Frank Blake is an Irish stage, television and film actor.
Early life
From Tuamgraney, in County Clare, he was born to Michael and Mary Blake and is the youngest of three children.[1] He was educated at Scariff Community College.[2] He attended the annual amateur drama festival circuit each year from the age of four years-old in his home town, with plays staged in the school hall. He made his stage debut aged 17, in the community musical performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. He spent a year at NUI Galway studying Drama, German and Philosophy but also appeared in eight plays in Dramsoc that year.[3] He moved to Dublin and graduated from The Lir Academy in 2016.[4]
Career
His stage performances include a role with an all-star cast in Druid Theatre Company's Richard III. He played Neoptolemus in a stage version of Hecuba by Rough Magic.[2][5] He appeared in a stage adaptation of Louise O'Neill novel Asking For It at the Abbey Theatre, which was also performed at venues including the Lincoln Center in New York.[1] He also appeared in Tennessee Williams play The Glass Menagerie at the Gate Theatre, Dublin.[3]
On television, he played Constable Pip Bircher in The Frankenstein Chronicles before playing Alan Sheridan on the Lenny Abrahamson television adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People.[6][7] He had roles in Bridgerton, Game of Thrones and the Tom Holland-led film Cherry. He had a recurring role in the second season of Sanditon, as well as in Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla.[8]
In 2024, he appears as Shane Bradley in BBC One police drama Blue Lights.[9]
Personal life
His great aunt is the author Edna O'Brien.[2] He told The Irish Times in 2022 that his family run an equestrian centre.[10]
Filmography
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | The Frankenstein Chronicles | Constable Pip Bircher | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Resistance | Conor | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Game of Thrones | Sentry | 1 episode |
| 2020 | Normal People | Alan | 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Cherry | Seasoned Medic | |
| 2021 | Bridgerton | Harry | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Invasion | Madden | 1 episode |
| 2022 | Sanditon | Captain Declan Fraser | 6 episodes |
| 2022 | Vikings: Valhalla | Birger | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Double Blind | Marcus | |
| 2024 | Blackshore | Sean | 3 episodes |
| 2024- | Blue Lights | Shane Bradley | Series 2 |
| TBA | The Border† | Sean |
References
- ^ a b "Tuamgraney man takes lead role in hit TV drama". Clare Champion. May 8, 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "East Clare inspiration for 'Normal People' actor Frank Blake". Clarechampion.ie. May 16, 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ a b Hynes, Liadán (18 September 2022). "'The biggest obstacle is probably yourself, really, for a long time' — Normal People's Frank Blake on an actor's life". Independent.ie. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Meet the Lir Graduates in the Cast of Normal People". The Lir. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Grantham in Dublin, Bill (1 December 2019). "Dublin theatre round-up, Sept-Oct 2019 Part 1". Playsinternational.org. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Carr, Flora (21 April 2020). "Meet the cast of Normal People". Radio Times. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Dodds, Emma (7 July 2020). "Here's where you've seen the cast of Normal People before". Planet Radio. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Tuamgraney actor Frank Blake pinpointed as a rising star for 2022". Clare Echo. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Coleman, Maureen (20 April 2024). "Blue Lights: New character a young Ken Branagh lookalike, say fans". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Clarke, Donald (1 January 2022). "50 people to watch in 2022: The best young talent in Ireland". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
External links
- Frank Blake at IMDb
This page was last edited on 18 June 2024, at 02:02