Richard Brake Biography: Wife, Awards, Age, Religion, Ethnicity, Movies

Richard Brake is a Welsh-American actor whose career has found its stride through a succession of intense, memorable roles in film and television. He broke into wider public attention with his portrayal of Joe Chill — the criminal who kills Bruce Wayne’s parents — in the 2005 film Batman Begins.

Over time, he became especially well known for his chilling portrayal of the Night King in the fourth and fifth seasons of the HBO series Game of Thrones. His distinctive presence, often cast as sinister or eerie characters, has made him a go-to actor for horror, thriller, and fantasy genres.

Profile

• Full name: Richard Colin Brake
• Date of birth: November 30, 1964
• Age: 61 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, Wales, UK
• Nationality: British (Welsh) and American
• Profession: Actor
• Height: 1.88 m (6′2″)
• Parents: N/A
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Rachel Brake (divorced)
• Children: Two children
• Relationship status: Divorced
• Religion: Christian
• Ethnicity: Welsh / British (with American upbringing)
• Net worth: $10 million

Early Life and education

Richard Colin Brake was born on November 30, 1964, in Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, Wales. When he was a young child, his family moved to the United States — settling first in Atlanta, Georgia — and he spent much of his upbringing across several states including North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio.

He attended Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, graduating in 1983. While at Western Reserve Academy, he performed as Judge Danforth in a production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible — an experience that played a significant role in steering him toward acting.

After high school, he studied English and Drama at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He then pursued formal acting training at the Michael Chekhov Studio in New York under the tutelage of Jim Boerlin and Beatrice Straight, and later studied in London at The Mountview Theatre School and at the School for the Science of Acting under Sam Kogan.

Personal Life

Richard Brake was married to Rachel Brake; the marriage ended in divorce. He has two children from that marriage. He maintains a low public profile regarding his family.

Career

Richard Brake made his screen debut in 1993 with a role in the British television series Jeeves and Wooster. Over the years, he built a reputation for playing dark, unsettling characters — often in horror, thriller, or fantasy projects.

In 2005, he landed the role of Joe Chill in Batman Begins, a pivotal albeit supporting role as the murderer of Bruce Wayne’s parents. That same year, he appeared in the sci-fi action film Doom, and later took roles in films such as Hannibal Rising (2007) and The Black Dahlia (2006).

A defining moment in his career came when he was cast as the Night King in seasons 4 and 5 of the hit series Game of Thrones. Over the years, he also became a frequent collaborator with horror-film director Rob Zombie — appearing in films like Halloween II (2009), 31 (2016), 3 from Hell (2019), and The Munsters (2022).

Beyond horror, Brake expanded into other genres and mediums: he played roles in mainstream films such as Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) and The Death of Stalin (2017), and starred in the independent thriller Perfect Skin (2018). On television, his credits include appearances in crime or drama series such as Peaky Blinders, Ray Donovan, The Mandalorian, Absentia, and more.

In recent years, Brake continued to appear in horror and thriller films: he played a role in Barbarian (2022), appeared in Vesper (2022), and in 2024 he was cast as Merle Callahan in a crime-thriller series.

Awards

• 2016 — Nominated, British Independent Film Festival — Best Supporting Actor for The Chameleon
• 2016 — Nominated, Sydney Indie Film Festival — Best Supporting Male
• 2017 — Nominated, BloodGuts UK Horror Awards — Best Actor for 31
• 2017 — Nominated, Fangoria Chainsaw Awards — Best Supporting Actor
• 2017 — Won, Fright Meter Awards — Best Supporting Actor for 31
• 2019 — Won, First Glance Film Festival Los Angeles — Best Actor – Feature Film for Perfect Skin
• 2019 — Won, Vancouver Badass Film Festival — Best Actor for Perfect Skin

Net worth

Richard Brake’s net worth is estimated to be $10 million. Accrued from his decades-long career with many film and television credits, including high-profile roles in popular franchises and consistent work in horror and independent cinema.

Social Media

• N/A

Filmography

• Jeeves and Wooster (1993)
• Death Machine (1994)
• Cold Mountain (2003)
• Munich (2005)
• Batman Begins (2005)
• Doom (2005)
• The Black Dahlia (2006)
• Hannibal Rising (2007)
• Outpost (2008)
• Halloween II (2009)
• 31 (2016)
• Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
• The Death of Stalin (2017)
• Perfect Skin (2018)
• Mandy (2018)
• 3 From Hell (2019)
• The Virtuoso (2021)
• Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)
• Offseason (2021)
• Bingo Hell (2021)
• The Munsters (2022)
• Barbarian (2022)
• Vesper (2022)
• The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023)
• The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)
• May or of Kingstown (TV series, 2024–present)