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Ben Fransham

  • Actor
  • Stunts
  • Choreographer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Ben Fransham
Follow the lives of Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav, three flatmates who are just trying to get by and overcome life's obstacles - like being immortal vampires who must feast on human blood. Hundreds of years old, the vampires are finding that beyond sunlight catastrophes, hitting the main artery, and not being able to get a sense of their wardrobe without a reflection-modern society has them struggling with the mundane like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.
Play trailer2:36
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
2714
3 Videos
17 Photos
Ben Fransham is a New Zealand actor with a broad catalogue of energetic performances, albeit with a certain affinity for projects involving the undead. Unusually, he was a professionally trained ballet dancer before turning his focus to acting, and he has imbued his many character roles in theatre, musicals and film with unique physical versatility.

Fransham is best known for his turn as the ancient and unnerving vampire Petyr in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's internationally renowned What We Do in the Shadows (2014).

As well as featuring in Ash vs Evil Dead (2015), Fransham's previous projects for Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi include the horror feature film 30 Days of Night (2007) and fantasy action series Legend of the Seeker (2008), in which he played a variety of roles.

Fransham also has a continuing association with Peter Jackson's productions, dating back to Heavenly Creatures (1994), and his proficient motion-capture work can be found in most of Weta Digital's collaboration in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) (and the remaining films in the trilogy), The Adventures of Tintin (2011), I, Robot (2004), District 9 (2009), King Kong (2005) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) (as well as the rest of the trilogy).
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
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  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Photos17

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    Known for

    Lisa Kudrow, Taika Waititi, Rune Temte, Kal-El Tuck, Jemaine Clement, Tadhg Murphy, and Roger Jean Nsengiyumva in Time Bandits (2024)
    Time Bandits
    6.1
    TV Series
    • John
    Ash vs Evil Dead (2015)
    Ash vs Evil Dead
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Eligos
    Taika Waititi, Ben Fransham, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Jemaine Clement, Jonny Brugh, and Stu Rutherford in What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
    What We Do in the Shadows
    7.6
    • Petyr
    • 2014
    30 Days of Night (2007)
    30 Days of Night
    6.6
    • Heron
    • 2007

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • Minimally Invasive
      • Alasdair
      • Completed
      • Short



    • Lisa Kudrow, Taika Waititi, Rune Temte, Kal-El Tuck, Jemaine Clement, Tadhg Murphy, and Roger Jean Nsengiyumva in Time Bandits (2024)
      Time Bandits
      6.1
      TV Series
      • John
      • 2024
    • The Mute (2024)
      The Mute
      Short
      • 2024
    • The War At Home (2020)
      The War At Home
      3.9
      TV Mini Series
      • Glenn Stockley
      • 2020–2022
    • Charlie Vickers in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
      The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
      6.9
      TV Series
      • Elf Soldier
      • 2022
    • Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Mr. Corman (2021)
      Mr. Corman
      6.5
      TV Series
      • Man
      • 2021
    • Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary in Wellington Paranormal (2018)
      Wellington Paranormal
      7.6
      TV Series
      • Officer Roy
      • Mobot Movement Specialist
      • Cheeseface
      • 2018–2021
    • Turn of the Screw (2020)
      Turn of the Screw
      5.8
      • The Uncle
      • 2020
    • Dungeon Path (2020)
      Dungeon Path
      Short
      • Dravelleon
      • 2020
    • Mark Hadlow, Te Ohorere Reneti, and Erroll Anderson in Colonial Combat (2019)
      Colonial Combat
      TV Series
      • Axle Gun
      • 2019
    • Dr. Grordbort's Invaders (2018)
      Dr. Grordbort's Invaders
      7.5
      Video Game
      • Lord Cockswain & Dr. Grordbort
      • 2018
    • The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen (2018)
      The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen
      7.9
      TV Mini Series
      • Militia Captain
      • 2018
    • Ivana Baquero, Austin Butler, and Poppy Drayton in The Shannara Chronicles (2016)
      The Shannara Chronicles
      7.1
      TV Series
      • Red Wraith
      • Black Wraith
      • 2017
    • 6Equj5 (2015)
      6Equj5
      6.7
      Short
      • Martin
      • 2015
    • Ash vs Evil Dead (2015)
      Ash vs Evil Dead
      8.4
      TV Series
      • Eligos
      • 2015
    • How to Murder Your Wife (2015)
      How to Murder Your Wife
      6.5
      TV Movie
      • Media Man
      • 2015

    Stunts



    • Charlie Vickers in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
      The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
      6.9
      TV Series
      • stunt performer
      • 2022
    • Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary in Wellington Paranormal (2018)
      Wellington Paranormal
      7.6
      TV Series
      • stunt double: Sheena
      • 2018
    • Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
      The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
      6.6
      • motion capture stunt performer: Weta Digital
      • 2015
    • Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
      The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
      7.4
      • stunt performer (uncredited)
      • 2014
    • Taika Waititi, Ben Fransham, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Jemaine Clement, Jonny Brugh, and Stu Rutherford in What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
      What We Do in the Shadows
      7.6
      • stunt werewolf
      • 2014
    • Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Martin Freeman, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Luke Evans in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
      The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
      7.8
      • stunt performer (uncredited)
      • 2013
    • Martin Freeman in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
      The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
      7.8
      • stunt performer (uncredited)
      • 2012
    • Jamie Bell and Joe Starr in The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
      The Adventures of Tintin
      7.3
      • stunt double: Nick Frost
      • utility stunts (uncredited)
      • 2011

    Videos3

    What We Do in the Shadows
    Clip 1:26
    What We Do in the Shadows
    16
    What We Do in the Shadows
    Clip 1:00
    What We Do in the Shadows
    2
    What We Do in the Shadows
    Clip 1:00
    What We Do in the Shadows
    2
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:36
    Official Trailer
    2714

    Personal details

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    • Official sites
      • Official Blog
      • X
    • Alternative name
      • Benjamin Fransham
    • Height
      • 6′ 1½″ (1.86 m)
    • Other works
      Plays "The Attendant" in "Soulmates", a play by David Williamson (Sydney Opera House Drama Theater, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), Starring Jacki Weaver, William Zappa, Amanda Muggleton, Barry Quin, Deborah Kennedy, Jonathan Biggins, and Sean Taylor.
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

    Self-verified on IMDbPro

    • Gender / Gender identity
      • Male

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