Podcast: Actor Fra Fee (Unchosen, Rebel Moon, Hawkeye)

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, Gemma Creagh sits down with Dungannon actor Fra Fee to chat about his impressive catalogue of work that spans stage, film and TV, and delving into those key moments that shaped his career.

From his breakout screen role as Courfeyrac in Les Misérables to standout performances in local films including Animals and Boys From County Hell, Fra has built a strong presence on screen, balancing indie projects against large-scale productions like Hawkeye on Disney+ or Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon.

On 21st April, all six episodes of Unchosen were released on Netflix, in which he plays the enigmatic and manipulative Sam. Fra discusses his approach to this complex, morally ambiguous role, the contrast in working across different mediums, and how he develops a character from script to performance.

This podcast has been made possible with the support of the Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the live recording below.

About Fra Fee

Immediately after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Dungannon actor Fra landed a role in the West End production of Dirty Dancing. Since then, he has worked consistently across stage and screen. Recently, Fra Fee starred in the leading role of Emcee in the Olivier Award-winning production of Cabaret in the West End. Fra also appeared in Jez Butterworth’s critically acclaimed run, The Ferryman at the Royal Court Theatre, London’s West End and on Broadway. Fra won the 2018 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play, for his role in the show.

Fra’s other theatre credits include Translations and As You Like It, both at the National Theatre, the World Premiere of The Wind in the Willows, and the title role in Candide at the Menier Chocolate Factory. On screen, Fra is known for his portrayal of Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's film adaptation of Les Misérables. In 2021, he appeared as Kazi in the Disney+ series Hawkeye, which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He worked with director Zack Snyder, starring as Balisarius in Rebel Moon Part 1 & 2. He also had roles in Animals, Boys From County Hell, Pixie and The Laureate.

Unchosen

All six episodes are available to stream on Netflix now.

Molly Windsor and Asa Butterfield (Sex Education) star alongside Christopher Eccleston, Siobhan Finneran, and Fra in the series from Intergalactic writer and creator Julie Gearey. This psychological thriller takes viewers behind the closed doors of a fictional conservative religious sect.

Unchosen follows Rosie, who lives in a cloistered Christian community with her husband, Adam (Butterfield), and their daughter. The fateful arrival of the mysterious Sam, an escaped prisoner, throws into relief the reality and restraints of Rosie’s world: Perhaps her hidden religious community doesn’t have her best interests at heart. As cracks begin to appear in Rosie and Adam’s marriage, Sam presents himself as Rosie’s savior. But with his dark criminal past, where does the greatest danger lie - with the cult, or with Sam?

Sam is an escaped convict who was arrested as a teen for a deadly crime. He quickly integrates himself into the fellowship and uses his powers of coercion to become a pillar of the community. While balancing an affair with Rosie and flirtation with Adam, Sam lives in fear of being sent back to prison.

“He is fiercely intelligent, highly manipulative, and able to get what he wants by abusing other characters’ insecurities or their weaknesses,” Fee tells Tudum. “A lot of the time, I don’t think it’s necessarily premeditated. He’s just very reactionary and a real survivor.” Figuring out how to play Sam was a lesson in embracing the grey areas. Because the character’s intentions were often murky and complex, Gearey encouraged Fee to never “fully dot the i’s or cross the t’s” in scenes. “There always had to be room for an alternative intention,” Fee explains.