# Freddie Stroma
**Freddie Stroma** is a British actor and model known for playing Cormac McLaggen in the final three *Harry Potter* films, Adam Cromwell on the Lifetime series *UnREAL*, Prince Friedrich of Prussia in the first season of Netflix's *Bridgerton*, and [Adrian Chase](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrian-chase), also known as [Vigilante](https://www.edgepedia.org/vigilante), in [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max)'s *Peacemaker*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Training | Performed with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain as a teenager; studied neuroscience at University College London[1](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma) |
| Breakthrough role | Cormac McLaggen, Gryffindor Quidditch player, in the last three Harry Potter films[2](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter) |
| Career highlight roles | Adam Cromwell on *UnREAL*; H.G. Wells in ABC's *Time After Time*; Prince Friedrich in *Bridgerton*; Vigilante in *Peacemaker*[2](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter) • [1](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma) • [3](https://www.laphil.com/people/freddie-stroma) |
| Degree interrupted | Paused his university studies for a year to play Cormac McLaggen in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* (2009), then returned to finish his degree[1](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma) |
| Peacemaker casting | Cast as Vigilante after an audition, replacing Chris Conrad, who left over creative differences after filming five episodes[4](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/james-gunn-answers-questions-during-peacemaker-watch-party) • [5](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-tv-shows/peacemaker-season-2-delivered-the-best-joke-of-2025-and-solidified-vigilante-as-dcs-answer-to-deadpool/) |
| Spouse | Actress Johanna Braddy, his *UnREAL* co-star[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/swooon/1218725/peacemaker-freddie-stroma-wife-johanna-braddy-married-relationship-history/) |
## Early life and education
Stroma was born in London and raised in Ascot. He began performing with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain as a teenager and took small roles on British television shows such as *Casualty* and *Mayo*[1](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma). Through the Youth Theatre, he received a BBC audition invitation, secured an agent at 18, and began juggling acting with a neuroscience degree at [University College London](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-college-london)[7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/).
**Degree versus Hogwarts.** He took a year away from his degree to play the smug, unpopular Gryffindor Quidditch player Cormac McLaggen in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* (2009), his first major on-screen appearance, and then returned to University College London to complete the degree once filming wrapped[2](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter) • [1](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma) • [7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/). In interviews he has said he did not study neuroscience with a research career in mind, but once remarked that if acting failed he would go on to research cures for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other motor neurone diseases[8](https://daman.co.id/celebrities/exclusive-fashion-feature-freddie-stroma/) • [9](https://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/freddie-stroma-talks-harry-potter-co-stars-and-role-models-in-the-independent-65601-print/).
## Film and television career
After *Harry Potter*, Stroma appeared in a run of films including Universal's *Pitch Perfect*, in which a brief scene drew wide attention, the UK sequel *The Inbetweeners 2*, the Vicious Brothers' *Extraterrestrial* for IFC, *[A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-cinderella-story-once-upon-a-song)*, in which he sang and played guitar, and [Michael Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bay)'s Paramount feature *13 Hours*[10](https://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/snitchseeker-talks-to-freddie-stroma-on-harry-potter-films-cinderella-philosophers-85316/) • [3](https://www.laphil.com/people/freddie-stroma) • [7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/).
**Television leading roles.** His career accelerated with *UnREAL*, Lifetime's scripted series about the making of a *Bachelor*-style dating show, in which he played suitor Adam Cromwell[7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/). He appeared in the sixth season of HBO's *Game of Thrones* as Dickon Tarly, a role recast in later seasons[7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/) • [2](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter). He then led two series: Kevin Williamson's *Time After Time* for ABC, playing a time-traveling H.G. Wells, and Netflix's *[The Crew](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-crew-2021-tv-series)*, a multi-camera comedy in which he starred alongside [Kevin James](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-james)[7](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/) • [3](https://www.laphil.com/people/freddie-stroma).
**Bridgerton.** In the first season of [Shonda Rhimes](https://www.edgepedia.org/shonda-rhimes)' *Bridgerton*, which debuted on Netflix on Christmas Day 2020, Stroma played Prince Friedrich of Prussia, Queen Charlotte's nephew, who arrives in English society to find a bride and is introduced to Daphne Bridgerton. The character is smitten with Daphne, whose heart belongs to the Duke of Hastings[2](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter). Viewers widely discovered during the show's run that the prince was the same actor who had played McLaggen in the *Harry Potter* films[11](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bridgerton-harry-potter-cast-netflix-b1786591.html).
## Peacemaker and Vigilante
Stroma's most prominent recent role is Adrian Chase, also known as Vigilante, in *Peacemaker*, the HBO Max series created and directed by [James Gunn](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-gunn) and starring [John Cena](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cena), which premiered in 2022[3](https://www.laphil.com/people/freddie-stroma). Gunn said Stroma won the part by audition; when told he was the prince from *Bridgerton*, Gunn recognized him[4](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/james-gunn-answers-questions-during-peacemaker-watch-party).
