and acted alongside Toby Jones in The Serpent. [edit]

As of 2026, Frankel has not publicly confirmed any romantic relationships, marriages, engagements, divorces, or high-profile flings. He keeps his personal life private, and no partner is named in any reliable source. His latest reported status is single, with no public partner or children. [edit]

No reliable net worth estimate is publicly available for Frankel as of 2026. His income is inferred from his acting roles: salary per project for House of the Dragon (likely in the range typical for supporting cast on a major HBO series), plus fees for The Serpent, Task Force, Last Christmas, The Last Duel, and the NYPD Blue pilot. No known business ventures, endorsement deals, real estate holdings, or production company revenue are publicly documented. [edit]