Jonathan Frakes

Jonathan Frakes is Commander Riker, full stop, and that confident over-the-back chair sit is iconic for a reason. But what makes me respect him so much is the second career he built behind the camera. His direction of Star Trek: First Contact is arguably the best film the franchise produced, balancing action, horror, and genuine heart. He's become one of the most dependable genre TV directors working, jumping between Trek series and shows like The Orville. He also hosted Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction with that wonderfully sly grin. Few people understand Star Trek's DNA as deeply as Frakes does, both as performer and storyteller.

Jonathan Frakes (born August 19, 1952) is an American actor, director, and television host from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. He is best known for portraying Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent films and series, a role he has reprised across decades. Frakes is also an accomplished director, helming Star Trek films including First Contact, as well as numerous episodes of the Star Trek franchise and other television series.

Name (English)

Jonathan Frakes

Name (Japanese)

ジョナサン・フレイクス

Reading

じょなさん・ふれいくす

Born

August 19, 1952 (age 73)

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Leo / Dragon

Origin

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, United States

Occupation

Television Actor / Film Actor / Film Director / Actor / Television Host

High school

Liberty High School

University

Harvard University

Motto

Private

• Xhttps://x.com/jonathansfrakes
• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%8A%E3%82%B5%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%95%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9

Tags

• From Pennsylvania
• Television Actor
• Film Actor
• Film Director

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.