Sebastian Roché is a Scottish-French actor who has had a diverse career in film, television, and theater. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Kurt Mendel on Odyssey 5, Thomas Jerome Newton on Fringe, Martin Heusmann on The Man in the High Castle, Michel Marivaux on The Young Pope, Balthazar on Supernatural, and Mikael on both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.
Roché was born in Paris, France, to a French father and a Scottish mother. He spent his childhood traveling the world with his parents and two brothers, living on a sailboat and visiting various parts of the Mediterranean, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. He later attended the prestigious French National Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as the Cours Florent and the École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre.
After graduating in 1989, Roché began working in French theater, films, and television. He then moved to the United States in 1992, where he began his career in American television and film. He has had recurring roles in several popular shows, including General Hospital, Supernatural, and Fringe.
In addition to his television work, Roché has also appeared in several films, including A Walk Among the Tombstones and Beowulf. He has also had a recurring role on the drama series The Man in the High Castle and co-starred in the miniseries The Young Pope.
Roché has been married twice, first to actress Vera Farmiga, with whom he was married for seven years, and then to Australian actress Alicia Hannah-Kim, whom he married in 2014.
