Fra Fee | |
|---|---|
 Fee in 2016 | |
| Born | Francis Martin Fee (1987-05-20)20 May 1987 (age 37) Killyman, Northern Ireland |
| Education | University of Manchester Royal Academy of Music (2009) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Les Misérables Lost Boys and Fairies |
| Spouse | |
Fra Fee (born 20 May 1987) is a Northern Irish actor and singer. He is best known for playing Courfeyrac inTom Hooper's 2012 film adaptation ofLes Misérables,[1][2][3] and for his role as Kazi in theDisney+ seriesHawkeye, which is set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe.[4] Fee also played the role of Michael Carney inJez Butterworth'sThe Ferryman at theRoyal Court Theatre,West End, and Broadway, directed bySam Mendes. For his performance, he won the2018 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play.[5]
Fee, who was born inDungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and raised in ruralKillyman, attendedSt Patrick's Academy in Dungannon for his schooling. He began performing regularly with Bardic Theatre in his early days before pursuing music at theUniversity of Manchester.[6] Fee later went on to study at theRoyal Academy of Music, where he graduated in 2009. In 2014, he was honoured as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.
Fee appeared in numerous productions atBelfast's Grand Opera House in conjunction with theWelsh National Opera, includingThe Beggar's Opera,The Mikado,Sweeney Todd, as well as a production ofThe Elixir of Love as Nemorino, directed byJohn Doyle. In 2004, he was a guest soloist for Irish tenorRonan Tynan in Tynan'sDublin concert, titled "The Impossible Dream". Immediately following his graduation from the Royal Academy of Music, Fee was cast as Billy Kostecki in the West End production ofDirty Dancing.[7]
He played Schlomo in theRTÉ Irish tour ofFame, before essaying the title role inAladdin at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre. From June 2011 to 2012 he played Jean Prouvaire, and covered the roles of Marius and Enjolras inLes Misérables at the Queens Theatre, London. During his time in the West End production, Fee was cast as Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's filmLes Misérables, starring alongsideHugh Jackman asJean Valjean andRussell Crowe asJavert.[8]
From November to December 2012, Fee played Florizel inHoward Goodall's professional world premiere ofA Winter's Tale.[9]
Fee played Young Buddy inStephen Sondheim'sFollies at theToulon Opera in March 2013,[10] before playing Robbie inA Man of No Importance forSalisbury Playhouse.[11][12]
On 16 June 2013, he portrayed Henrik Egerman in a special concert performance of Sondheim'sA Little Night Music at theYvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, starring alongsideJanie Dee, David Birell andJoanna Riding.[13] On 2 August 2013, Fee was a guest soloist forBBC Radio 2'sFriday Night Is Music Night singing America's Greatest Broadway Hits.[14]
Fee starred in the title role ofCandide at theMenier Chocolate Factory in London, alongsideScarlett Strallen as Cunegonde andDavid Thaxton as Maximillian, from 23 November 2013 to 22 February 2014.[15] He later starred as Philip Ashley in Dublin'sGate Theatre production ofDame Daphne du Maurier'sMy Cousin Rachel, adapted for the stage byJoseph O'Connor at theDock Street Theatre inCharleston, South Carolina as part of theSpoleto Festival USA from 22 May to 8 June 2014.[16] In September 2014, he filmed the role of Kieran inTom Lawes' forthcoming psychological thrillerMonochrome, starringJo Woodcock,Cosmo Jarvis andJames Cosmo.[17]
On 26 January 2015, Fee reprised the role of Henrik Egerman inA Little Night Music for one night only at the Palace Theatre in London's West End, reunited with previous co-starsJanie Dee as Desiree, David Birell as Frederick, Joanna Riding as Countess Malcolm as well as new cast membersJamie Parker as Carl Magnus andAnne Reid as Madame Armfeldt.[18]
Fee made his Shakespeare debut asRomeo in Dublin's Gate Theatre's production ofRomeo and Juliet directed by Wayne Jordan from March 2015 to May 2015.[19]
In June 2015, Fee returned to Belfast to take up the role of Jamie in a production ofJason Robert Brown'sThe Last Five Years directed by Stephen Whitson, working alongside fellowWest End actress Amy Lennox.[20]
From September 2015 to 5 March 2016, Fee played the role of Amiens inPolly Findlay's production ofAs You Like It at theNational Theatre in London starringRosalie Craig as Rosalind.[21] During this period he also played Man 2 in Stephen Sondheim's revuePutting It Together at theLyric Theatre, Belfast, directed by Stephen Whitson (December 2015).
