Paul Rhys

Born in Neath, Wales in 1963 Paul Rhys studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, but landed a role in a high profile film before he'd even graduated. "Absolute Beginners" (1986) was one of the most expensive films in British history. A period musical featuring David Bowie and Sade, the film was a critical and financial misstep, but gave Rhys a giant springboard. His first lead role was opposite Colin Firth in the British TV movie "Tumbledown" (BBC1, 1988) focusing on the 1982 Falklands War and the injured soldiers who returned to the UK. Rhys delivered another standout performance as Vincent Van Gogh's brother, Theo, in the Robert Altman directed film "Vincent & Theo" (1990) featuring Tim Roth as the famous painter. He played another famous brother in the film "Chaplin" (1993), portraying Charlie Chaplin's brother and manager, Sydney. Rhys continued to work as a character actor, playing supporting roles in big budget features like "From Hell" (2001), and sometimes on series like "Being Human" (BBC3, 2008-2010). He played many real life characters, including Leonardo da Vinci on "Borgia" (Canal+/Sky/Netflix, 2011-2014), spy Aldrich Ames on the British mini-series "The Assets" (ABC, 2014), and Sir John Conroy on the series "Victoria" (ITV, 2016) among others.