Ed Skrein played Ajax, also known as Francis, in Deadpool.
Skrein portrayed the film’s principal antagonist in Deadpool, released in 2016. The character is commonly called Ajax, although Francis is his real name; Wade Wilson repeatedly mocks him by using that name, turning the villain’s identity into one of the movie’s running jokes.
Ajax is responsible for the brutal experiments that transform Wade into Deadpool. He subjects him to torture and induced mutations, leaving Wade with accelerated healing but severe physical scarring. The conflict between the two men drives much of the film’s revenge story.
Skrein was already known for playing Daario Naharis in Game of Thrones before Deadpool. He later appeared in films including Alita: Battle Angel and Midway. A common mix-up is treating Ajax as the character’s only name: in the movie, Ajax and Francis refer to the same person.