
Paul Rhys
Paul Rhys (born 19 December 1963) is a Welsh actor with an extensive career in theatre, radio, television and film. Rhys was born in Neath to working-class Catholic parents, Kathryn Ivory and Richard Charles Rhys, a labourer. He is of part-Irish descent on his mother's side. From the age of ten, he bred and trained horses, becoming a highly accomplished rider. A committed punk during his youth, Rhys sang in several bands. His first acting job was playing Liverpudlian judo expert Ralph in John Godber's hit play Bouncers, before leaving for London, where he qualified for his Equity card by singing jazz standards at lunchtime for Peter Boizot's Pizza Express and Kettners. Rhys received a Bernard Shaw Scholarship to study at RADA. In the first term he was spotted by Philip Prowse and was invited to perform in Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance at the Glasgow Citizens Theatre, playing the illegitimate son, Gerald. He also appeared as Dean Swift in Julien Temple's film Absolute Beginners. Rhys completed his education at RADA by winning the William Pole prize and the Bancroft Gold Medal. His next film role was in Franklin J. Schaffner's Lionheart. After a brief spell at the Royal Shakespeare Company he played opposite Colin Firth in Richard Eyre's award-winning film Tumbledown. Soon after this, he appeared in Vincent & Theo, directed by American film director Robert Altman, as Vincent van Gogh's younger brother Theo van Gogh. Continuing the theme of famous brothers, Paul then played Sydney Chaplin opposite Robert Downey Jr.'s Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenborough's Chaplin. He went on to play Massis in Alan Bennett's 102 Boulevard Haussmann. He then appeared opposite Peter O'Toole in Rebecca's Daughters. A series of films then followed including From Hell, Food of Love, Love Lies Bleeding, Becoming Colette and Hellraiser: Deader. He appears as Talleyrand in Ridley Scott's 2023 epic Napoleon, and as Duncan in Emerald Fennell's Saltburn. Running parallel to Rhys's film work has been a diverse and notable television career, working in leading roles with directors such as Mike Hodges, Stephen Frears, Sir Richard Eyre, Philip Martin, Christopher Morahan, Tom Vaughan, Edward Hall, Harry Bradbeer in productions including Tumbledown, A Dance to the Music of Time, The Heroes, Ghosts, Gallowglass, The Healer, Anna Karenina, The Deal, Beethoven, The Ten Commandments, Borgia, Luther and Spooks. In 2008 Rhys appeared in the series Agatha Christie's Poirot. In 2014, he played the lead as traitor Aldrich Ames, in The Assets miniseries, then as King George III in Turn: Washington's Spies and as Sir John Conroy in Victoria. He has made a minor industry out of playing vampires: Being Human (as Ivan); as Vlad, the Prince of Wallachia aka Dracula in seasons 1–3 of the 2015 series Da Vinci's Demons; and as Andrew Hubbard in two seasons of the 2020–2021 hit, A Discovery of Witches. In 2023, he appears as Tommy in the BBC film, Men Up.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Widow Clicquot as Droite
- 2023 · Napoleon as Talleyrand
- 2023 · Saltburn as Duncan
- 2022 · The Sandman as Paul McGuire
- 2018 · A Discovery of Witches as Andrew Hubbard
- 2018 · A Discovery of Witches as Father Hubbard
- 2017 · Lore as Philip Smith
- 2016 · Victoria as Sir John Conroy
- 2011 · Great Expectations as Compeyson
- 2011 · Great Expectations as Denby
- 2011 · Great Expectations as Compeyson/Denby
- 2011 · Borgia as
- 2011 · Eliminate: Archie Cookson as Archie Cookson
- 2010 · When Harvey Met Bob as Paul McCartney
- 2010 · Luther as Lucien Burgess
- 2009 · Moving On as Andy
- 2009 · Being Human as Ivan
- 2008 · Murdoch Mysteries as Dr. Llewllyn Francis
- 2005 · Hellraiser: Deader as Winter
- 2004 · New Tricks as Sebastian Carter
- 2003 · Otherworld as Lord Pwyll (voice)
- 2002 · Spooks as Alexis Meynell
- 2001 · Murder in Mind as Matthew Hopkins
- 2001 · From Hell as Dr. Ferral
- 2000 · Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) as
- 1999 · Love Lies Bleeding as Jonathan
- 1995 · Nina Takes a Lover as Photographer
- 1995 · Kavanagh Q.C. as Sam Wicks
- 1992 · Rebecca's Daughters as Anthony Raine
- 1991 · Performance as Edgar
- 1991 · Performance as Christopher
- 1989 · Agatha Christie's Poirot as Robin Upward
- 1982 · Timewatch as Cicero
- Future · The Lives of Animals as John
- 2024 · Men Up as Tommy Cadogan
- 2024 · The Way as Akela
- 2017 · Rellik as Patrick Barker
- 2015 · Casanova as Comte De St Germain
- 2015 · Casanova as Comte De St Germain
- 2014 · The Assets as Aldrich Ames
- 2009 · The Queen as
- 2008 · Bonekickers as
- 2006 · The Ten Commandments as Ramses
- 2005 · Beethoven as Ludwig van Beethoven
- 2005 · Murder in Rome as Cicero
- 2004 · This World as
- 2003 · The Deal as Peter Mandelson
- 2002 · Food of Love as Richard Kennington
- 2001 · The Cazalets as Rupert Cazalet
- 2001 · The Innocent as David Pastorov
- 2000 · Anna Karenina as Nikolai
- 1999 · The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka as Chopin
- 1998 · King Lear as Edgar
- 1997 · A Dance to the Music of Time as Charles Stringham
- 1995 · The Haunting of Helen Walker as Edward Goffe
- 1995 · The Last Machine as
- 1994 · The Healer as Dr. John Lassiter
- 1993 · Gallowglass as Sandor
- 1992 · Chaplin as Sydney Chaplin
- 1991 · Becoming Colette as Chapo
- 1990 · Vincent & Theo as Theodore 'Theo' Van Gogh
- 1990 · 102 Boulevard Haussmann as Amable Massis
- 1990 · Vincent & Theo as Theo Van Gogh
- 1990 · Chillers as Adam Marshall
- 1988 · Tumbledown as Hugh MacKessac
- 1988 · The Heroes as Ivan Lyon
- 1987 · The Spirit as
- Future · Madfabulous as
- 1987 · My Family and Other Animals as George
- 1987 · Lionheart as Mayor of the Underground City
- 1986 · Absolute Beginners as Dean Swift