Fee played the role of Mole in the new musical adaptation ofThe Wind in the Willows with music by George Stiles, lyrics by Anthony Drewe and a book by Julian Fellowes in a production that starred Rufus Hound as Toad from August to November 2016.
In April 2017, he originated the role of Michael Carney inThe Ferryman at theRoyal Court Theatre, ahead of a transfer to theGielgud Theatre in theWest End.[22] Fee played his final performance in the West End production on 6 January 2018. For his performance as Michael Carney inThe Ferryman, Fee was awarded the 2018 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play.[5]
In the spring of 2018, he filmed the role of Jim in themovie adaptation ofEmma Jane Unsworth's novelAnimals, directed bySophie Hyde, starring alongsideHolliday Grainger andAlia Shawkat. Filming took place in Dublin. The film premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.[23]
He performed the role of Chip inJohn Wilson's production ofLeonard Bernstein'sOn The Town on 25 August 2018 at theRoyal Albert Hall, having performed two weeks earlier in the same venue as one of the Jets in John Wilson's production ofWest Side Story.[24][25]
Fee reprised his role in the Broadway transfer ofThe Ferryman in New York alongside most of the original cast as well as newcomer to the playFionnula Flanagan. The play won the Tony Award for Best Original Play at the 2019 Tony Awards.[26] During his time in New York, Fee made his New York cabaret debut at54 Below performing his showSeisún.[27]
Fee plays William Bogue in Irish horror-comedyBoys From County Hell written and directed by Chris Baugh, due to premiere atTriBeCa Film Festival 2020. He plays Fergus in Irish Western Thriller Pixie, alongside Alec Baldwin, Olivia Cooke, and Ben Hardy.[28]
In June 2019, Fee took part in a semi-staged concert version ofThe Clockmaker's Daughter, a musical by Michael Webborn and Daniel Finn, in which Fee also plays the same character in the studio cast recording, performing alongside Christine Allado and John-Owen Jones.
From October to December 2019, Fee replaced actorColin Morgan in the role of Owen in the National Theatre's production of Brian Friel'sTranslations, directed by Ian Rickson, alongsideCiarán Hinds, Seamus O'Hara and Judith Roddy.[29]
On 21 March 2022, Fee took over the role of The Emcee inCabaret at thePlayhouse Theatre, starring alongsideAmy Lennox.[30]
In June 2024, Fee starred as Andy in a miniseries for the BBC,Lost Boys and Fairies, where he and his partner Gabriel, played bySiôn Daniel Young, look to adopt a child.[31]
Fee isgay.[32][non-primary source needed] He is in a relationship with actor and singerDeclan Bennett, with whom he lives in ruralOxfordshire.[33] Fee and Bennett married on 15 November 2024.[citation needed]
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | National Board of Review of Motion Pictures | Best Acting by an Ensemble | Les Misérables | Won |
| Best Ensemble | ||||
| San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Ensemble Performance | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Ensemble, Motion Picture | Won | ||
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Acting Ensemble | |||
| 2013 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |
| (Source: IMDb.com) | ||||
ReviewingCandide forThe New York Times,Ben Brantley wrote that "Mr. Fee proved himself a most ingenious practitioner of ingenuousness, with a glorious tenor voice."[37] Also reviewing forCandideLibby Purves noted that "Fra Fee from Dungannon is a real find: innocent elfin face but a voice so deep, honeyed and flawless that your heart melts."[38] ReviewingMy Cousin Rachel at the Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, Debra Charlton wrote "Playing the protagonist of this taut drama, Fra Fee portrays Philip's tormented journey through desire, guilt and suspicion with keen sensitivity and detail. His tour de force performance demonstrates immense emotional range and admirable control."[39] "Fra Fee as Philip Ashley does most of the heavy lifting inMy Cousin Rachel. Rarely offstage during the entire two-plus-hour performance, Fee's stamina is incredible. Without melodrama, he convincingly portrays his character's appropriately gothic emotional swings and perfectly captures Philip's tragic flaw of youthful impulsiveness."[40]
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