Matthew Rhys
Matthew Rhys Evans (/riːs/ REESS; born 8 November 1974[3][4]) is a Welsh actor. He gained recognition for playing Kevin Walker in the family drama series Brothers & Sisters (2006–2011) and Philip Jennings in the spy drama series The Americans (2013–2018), the latter of which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2018. He was Emmy-nominated for his guest role in Girls (2017) and for playing the title role in the period series Perry Mason (2020–2023).
Matthew Rhys
In film, Rhys appeared as Dylan Thomas in The Edge of Love (2008) and as Daniel Ellsberg in The Post (2017) and starred as a cynical journalist in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019). He has also voiced several characters in animated series, including The Owl House (2020–2023).
Early life and education[edit]
Rhys was born in Cardiff, Wales, on 8 November 1974[3] (some sources say 4 November).[4] His first language is Welsh.[5] He grew up in Cardiff and attended Welsh-medium schools, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd (in Whitchurch, Cardiff) and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (in Llandaff North, Cardiff). In 1993, he was awarded the Patricia Rothermere Scholarship.[6]
At age 17, after playing Elvis Presley in a school musical, he applied to and was accepted at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.[7] During Rhys's time at RADA, he appeared in the BBC police series Backup and in House of America. He returned to Cardiff to act in his own language in the Welsh film Bydd yn Wrol (Be Brave),[8] for which he won Best Actor at the BAFTA Cymru (Welsh BAFTAs).
Business ventures[edit]
In New York City, Rhys owns and rents a charter boat named Rarebit. The Wheeler boat was constructed around 1934; Rhys bought it from eBay after researching the venture in 2017 and rebuilt the boat himself with the advice of shipwrights.[21][22][23]
With the help of Welsh actor Rhys Ifans, Rhys supported fundraising for the pub Vale of Aeron in Ystrad Aeron, Ceredigion, Wales.[24][25]
Rhys' father grew up in Pennal, a town in Gwynedd, North Wales, and Rhys would spend summers and Easters visiting. In 2019, a pub named Glan Yr Afon (also Riverside) in Pennal was put on the market in 2019 without any buyers, but through a campaign supported by Rhys, there was a shares offering for the public; this raised £450,000 to save the pub, which was purchased by the local community in December 2022.[26][27][28]
Rhys set up his own production company, Patagonia (2011), which has two projects in development. One of them involves the adaptation of a book called Operation Julie, written by Lyn Ebenezer,[29] about the biggest LSD drugs bust (in Wales's history); Rhys bought the film rights in December 2010.[30][31][32]
Personal life[edit]
Rhys has been in a relationship with his The Americans co-star Keri Russell since 2014.[33][34] They had their first child, a son, in 2016.[35][36] In interviews conducted in 2021, they referred to each other as husband and wife.[1][2]
He is a supporter of Plaid Cymru,[37] actively supporting Welsh independence.[38]
On 15 July 2008, Aberystwyth University honoured Rhys as a Fellow.[39] On 8 August 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,[40] for his contributions to the Welsh language and Wales. His bardic name in the Gorsedd is Matthew Tâf. In August 2009, Rhys took to the stage with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales as part of the National Eisteddfod.[41]