Matthew Rhys Is on a Tear. If Only He Knew It.
New York Times · LC · trust 33/100
Credit... Philip Montgomery for The New York Times
You would think two Emmy nominations for leading roles in the same year would make the actor Matthew Rhys feel very secure in himself and his career. But as I learned in our conversation, you would be wrong.
Rhys, 51, grew up in Wales, then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, struggled through years of Hollywood fits and starts and first appeared on my radar as the conflicted Soviet spy Philip Jennings in “The Americans” — one of the great shows of the 2010s. In addition to giving a beautifully rendered and critically celebrated performance in that series, he fell in love with his co-star Keri Russell, and the two have been together ever since. Sounds pretty good, right? But Rhys, who comes across as lively and charming in conversation, told me even after that success, he continued to struggle with his self-confidence.
It’s hard to believe that the feeling persists, considering the banner year he has had: Beyond the Emmy nominations, his show “Widow’s Bay” became the breakout hit of the summer, both a critical success and a popular one. His other Emmy-nominated role, in “The Beast in Me,” showed off his ability to be both dark and alluring onscreen, which has become a trademark. In addition to these performances, we spoke about falling in love at work, his deep commitment to his Welsh roots and language — and how the history of his people connects to all that self-doubt.
So, the best description of you that I’ve seen is actually your own. Oh, God. Here we go. Immediately panicked.
You once said that you are “eternally seeking to channel the spirit of David Niven,” referring to the great leading man — who has Welsh roots, I discovered. Can you tell me what you meant by that? I’m always a nervous Nellie: I said the wrong thing! I did the wrong thing! And then I look at Niven, and he was always so quietly self-assured and calm and said the right thing, even when a naked person ran behind him at the Oscars . I just wish I could be that person, and be gracious and effortless.
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