Who Plays Valin Hess In The Mandalorian? Game of Thrones Night King Actor Explained

Chapter 15 of The Mandalorian introduces the short-lived Imperial villain Valin Hess, but who exactly is actor Richard Brake? Though Brake only appears briefly in The Mandalorian, season 2, episode 7, and mostly acts as a catalyst for Bill Burr’s Migs Mayfield to confront his troubled past, the Welsh-born character actor has been in far more films than viewers might realize.

Brake has been a professional actor since 1994, so his 26-year-strong career is stacked with both high-profile and niche gigs. The seasoned performer has appeared in films alongside the likes of Rachel Weisz, Idris Elba, and Christian Bale; plus, he’s worked with heavy-hitter directors Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, and even slasher writer Rob Zombie. Here’s a quick rundown of the most recognizable roles from Brake’s diverse career, from the Night King to even the smallest Marvel cameos.

Perhaps Brake’s most high-profile role is playing the Night King in seasons four and five of Game of Thrones. Brake naturally had no lines as the mysterious and mute leader of the White Walkers, so the actor had to rely on physicality alone to convey the Night King’s deadly intentions. His take on the Night King, though notably more toned down than successor Vladimir Furdik’s portrayal, is chillingly evil in its subdued nature. His calculated actions when turning Craster’s last son into a White Walker at the end of “Oathkeeper” in season four set the tone for just how unfeeling Game of Thrones’ White Walkers would be in furthering their ambitions.

Brake also notably played Joe Chill in Batman Begins. As the petty thief who ended up murdering Bruce Wayne’s parents, Brake again had limited screen time to make an impression on viewers. A master at subtlety, Brake puts his own spin on the infamous killer of Batman’s mother and father. Rather than lean into the evilness of the act, the actor opted for a more nervous take on Joe Chill. From the moment he appears on screen, it’s obvious that Chill is completely overwhelmed and frankly terrified of what he’s doing. There’s an impression that this might be the first time Chill has ever tried to mug somebody before, which opens up a whole new layer to the character in Christopher Nolan’s version of the Batman origin story.

Brake also made an appearance as a supporting character in the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson-led action film Doom, based on the video game of the same name. In the movie, he plays Dean Portman — a member of The Rock’s squad who is unfortunately brutally killed by an Imp. Intense, sci-fi and fantasy-inspired movies like Doom seem to be Brake’s wheelhouse, but that doesn’t stop him from taking on some comparatively lighter material. Though heavily featured in movies like The Black Dahlia and Hannibal Rising, Brake has also earned his Marvel stripes with a brief cameo in Thor: The Dark World.

Without a doubt, Richard Brake is an actor with a lot of range. Though by no means a movie star, the experienced performer has carved out a steady career for himself as a talented character actor. Viewers shouldn’t count him out of The Mandalorian just yet. If Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand, after getting saved by Boba Fett, can make a prominent turn several episodes after her “on screen” death, then there’s a chance that the audience hasn’t seen the last of Valin Hess.

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