**A late recast.** The role had originally gone to Chris Conrad, who filmed five episodes, including part of the season finale, before leaving over creative differences; Gunn said of Conrad, "He's an incredibly talented guy, but we were on different pages about certain things, and I don't think he wanted to continue on the series in the long run"[5](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-tv-shows/peacemaker-season-2-delivered-the-best-joke-of-2025-and-solidified-vigilante-as-dcs-answer-to-deadpool/). Stroma's portrayal, a kill-happy but comic take far removed from the dashing persona he had built on *UnREAL* and *Bridgerton*, drew notice from critics; TV Line called his casting "perhaps the biggest, most interesting casting surprise" of the series[12](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/peacemaker-first-reviews-the-suicide-squad-spinoff-series-is-a-lot-of-james-gunn-fun-critics-say/).
He returned for season two, which premiered in August 2025, filming a new opening dance number set to [Foxy Shazam](https://www.edgepedia.org/foxy-shazam)'s "Oh Lord"; he noted that dancing in a mask is trickier than it looks and that the sequence was shot in his last two days on set[13](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/peacemaker-cast-why-opening-dance-number-different-season-2-more-strenuous) • [14](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/peacemaker-season-2-title-sequence-feature). In a March 2026 interview after the season two finale, Stroma said he had had "zero discussions" with [DC Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-studios) about returning as Vigilante in future DCU projects[15](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/someone--asked-freddie-stroma-whats-next-vigilante-season-2-peacemaker-cliffhanger).
## Personal life
Stroma is married to actress [Johanna Braddy](https://www.edgepedia.org/johanna-braddy), whom he met through *UnREAL*; for a proposal staged at what she thought was a movie outing, he enlisted co-star [Josh Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-kelly-actor) to show a home video on the big screen that even included her *UnREAL* audition tape[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/swooon/1218725/peacemaker-freddie-stroma-wife-johanna-braddy-married-relationship-history/).
## References
1. [Freddie Stroma Movies on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/freddie-stroma)
2. [Here's why you might recognise Bridgerton's Prince Friedrich of Prussia, Tatler](https://www.tatler.com/article/freddie-stroma-bridgerton-harry-potter)
3. [Freddie Stroma, LA Phil](https://www.laphil.com/people/freddie-stroma)
4. [James Gunn answers questions during Peacemaker watch party, Syfy Wire](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/james-gunn-answers-questions-during-peacemaker-watch-party)
5. [Peacemaker season 2 delivered the best joke of 2025 and solidified Vigilante as DC's answer to Deadpool, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-tv-shows/peacemaker-season-2-delivered-the-best-joke-of-2025-and-solidified-vigilante-as-dcs-answer-to-deadpool/)
6. [Who Is Freddie Stroma's Wife? All About Johanna Braddy, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/swooon/1218725/peacemaker-freddie-stroma-wife-johanna-braddy-married-relationship-history/)
7. [#ManCrushMonday: Freddie Stroma, Harper's Bazaar](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a16604/freddie-stroma-unreal-interview/)
8. [Exclusive Feature: Freddie Stroma, DA Man](https://daman.co.id/celebrities/exclusive-fashion-feature-freddie-stroma/)
9. [Freddie Stroma talks Harry Potter co-stars and role models in The Independent, SnitchSeeker](https://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/freddie-stroma-talks-harry-potter-co-stars-and-role-models-in-the-independent-65601-print/)
10. [SnitchSeeker talks to Freddie Stroma on Harry Potter films, Cinderella, Philosophers, SnitchSeeker](https://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/snitchseeker-talks-to-freddie-stroma-on-harry-potter-films-cinderella-philosophers-85316/)
11. [Bridgerton fans shocked to learn two castmembers played obscure Harry Potter characters, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bridgerton-harry-potter-cast-netflix-b1786591.html)
12. [Peacemaker First Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes editorial](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/peacemaker-first-reviews-the-suicide-squad-spinoff-series-is-a-lot-of-james-gunn-fun-critics-say/)
13. [The Peacemaker Cast Explains Why The Opening Dance Number Is Different In Season 2, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/peacemaker-cast-why-opening-dance-number-different-season-2-more-strenuous)
14. [James Gunn and the cast of Peacemaker tell all on season 2's ambitious title sequence, TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/peacemaker-season-2-title-sequence-feature)
15. [Someone Finally Asked Freddie Stroma What's Next For Vigilante After Season 2's Peacemaker Cliffhanger, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/someone--asked-freddie-stroma-whats-next-vigilante-season-2-peacemaker-cliffhanger)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Sh to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license