Why Balthazar From Supernatural Looks So Familiar
As those who watched and continue to rewatch the CW series "Supernatural" know, there are hundreds of characters. Whether these characters are victims in one episode or the primary antagonist the Winchester brothers Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) are hunting for during a particular storyline, faces came and went during the show's 15-season run. Allies, friends, and enemies were swapped season by season, with some dying or just disappearing and never returning.
It's expected; with a show running so long, the cast has to change up at some point. Among those faces was the angel Balthazar from Season 6. He was known for being a strong ally to the boys and Castiel (Misha Collins), and he even had his gentle agenda; he worked to buy human souls from the crossroad demons to prevent those that didn't deserve it from entering Hell. Pretty good guy! It was a sad sight when his character was killed off, but his sacrifice at least helped the Winchesters in closing the portal to Purgatory.
Balthazar is portrayed by Sebastian Roché, and "Supernatural" is just one of the many roles he's had since starting his career in 1986. Here are the other places where you might've seen him before.
He was patriarch of the Mikaelson family on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals
"Supernatural" is not Sebastian Roché's only dip into the, well, supernatural genre. In 2011, he joined the cast of The CW's "The Vampire Diaries" which follows Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and the two Salvatore vampire brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Together, the trio experience the dangers and oddities of the fictional Mystic Falls, Virginia, which has a history bloodied by werewolves, vampires, witches, and other ghostly beings.
In "The Vampire Diaries", Roché portrayed Mikael, who is one of the oldest living vampires. In his first appearance of the character, he was an ally to the Salvatore brothers, wanting to help take out his stepson Klaus (Joseph Morgan), a vampire-werewolf hybrid who also served to be the primary antagonist for most of the show. He was present in five episodes before being killed off by Klaus.
Mikael returned in the spinoff series "The Originals," which was a spinoff following Klaus and his siblings Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt), the other two original vampires. The show starts after the events of "The Vampire Diaries" and covers Klaus trying to protect his daughter Hope. Roche appeared once again as Mikael, trying to kill off his stepchild Klaus and willing to burn down cities to make it possible, believing that Klaus was unnatural and pure evil. After being resurrected, he sets off again to kill Klaus and then is thwarted and killed by his stepson a second time.
He was a paternal figure and stand-in for Hitler in The Man in the High Castle
In a historical drama rewriting history, Sebastian Roché arrived on "The Man in the High Castle," which follows an alternate history where the Axis Powers won World War II. In this flipped version, where the Nazi regime lives, there is, of course, the spark of revolution, as people under persecution start rebelling. The Man in the High Castle is a man who collects films showing the various ways that the war could've played out. The show came to a close in 2019 after four seasons.
Roché portrayed Reichsminister Martin Heusmann, the estranged father of Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank), a spy working for the Schutzstaffel who goes undercover to work for the underground American resistance. During his time there on his mission to infiltrate the resistance, Joe begins to question his alliance with the Reich as he falls for Juliana (Alexa Davalos), another rebel. Meanwhile, Heusmann takes over after Adolf Hitler (Wolf Muser) dies.
Speaking to DuJour in 2016, Roché opened up about playing one of the leading character on a potentially controversial show. "It's very strange actually, playing a high ranking Nazi who, in a way [became] the fuhrer, without divulging too much," he told the outlet. I understand the controversy, it's very difficult for certain people to see such a symbol."
He was the corrupted Sheriff Wagy in Season 1 of ABC's Big Sky
While Sebastian Roché has been very busy long after being in "Big Sky", his role as Sheriff Wagy in the show's 1st season was memorable. Those who enjoy crime dramas have probably followed the ABC thriller, but those who haven't should probably check it out, as it's now on its 3rd season.
Season 1 follows the disappearance of three women — Jerrie (Jesse James Keitel), Danielle (Natalie Alyn Lind), and Grace (Jade Pettyjohn) — who are kidnapped by Ronald Pergman (Brian Geraghty) a trucker who has teamed up with a corrupted patrolman Rick (John Carroll Lynch). Together, the pair are using the girls as part of a sex-trafficking ring all while evading Rick's fellow cops, Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury) and Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick) who are called to investigate when Jenny's son Justin (Gage Marsh) reports his girlfriend Danielle as missing.
Roché's character comes onto the scene in the 11th episode and was sketchy from day one. He refused to help Jenny and Cassie with their investigation concerning Rosie (Michelle Veintimilla) — a girl who was assaulted — and simply told them to read his report, ignoring their concerns. Audiences later learned that he was trying to detain Cassie with plans to later murder her in a plot with Al Gregor (Paul Piaskowski) after which the pair were arrested.