Rhys Ifans
Biography
Life Story
Rhys Ifans was born and raised in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the son of teacher parents, Beti Wyn (Davies) and Eirwyn Evans. He was educated in two Welsh language schools - Ysgol Pentrecelyn, where his mother taught, and Ysgol Maes Garmon. During his childhood, Ifans showed an interest in performing and attended youth acting school. He went on to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
Ifans made his small screen debut as the host of Welsh children's TV show, Stwnsh. Various roles in theater and Welsh language television also followed. His breakthrough on the big screen came in the British hit Twin Town (1997), where he acting alongside his younger brother Llyr Ifans. More film success followed, notably as Hugh Grant's scruffy housemate in Notting Hill (1999). Other projects include Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) , Little Nicky (2000), Enduring Love (2004), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
In 2004, he played iconic British comedian Peter Cook in the TV film Not Only But Always (2004). His performance earned him an Emmy nomination and a BAFTA award for Best Actor.
Family
No info available
Trivia
Welsh-speaker, has starred in many Welsh language dramas, comedies and entertainment programmes (for Welsh-language channel S4C).
Both he and his brother Llyr Ifans are from Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales, UK.
His first language is Welsh, and at one time, he went to the all Welsh speaking school, Maes Garmon.
Has performed at the National Theatre and the Royal Exchange, Manchester.
Name is pronounced Reese Ee-vans.
Left Wales at age 18 to study acting in London.
Was the original lead singer for the band Super Furry Animals, leaving before the band became well known.
Has appeared in several rock promos: "Hometown Unicorn" and "God Show Me Magic" by the Super Furry Animals (both 1996), "Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia (1998), "Mama Told Me Not To Come" by Tom Jones and the Stereophonics (2000), and "The Importance of Being Idle" by Oasis (2005).
Won a scholarship to Guildhall School of Music & Drama and graduated in 1997.
Both parents were teachers.
Was engaged to Sienna Miller, having been in a relationship with her since June 2007 (March-June 2008).
He was a self-described "obsessive fan" of the 'Spider-Man' comics as a child and got the chance to play the villain (The Lizard) in the 2012 reboot The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
Personal Quotes
I'm a factory-floor actor. I learn the lines, I get there on time. I don't sit around with other actors and talk about the pain and the magic of acting. I'd rather just go down the pub. That's where the real magic happens. That's often where the ideas take flight. Very underrated, the pub, in terms of the history of creativity.
'I work hard and I party hard. When I go to work, I know what I am doing and I do it to the best of my abilities. When I party, I take exactly the same rule book with me. Except I might turn up later and outstay my welcome. I really don't know why that interests anybody, given that most of the population behaves in exactly the same way.
Every time the Tories get a bit of power they rip off all the things I love. The mining industry. Milk.
[on whether he has reservations about Shakepeare's genius] I'm a British actor, so of course you suckle on the milk of William Shakespeare from the moment that you decide to act. But no, I'll say the body of evidence to prove that William Shakespeare from Stratford wrote all of these works is flimsy.
[on working with a stellar cast in Anonymous (2011)] You'd think that a cast of that stature would be intimidating, and it was quite the opposite. I felt so safe. And we all know each other. We know what it is to be underpaid and worked to the bone. So it was just a luxury from beginning to end.
