Francis Elliott Kranz (born July 13, 1981)^{[citation needed]} is an American actor and film director. He is known for his portrayal of Topher Brink in the science fiction drama series Dollhouse.^[1] Kranz had prominent roles in the films The Cabin in the Woods and Much Ado About Nothing. In 2012, he played Bernard in Death of a Salesman, beginning a career on Broadway that continued with 2014's You Can't Take It with You.

Kranz made his feature directorial debut with Mass (2021), which premiered at Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.^[2] From 2022 to 2023, he was a regular cast member in the Max series Julia.

Kranz was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.^[3] He started acting in third and fourth grade, and knew from a very young age that he wanted to become an actor.^[4] Kranz graduated from Harvard-Westlake School^[5] in 2000 and from Yale University in 2004,^[6] where he was a member of the improv comedy group The Ex!t Players.

In 2015, Kranz married actress Spencer Margaret Richmond, daughter of Charlie's Angels actress Jaclyn Smith and filmmaker Tony Richmond. In 2016, their first daughter was born. On July 6, 2020, she filed for divorce.^[7] The divorce was finalized in 2021.^{[citation needed]}