While all eyes are on the Targaryen family in House of the Dragon, there are also significant supporting characters from other houses you’ll surely become familiar with. In the premiere episode, we got to meet members of the Hightower family, as well as Velaryon, and a charming character named Criston Cole was also introduced.
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and her best friend Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) seem to take a liking to Criston during the tournament in episode 1, and he certainly becomes the center of attention when he wins, beating out Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Criston will likely play a bigger role as the season goes on, and we’re excited to see how his storyline plays out.
House of the Dragon’s Criston Cole actor
If you’re already a fan of Criston in House of the Dragon, you’re not alone! As we head into the second episode of the HBO series, let’s talk everything we know about the actor who portrays the Dornish character.
Criston Cole is played by the 28-year-old actor Fabien Frankel. He was born in London, England, according to his IMDb profile. George R.R. Martin announced the exciting casting back in April 2021. If you think Frankel looks familiar, that’s probably because he’s been in a couple of popular titles over the years. He’s best known for playing the role of Dominique Renelleau in the crime miniseries The Serpent, and he also appeared in the 2019 romantic movie Last Christmas (yes, the one starring Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke!).
Apart from these titles, Frankel has only acted in two other lesser-known productions — a TV movie called NYPD Blue and a dramedy called An Uncandid Portrait. Up next, you can catch Frankel in Venice at Dawn, an upcoming film directed by Jamie Adams.
While Frankel might still be a fairly new actor, we’re sure his performance in House of the Dragon will help him scoop up some exciting roles to come.
Tune in tonight to see Criston Cole on your screen once again, when House of the Dragon episode 2, “The Rogue Prince,” premieres on HBO and HBO Max.
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