Richard Brake

Richard Colin Brake, born on 30 November 1964, is a celebrated Welsh actor demonstrating an expansive career spangled with diverse roles. His screen debut was in the film Death Machine (1994) followed by a notable performance as Joe Chill in Batman Begins (2005). Brake's horror film contributions include features such as Doom (2005), Hannibal Rising (2007), Mandy (2018), and Barbarian (2022), his repertoire extending to a lead role in Perfect Skin (2018). He is known for his frequent collaboration with filmmaker Rob Zombie, appearing in four of his films including Halloween II (2009), 31 (2016), 3 from Hell (2019), and The Munsters (2022).

Brake made a significant impact on television, known for his recurring roles as the Night King on the HBO series Game of Thrones (2014–15), Vlad on Showtime's Ray Donovan (2016), and Merle Callahan on Paramount+'s Mayor of Kingstown (2024–present). His lead role as Conrad Harlow on Amazon Prime Video's Absentia (2017) established his strong presence in crime thrillers. Brake, who considers himself Welsh despite growing up in the United States, began his career in 1993 as a reporter on Jeeves and Wooster. Following roles in several low-budget films, Brake made his breakthrough performance in Anthony Minghella's Cold Mountain(2003), garnering mainstream recognition with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins in 2005. He continually displayed his versatility, contributing to films ranging from action thrillers to romantic dramas.