Sebastian Roché

Early life

Roché was born in Paris to a Scottish mother, Gail (née Stewart), and a French father, Philippe Roché. From age 12 to 18, Roché lived on a sailboat with his parents and brothers, travelling to the Mediterranean, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. He is fluent in French, English, German, Spanish and Italian.

Roché was educated at the Lycée International de St Germain en Laye. He then studied acting at the Cours Florent in Paris and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre, and also attended the prestigious French National Academy of Dramatic Arts or CNSAD, from which he graduated in 1989. He moved to New York City in 1992.

Career

Roché began his acting career in the made-for-television film The Murders in the Rue Morgue, appearing opposite Ian McShane and Val Kilmer, which aired on CBS on 7 December 1986. Throughout the late 1980s, he had roles in French television and cinema, including the films Adieu je t'aime (1988), La Queue de la comète (1988), La Révolution française (1989), and A Woman's Revenge (1990), and the television series Bonjour maître (1987) and The Hitchhiker (1989–1991).

Roché also has an extensive classical theatre background, notably starring in Salome (1992) with Al Pacino at the Circle in the Square Theatre; Titus Andronicus (1994) with the Theatre for a New Audience, directed by Julie Taymor; Macbeth (1994) at the Classic Stage Company, directed by Jack Stehlin; and Arms and the Man (1995) in Hartford, Connecticut, directed by Mark Lamos. He appeared in a supporting role in the Daniel Day-Lewis-starring historical epic The Last of the Mohicans, which was released in the United States on 25 September 1992. On American television, he appeared in Loving (1992), South Beach (1993), New York Undercover (1996), Swift Justice (1996), and Liberty! (1997).

In 1997, Roché was part of the main cast in the Fox fantasy adventure series Roar, playing the role of Saint Longinus. He starred opposite Heath Ledger and Vera Farmiga. The series was cancelled due to low ratings later that same year. Roché's many 1990s television credits include recurring and guest starring stints in series such as Feds (1997), Dellaventura (1997), Sex and the City (1998), Merlin (1998), Law & Order (1993 & 1999), and Big Apple (2001). In 1998, he returned to the stage in the Off-Broadway production of Trainspotting at the Players Theater. In 2000, he portrayed Prince Renzo in the Broadway production of The Green Bird at the Cort Theatre. The play marked his second collaboration with director Julie Taymor. That same year, he appeared in the television film The Crossing opposite Jeff Daniels, which aired on A&E on 10 January 2000. He also had a minor role in the thriller film 15 Minutes starring Robert De Niro, released on 9 March 2001.

In 2002, Roché began portraying Kurt Mendel in the Canadian science fiction series Odyssey 5 for Showtime. He remained in the role until the show's cancellation a year later. In the pilot episode, he spoke French. He also guest starred in episodes of Touching Evil (2004), Charmed (2005), Alias (2005), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005), and The Unit (2006). Roché then co-starred in the Mira Nair-directed drama film The Namesake, released on 9 March 2007, and in the Darby Crash biopic What We Do Is Secret, released on 8 August 2008. He subsequently co-starred with Freddie Prinze, Jr. the comedy-drama New York City Serenade, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September 2007.

Personal life

Roché met American actress Vera Farmiga while co-starring with her in the Fox series Roar. They eloped to the Bahamas after the series ended in 1997, and lived on a 125-acre estate in Upstate New York. After seven years of marriage, Roché and Farmiga separated in 2004.

On 31 May 2014, he married Korean Australian actress Alicia Hannah-Kim at the Chateau Les Bouysses in Mercuès, France.

Roché is an American citizen.