Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans (Welsh pronunciation: [r̥ɨːs ˈivans]; born Rhys Owain Evans;[1] 22 July 1967)[1][2][3][4] is a Welsh actor, producer and musician. He is known for his portrayal of characters such as Spike in Notting Hill, Jed Parry in Enduring Love, Eyeball Paul in Kevin & Perry Go Large and Dr. Curt Connors / The Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man. Ifans also appeared as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.
Rhys Ifans | |
|---|---|
 Ifans in 2011 | |
| Born | Rhys Owain Evans 22 July 1967 |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, musician |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Partner(s) | Anna Friel (2011–2014) |
| Relatives | Llŷr Ifans (brother) |
Ifans had a recurring role as Mycroft Holmes in the CBS series Elementary. From 2016 to 2019, he played Hector DeJean on the U.S. pay-cable Epix network's CIA espionage thriller Berlin Station for three seasons. He is a member of the rock group The Peth and a former member of the Super Furry Animals.
Early life
Ifans was born on 22 July 1967 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He is the son of Beti-Wyn (née Davies), a nursery school teacher, and Eurwyn Evans, a primary school teacher, and the brother of the actor Llŷr Ifans.[5][6] Their first language is Welsh.[7] Ifans grew up in Ruthin, Denbighshire,[8] and received his primary education at Ysgol Pentrecelyn. He attended Ysgol Maes Garmon, a Welsh medium secondary school in Mold, Flintshire, where he sat his O levels and A levels. He attended acting classes at Theatr Clwyd.[5]
After leaving school Ifans presented Welsh-language television programmes on S4C.[5]
Ifans studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he graduated in 1997.[9]
Career
Stage
Early stage work by Ifans included Hamlet at Theatr Clwyd, A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Regent's Park Theatre, and Under Milk Wood and Volpone at the National Theatre. He appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in 2003's Accidental Death of an Anarchist. In 2006 he returned to the London stage in Michael Grandage's production of Don Juan in Soho at the Donmar Warehouse. In 2016, Ifans played Fool alongside Glenda Jackson in Deborah Warner's production of King Lear, at The Old Vic. He returned to The Old Vic to play Ebenezer Scrooge in Matthew Warchus' production of A Christmas Carol (adapted by Jack Thorne) in 2017 and in 2018 returned to the National Theatre to play King Berenger in Patrick Marber's new adaptation of Eugene Ionesco's Exit the King.
Television
Ifans appeared in many Welsh-language television programmes before embarking on his film career, including the comedy show Pobol y Chyff, as well as performing at the National Theatre, London and the Royal Exchange, Manchester. In 1990, he presented Sdwnsh (Welsh for "Mash"), an anarchic children's quiz programme. A total of 31 fifteen-minute programmes were broadcast on Welsh-language TV channel S4C.[10][11]
He narrated the children's animated series Sali Mali for S4C in 2000.
In 2008, he appeared in "Six Days One June", one of three episodes of the TV series The Last Word Monologues, written by Hugo Blick and broadcast on BBC Two. He played a lonely Welsh farmer trying to free himself from a domineering mother.
From 2016 to 2019, Ifans portrayed hard-nosed American CIA case officer Hector DeJean in the U.S. pay-cable Epix network espionage thriller drama series Berlin Station, which was filmed on location in Berlin.
Feature films
Following his role as Jeremy Lewis in the Swansea-based movie Twin Town (1997), Ifans gained international exposure in his role as the slovenly housemate Spike in the British film Notting Hill (1999). Reportedly, in preparation for the role, Ifans did not wash himself or brush his teeth. He played Adrian, the pompous eldest brother in Little Nicky (2000). Other film roles include: Eyeball Paul in Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000), Nigel in The Replacements (2000), Iki in The 51st State (2001), William Dobbin in Vanity Fair (2004), and Vladis Grutas in Hannibal Rising (2007). He played Jed Parry in the film version of Ian McEwan's Enduring Love, and the lead role in Danny Deckchair (2003) as Danny Morgan.
Ifans revealed in March 2009 that he was to appear in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010).[12] He played Xenophillius Lovegood, editor of the wizarding magazine The Quibbler and father of the eccentric Luna Lovegood. In the same interview, he announced that he would play the title role in the film Mr. Nice, based on the life of the drug smuggler Howard Marks. He played Nemo Nobody's father in Mr. Nobody. He played a villain in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang.
On 11 October 2010, the Associated Press confirmed that Ifans would portray the villain in the Spider-Man reboot film The Amazing Spider-Man. The villain was revealed as the Lizard a few days later, and the film was released in July 2012.[13] In 2015, Ifans starred in She's Funny That Way, directed by Peter Bogdanovich.
