CineScope
Paul Rhys picture

Paul Rhys

Acting
Known For

61 Years Old

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.

Born

Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, UK on 19th December 1963

All Credits

Agatha Christie's Poirot Image
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Robin Upward
Murdoch Mysteries Image
Murdoch Mysteries
Dr. Llewllyn Francis
Victoria Image
Victoria
Sir John Conroy
A Discovery of Witches Image
A Discovery of Witches
Father Hubbard
A Discovery of Witches Image
A Discovery of Witches
Andrew Hubbard
This World Image
This World
Luther Image
Luther
Lucien Burgess
Borgia Image
Borgia
The Way Image
The Way
Akela
Kavanagh Q.C. Image
Kavanagh Q.C.
Sam Wicks
Moving On Image
Moving On
Andy
Performance Image
Performance
Christopher
Performance Image
Performance
Edgar
Spooks Image
Spooks
Alexis Meynell
Lore Image
Lore
Philip Smith
The Ten Commandments Image
The Ten Commandments
Ramses
Napoleon Image
Napoleon
Talleyrand
Being Human Image
Being Human
Ivan
Chillers Image
Chillers
Adam Marshall
Timewatch Image
Timewatch
Cicero
Great Expectations Image
Great Expectations
Compeyson/Denby
Great Expectations Image
Great Expectations
Denby
Great Expectations Image
Great Expectations
Compeyson
Murder in Mind Image
Murder in Mind
Matthew Hopkins
Bonekickers Image
Bonekickers
Saltburn Image
Saltburn
Duncan
New Tricks Image
New Tricks
Sebastian Carter
Casanova Image
Casanova
Comte De St Germain
The Queen Image
The Queen
The Cazalets Image
The Cazalets
Rupert Cazalet
Beethoven Image
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Chaplin Image
Chaplin
Sydney Chaplin
From Hell Image
From Hell
Dr. Ferral
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Image
Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)
A Dance to the Music of Time Image
A Dance to the Music of Time
Charles Stringham
Rellik Image
Rellik
Patrick Barker
Widow Clicquot Image
Widow Clicquot
Droite
Anna Karenina Image
Anna Karenina
Nikolai
The Assets Image
The Assets
Aldrich Ames
Hellraiser: Deader Image
Hellraiser: Deader
Winter
Gallowglass Image
Gallowglass
Sandor
Absolute Beginners Image
Absolute Beginners
Dean Swift
My Family and Other Animals Image
My Family and Other Animals
George
Lionheart Image
Lionheart
Mayor of the Underground City
The Deal Image
The Deal
Peter Mandelson
Men Up Image
Men Up
Tommy Cadogan
Vincent & Theo Image
Vincent & Theo
Theodore 'Theo' Van Gogh
The Last Machine Image
The Last Machine
Food of Love Image
Food of Love
Richard Kennington
Becoming Colette Image
Becoming Colette
Chapo
When Harvey Met Bob Image
When Harvey Met Bob
Paul McCartney
Tumbledown Image
Tumbledown
Hugh MacKessac
Nina Takes a Lover Image
Nina Takes a Lover
Photographer
The Spirit Image
The Spirit
No Image
Otherworld
Lord Pwyll (voice)
Vincent & Theo Image
Vincent & Theo
Theo Van Gogh
The Heroes Image
The Heroes
Ivan Lyon
Rebecca's Daughters Image
Rebecca's Daughters
Anthony Raine
Casanova Image
Casanova
Comte De St Germain
102 Boulevard Haussmann Image
102 Boulevard Haussmann
Amable Massis
No Image
Eliminate: Archie Cookson
Archie Cookson
The Haunting of Helen Walker Image
The Haunting of Helen Walker
Edward Goffe
Love Lies Bleeding Image
Love Lies Bleeding
Jonathan
The Healer Image
The Healer
Dr. John Lassiter
King Lear Image
King Lear
Edgar
Madfabulous Image
Madfabulous
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka Image
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
Chopin
Murder in Rome Image
Murder in Rome
Cicero
No Image
The Innocent
David Pastorov
No Image
The Lives of Animals
John