- Matthew Rhys
-
Matthew Rhys 
Rhys in June 2011Born Matthew Rhys Evans
8 November 1974
Cardiff, WalesOccupation Actor Years active 1997-present - For the rugby player see Matthew Rees. For the novelist, see Matt Rees.
Matthew Rhys Evans (born on 8 November 1974), known professionally as Matthew Rhys, is a Welsh actor, best known as Kevin Walker on the U.S. ABC family drama Brothers & Sisters, and as Dylan Thomas in The Edge of Love.
Contents
Early life
Rhys was born in Cardiff, the son of Glyn Evans, a headmaster and Helen Evans, a special needs teacher. He grew up in Cardiff along with his older sister Rachel Evans, who is now a BBC broadcast journalist. Rhys was educated through the Welsh language at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. At seventeen, after playing the lead role of Elvis Presley in a school musical, he applied and was accepted at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Shortly thereafter, in 1993, he was awarded the Patricia Rothermere Scholarship. [1] During his time at RADA, Rhys appeared in Back-Up, the BBC police series about the operational support units Hooli Vans, as well as in House of America. He then returned to Cardiff to act in his own language in the Welsh film Bydd yn Wrol (Be Brave), for which he won Best Actor at the Welsh BAFTAs.
Career
Rhys at the 2007 GLAAD Awards
In January 1998, Rhys went to New Zealand to star in Greenstone, a colonial costume drama for television. He then landed a role in Titus, Julie Taymor's critically acclaimed adaptation of Titus Andronicus, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange. Next he played Ray in Peter Hewitt's quirky film comedy, Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? After returning to Wales, he did two consecutive films with Jonathan Pryce: The Testimony of Taliesin Jones, a film about a dysfunctional single-parent family in which he played the elder son, and Sara Sugarman's comedy Very Annie Mary, in which he played the role of Nob. Rhys would later reunite with Very Annie Mary star Rachel Griffiths on Brothers & Sisters, which also stars Academy Award-winner Sally Field, actor Rob Lowe & Ally McBeal alumna, Calista Flockhart.
In 2000, Rhys played the lead role in Metropolis, a drama series for Granada TV about the lives of six twenty-somethings living in London. Next he starred in Peaches, the film of the celebrated play written and directed by Nick Grosso. Rhys opened to huge critical acclaim when he starred as Benjamin in the 2000 world premiere of the stage adaptation of The Graduate, alongside Kathleen Turner at The Gielgud Theatre in London's West End.
Rhys travelled to Ireland to star in the 18th century swashbuckling adventure, The Abduction Club. He played the lead role of Darren Daniels in Tabloid, and then returned to New Zealand to shoot the epic drama Lost World for the BBC. His other film credits include the independent horror film Deathwatch in Prague and Fakers, a comic crime caper. He also appeared opposite the late Brittany Murphy in the independent feature Love and Other Disasters, in Virgin Territory opposite Hayden Christensen, Tim Roth and Mischa Barton, and playing poet Dylan Thomas in the love quadrangle biopic The Edge of Love, alongside Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller and Cillian Murphy.
Rhys is quite adamant that he could happily give up his career to play international rugby for his country.[2]
On July 15, 2008, Matthew was honoured by Aberystwyth University as a Fellow.[3] While on August 8, 2008 he was honoured at the Welsh National Eisteddfod by being accepted as a member to the druidic order of the Gorsedd of the Bards, for his contribution to the Welsh language and Wales.[4] His bardic name in the Gorsedd is Matthew Tâf.
Matthew Rhys is a patron of the Iris Prize - (Cardiff's International Gay and Lesbian Short Film Prize) [5]
In 2011, Rhys will appear in the BBC Two two-part drama adaptation (written by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by Diarmuid Lawrence) of Charles Dickens' last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, left unfinished at his death in 1870. [6]
In 2012 Matthew Rhys will reprise Sir Alec Guinness' 1959 double role of John Barratt/Jacques De Gué in a new adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's 1957 novel The Scapegoat. The 100-minute film, directed and written by Charles Sturridge will be produced by Sarah Beardsall and Dominic Minghella's Island Pictures.[7] The Scapegoat will go into production on location in London in November 2011 and will be released for cinema audiences worldwide, a theatrical distribution managed by Content Media following its screening on ITV1 in April 2012.
Personal life
Rhys is very close friends with actor Ioan Gruffudd, and they shared a house for nearly 10 years.[2] Rhys served as one of the best men at Gruffudd's wedding, and wrote a speech for the occasion.[8]
Both Rhys and Gruffudd are patrons of UK spinal injuries charity Trust PA,[9] in memory of a schoolfriend. Rhys is also patron of Hijinx Theatre,[10] based at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, as well as a Charity Champion for The Noah's Ark Appeal a charity that fund-raises for the development of The Children's Hospital of Wales.
Selected filmography
Year Film/TV Role Notes 2012 The Scapegoat John Standing / Johnny Spence Novel adaptation 2011 The Mystery of Edwin Drood John Jasper Two-part TV drama 2011 Everything Carries Me To You (short) Damien 2010 Patagonia Mateo 2009 The Think Tank (short) Marc 2008 The Edge of Love Dylan Thomas 2007 Virgin Territory Count Dzerzhinsky 2006 Love and Other Disasters Peter Simon 2006 Beau Brummell: This Charming Man Lord Byron 2006–2011 Brothers & Sisters Kevin Walker (TV series) 109 episodes Directed three episodes
2004 Fakers Nick Edwards 2003 Columbo Likes the Nightlife Justin Price 2003 Y Mabinogi Lleu Llaw Gyffes (voice) 2002 Deathwatch Cpl. Doc Fairweather 2002 The Abduction Club James Strang 2002 Shooters Eddie 2001 The Lost World Edward Malone 2001 Very Annie Mary Nob 2001 Tabloid Darren Daniels 2000 Sorted Carl 2000 A History of Britain (voice, TV series) 1999 Heart Sean McCardle 1999 Titus Demetrius 1999 Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? Ray Smith 1998 Elizabeth (uncredited) Other projects, contributions
- When love speaks (2002, EMI Classics) - "Sonnet 132" ("Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me")
References
- ^ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qksm7EzYXuQ - Matthew Rhys - ABC News Interview December 5, 2006
- ^ a b YouTube - Matthew Rhys - ABC News Interview December 5, 2006
- ^ Aber News Online
- ^ MATTHEW RHYS TO PERFORM WITH NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA | News|About|The National Eisteddfod of Wales
- ^ Iris Prize patrons
- ^ BBC Press Office - Cast announced for The Mystery Of Edwin Drood on BBC Two
- ^ Island Pictures
- ^ icWales
- ^ Website of Trust PA, a spinal injuries charity of which Matthew Rhys is Patron
- ^ Website of Hijinx Theatre, of which Rhys is also a Patron
External links
- Matthew Rhys at the Internet Movie Database
- The Think Tank
- Everything Carries Me To You - trailer
Categories:- 1974 births
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
- Living people
- People from Cardiff
- Welsh-speaking people
- Welsh stage actors
- Welsh film actors
- Welsh television actors
- Welsh voice actors
- Bards of the Gorsedd
- People educated at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
