Biography
Vance is best known for his lead role as Frank Martin in Transporter: The Series. He is also recognized for his performances as Whistler in FOX's Prison Break and Jack Gallagher in FOX's Mental, among others.
A bit of background: Vance was born into a loving Irish family and raised in the UK. He signed youth football contracts with West Bromwich Albion and Bristol Rovers, enduring many muddy pitches in mid-winter, more than one might expect given his current perspective.
He graduated from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne with an honors degree in Civil Engineering, passing exams he likely couldn’t pass now. However, he takes more pride in a vague memory of playing for an England Students football team along the way.
Vance began his acting career at 25, initially performing as Paris in a production of Romeo & Juliet in Oxford, where his performance was notably poor. When not delivering his few lines, he was busy moving furniture on stage for other actors to use. Had he known then what he knows now, he might have questioned his efforts, but his passion for storytelling has kept him going ever since.
Next, Vance wholeheartedly and passionately tackled numerous roles in London Fringe and small repertory theatres, gaining much-needed experience. During this period, he founded his own theatre company, writing, directing, and producing plays. Notably, he funded the company largely by selling his personal belongings to compensate for the lack of audiences.
His perseverance paid off when he secured his first significant role at the Royal National Theatre in a touring production of "Closer." After months performing across Europe and Russia, he returned to London to appear in "Speer," by David Edgar, again at the National Theatre under the esteemed direction of Sir Trevor Nunn.
Despite these successes, Vance sought more and continued to expand his career.
He made his British television debut in Kavanagh QC. At the time, he was eager to work and agreed to appear nude for a minor one-liner, though he was reluctant to do so on a cold London set that should have been closed. Nevertheless, the cast and crew received more than they expected.
Vance also guest-starred in British TV shows such as Peak Practice, The Bill, Doctors, and Family Affairs.
Around age 30, Vance moved to Australia, appearing in several TV series including Stingers, Blue Heelers, and The Secret Life of Us. His first regular TV role was as Dr. Sean Everleigh in the medical drama All Saints, which he played from 2005 to 2007.
During this time, he also enjoyed a small role in the feature film Macbeth, directed by Jeffery Wright.
In 2007, Vance relocated to the U.S. after landing a regular role in the third and fourth seasons of Prison Break for 20th Century Fox, portraying James Whistler alongside a talented cast.
The following year, he secured his first leading TV role as Dr. Jack Gallagher in Mental, filmed in Bogotá, Colombia.
In 2011, Vance was cast as Frank Martin in the television series adaptation of the Transporter films created by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. Embracing the challenge, he brought his own interpretation to the character in this fast-paced action series filled with fast cars, attractive women, and sharp dialogue.
Between leading roles, Vance guest-starred on shows including Fairly Legal, Burn Notice, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, Supergirl, Hawaii Five-O, and Bosch, driven by his love for acting and the connections he makes along the way.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Vance was vaccinated, isolated at his home outside LA, and focused on writing a passion project that had been intermittently in progress for years: a series of historical fiction and fairy-tale novels.
This is part of a larger vision.
Chris is now the founder and director of Oratales, a narrative studio dedicated to promoting literacy, education, and clear expression across multiple platforms.
He has published five novels as an author.
Chris is passionate about preserving and ensuring universal access to clean water. He supports language in all its forms as a means to expand learning and awareness. He is critical of the growing attention economy and believes better regulation could mitigate the harm it causes to developing minds worldwide.
Chris also holds that Arthur Guinness’s contributions to world health, peace, and happiness remain vastly underrated, even today.
