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 workingclass Catholic parents Kathryn Ivory and Richard Charles Rhys a labourer He is of partIrish descent on his mothers 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 Godbers hit play Bouncers before leaving for London where he qualified for his Equity card by singing jazz standards at lunchtime for Peter Boizots 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 Wildes A Woman of No Importance at the Glasgow Citizens Theatre playing the illegitimate son Gerald He also appeared as Dean Swift in Julien Temples 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 Schaffners Lionheart After a brief spell at the Royal Shakespeare Company he played opposite Colin Firth in Richard Eyres awardwinning film Tumbledown Soon after this he appeared in Vincent Theo directed by American film director Robert Altman as Vincent van Goghs younger brother Theo van Gogh Continuing the theme of famous brothers Paul then played Sydney Chaplin opposite Robert Downey Jrs Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenboroughs Chaplin He went on to play Massis in Alan Bennetts 102 Boulevard Haussmann He then appeared opposite Peter OToole in Rebeccas 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 Scotts 2023 epic Napoleon and as Duncan in Emerald Fennells Saltburn Running parallel to Rhyss 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 Christies Poirot In 2014 he played the lead as traitor Aldrich Ames in The Assets miniseries then as King George III in Turn Washingtons 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 13 of the 2015 series Da Vincis Demons and as Andrew Hubbard in two seasons of the 20202021 hit A Discovery of Witches In 2023 he appears as Tommy in the BBC film Men Up