Daniel Francis (actor) facts for kids

Daniel Francis is a British actor. He was born in February. He started his acting career in theatre plays. You might know him from TV shows like Small Axe: Education (from 2020) and the Netflix miniseries Stay Close (from 2021).

About Daniel Francis

His Early Life and Training

Daniel Francis grew up in South London, in a place called Battersea. His parents were from Jamaica, and his mother raised him. When he was younger, he was quite shy.

He found his love for acting through a group called Pyramid Youth in Clapham. When he was 17, a theatre director named Sacha Wares helped him. Daniel got a part in a play called Bintou at the Arcola Theatre. After that, he went to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) to become a professional actor.

His Acting Career Begins

After finishing his training at LAMDA, Daniel Francis got small roles in plays by the Royal Shakespeare Company. He acted in The Comedy of Errors in Salford and Twelfth Night in Stratford-upon-Avon.

He then starred in other plays. These included The Brothers Size at the Young Vic theatre. He also played the main character, David Oluwale, in a play called The Hounding of David Oluwale. Another play he was in was Off the Endz at the Royal Court Theatre.

First TV and Movie Roles

Daniel Francis got his first big TV role in 2012. He played Sgt Carl Haleford in the ITV war drama Homefront. In the same year, he appeared in his first movie. It was a sports drama called Fast Girls, where he played Sean Warren. He also returned to the Young Vic theatre to act in a play called Blackta.

In 2013, he played the main character in the play Othello. This play was put on by the Singapore Repertory Theatre.

Later Roles and Famous Shows

In 2016, Daniel Francis played a very important historical figure. He acted as Martin Luther King Jr. in a play called The Mountaintop. This play was shown at the New Vic Theatre in Staffordshire.

He also joined the cast of the popular TV show Once Upon a Time. He played Dr. Facilier, also known as Baron Samdi, in the show's seventh and final season.

In 2020, Daniel Francis played Esmond Smith in Education. This was part of Steve McQueen's Small Axe series of films. He also acted in a play called Cops at Southwark Playhouse.

Then, in 2021, he was cast in a Netflix mystery miniseries by Harlen Coben. In this series, called Stay Close, he played Dave Shaw.

More recently, Daniel Francis has been in several other popular shows. He appeared in the Apple TV+ series Liaison. He was also in the second season of the Amazon Prime show The Wheel of Time. In 2024, he joined the cast of the third season of the Netflix period drama Bridgerton.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Stage Performances