Music videos and as musician
He was briefly lead vocalist of the rock band Super Furry Animals before they released any records.[14]
In 2005, Ifans made a guest appearance for the rock band Oasis in the video for their single "The Importance of Being Idle" (where he mimed to Noel Gallagher's vocals), for which he accepted their award for Video of the Year at the 2006 NME Awards. He has also appeared in the music videos for "God! Show Me Magic" and "Hometown Unicorn" by Super Furry Animals, "Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia, and "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Tom Jones with Stereophonics.
Since 2007, Ifans has sung with the psychedelic rock band The Peth (peth is Welsh for "thing"), featuring Super Furry Animals' Dafydd Ieuan, which played a number of concert dates in south Wales and in London in the autumn of 2008. In 2009 the band supported Oasis at a concert in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.[15]
Other pursuits and activities
In 2002, Ifans caused some controversy, reported in the British media, for his alleged support of Welsh nationalist group Meibion Glyndŵr, a militant group which burnt more than 100 empty second homes in Wales in the 1980s. This was mainly because of comments he made in an interview conducted by Mariella Frostrup for the newspaper The Observer.[7]
In September 2012, Ifans became patron of the Welsh-language Wikipedia, together with Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales.
Personal life
Ifans has a brother, Llŷr Ifans, who is also an actor. They starred together in the Welsh-produced film Twin Town.[16]
Legal issues
During 2011 Comic Con, Ifans was arrested for misdemeanour battery by San Diego police, after allegedly pushing a guard prior to speaking on a guest panel.[17] In August 2011, the local District Attorney's office announced that Ifans would not be charged due to lack of evidence.[18]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Spatz | Dave | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Screen Two | Kevin | Episode: "Streetlife" |
| 1997 | Trial & Retribution | Michael Dunn | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Not Only But Always | Peter Cook | TV movie |
| 2008 | A Number | Bernard (B2) | TV movie |
| 2011 | Neverland | James Hook | TV movie |
| 2012 | The Corrections | Gitanas | Unaired pilot |
| 2013–2014 | Elementary | Mycroft Holmes | 7 episodes |
| 2013 | Playhouse Presents | Chris | Episode: "Gifted" |
| 2016–2019 | Berlin Station | Hector DeJean | 24 episodes |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Mulder and Scully" | ||
| 2000 | "Mama Told Me Not to Come" | ||
| 2005 | "The Importance of Being Idle" | Lazy Man |
Honours, awards and nominations
In 2005, Ifans won a BAFTA for his portrayal of comedian Peter Cook in the TV film Not Only But Always.
On 16 July 2007, he received an Honorary Fellowship of Bangor University, for services to the film industry.[21]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Notting Hill | BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
| 1999 | Notting Hill | Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2005 | Enduring Love | Empire Award for Best British Actor | Nominated |
| 2012 | The Amazing Spider-Man | Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain | Nominated |
References
- Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.; at ancestry.com
- Johnston, Sheila. "Ifans, Rhys". Screenonline. British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
Born Rhys Owain Evans in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, on 22 July 1967
- Wloszczyna, Susan (3 June 1999). "Undies and all, 'Hill' is heaven for the flatmate from hell". USA Today. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
- Anderson, Daniel (3 July 2012). "Uncut Interview - Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man)". clickonline.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- "Rhys Ifans biography". Wales Arts. BBC. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- "Rhys Ifans' parental pride". Boston Globe. 17 March 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
- "Rhys's pieces". The Observer. 1 September 2002. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- "Rhys Ifans". moono.com.
- D'Souza, Christa (14 February 2003). "Sometimes, I cry like a baby". Daily Telegraph. London.
- "Sdwnsh". antena.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
- "Sdwnsh". Antena. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, 27 March 2009
- "Rhys Ifans Will Play the Lizard in 'Spider-Man'". /film. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- "Super Furry Animals FAQ". BBC Wales. Archived from the original on 15 March 2008.
- "The Peth Biography". Wales Music. BBC. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- Louise Ford (9 March 2008). "Sienna Miller to marry lover Rhys Ifans". Sunday Mirror. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008.
- "'Spider-Man' Villain Rhys Ifans Cited at Comic-Con". TheWrap. 23 July 2011.
- Molloy, Tim (12 August 2011). "'Spider-Man' Villain Rhys Ifans Won't Be Charged in Comic-Con Incident (Exclusive)". Reuters.
- "Saint John movie shoot attracts 250 actors from region". CBC News New Brunswick. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6446550/
- "Film actor, Rhys Ifans among University's Honorary Fellows!". Bangor University. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhys Ifans. |
- Rhys Ifans at IMDb
- Rhys Ifans biography and credits at the BFI's Screenonline
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