I guarantee there will be some people on this list who you didn’t know were Welsh actors. The small nation of Wales is known for being the land of song, but its inhabitants are also brilliant entertainers. There are so many Welsh actors who have made it big in Hollywood.
Famous Welsh Actors
They are often categorised as a British actor. Boo! There are many famous people born in Wales. You don’t need to be a film critic or an expert in Welsh film or British film to know these famous people from Wales. Whether they are still living in the land of their fathers, the United Kingdom, New York, LA or London, here’s a list of Welsh actors.
Famous actors born in Wales
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Phillip Anthony Hopkins is the most decorated entry, and probably one of the most famous people of Wales. Anthony Hopkins grew up in Margam in Port Talbot and like many entrants on the list studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. He’s probably best known for playing Hannibal Lecter. Plus, his performance alongside Sean Connery in A Bridge Too Far. He has not let the fame get to his head, he keeps a photograph of his 10-year-old self on his mobile phone as a token of just how far he’s come since his childhood.
Christian Bale
Arguably, Bale coined the phrase “I’m Batman!” in current pop culture. He was born in Haverfordwest, to English parents, and spent his childhood there. In an interview when promoting American Physco in 2000 he was asked; Is the drinking part of your Welsh heritage? He responded with, “I was born in Wales but I’m not Welsh – I’m English.” Mate, that still makes you Welsh! You would have experienced the people and cultures. The people of Wales are passionate, especially about their homeland, so with this one sentence, he has made a nation of enemies.
Jonathan Pryce
To modern audiences, he is known as Keira Knightley’s dad from Pirates of the Caribbean, and the High Sparrow from Game of Thrones. Jonathan Pryce was born and raised in Carmel, Flintshire. He told The Guardian “…I left home when I was 18,” he shrugs. “I’ve got fond memories of home and I’ve got negative memories of home. I don’t really get back there as much as I should.”
Ian Whyte
Standing at a towering 7 foot 1 inches, Ian Whyte is an actor, stuntman and former professional basketball player from Bangor. He has starred in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He is probably best known for various roles in Game of Thrones, including White Walkers and a giant in the opening episode of season 3. For these roles, he was unrecognisable under make-up and computer effects. In season 2, he also had a speaking role as Ser Gregor Clegane.
Michael Sheen
Welsh actor Michael Christopher Sheen OBE was born in Newport but is known from being from Port Talbot. He has a great acting CV, but American audiences will know him for The Twilight Saga and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. More recently he’s starred alongside David Tennent in the Amazon series Good Omens.
Sheen is from a theatrical family, and his father even worked as a Jack Nicholson lookalike. He was involved with the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre and, later, the National Youth Theatre of Wales before moving to London to train at RADA.
Michael Sheen and Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones (who married Michael Douglas) are often connected together. Both are the same age, grew up in the same town, attended the same drama school and their parents are friendly. However, they didn’t meet until working together on Fox’s Prodigal Son.
Sheen was also highly praised for directing and starring in a reading of Dylan Thomas Under Milk Wood at New York’s 92nd Street – the same stage where the work premiered in 1953.
Rhys Ifans
Rhys Owain Evans is from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire but grew up in Denbighshire. His stage name is Rhys Ifans and he is known for several Hollywood movie roles. He has been in The Amazing Spider-Man, Harry Potter as Xenophilius Lovegood, The 51st State and Notting Hill. American audiences will also know him from starring in Neverland, Elementary, and Berlin Station.
He attended acting classes at Theatr Clwyd. Ifans studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he graduated in 1997. After leaving school presented Welsh-language television programmes on S4C, including narrating Sali Mali.
Keith Allen
It may surprise you that Keith Allen is a Welsh actor. Keith Howell Charles Allen is one of the famous people from Llanelli. He is an actor and television presenter. He is the father of singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen. As his father was a Royal Navy Submariner, at age 11 he was sent to Brentwood boarding school in Essex. He was expelled from the school at the age of 13 and at 15 he was sent to a Borstal (a youth detention centre) after repeatedly being caught stealing. He has recently starred in The Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Eddie the Eagle and Agent Cody Banks 2.
Luke Evans
Pontypool born Luke Evans is an actor and singer and was brought up in Aberbargoed, before moving to Cardiff. He began his career on the West End before his breakthrough film, Clash of the Titans. Since then he has gone on to star in the Fast and the Furious franchise, Girl on the Train, The Hobbit, Wonder Woman and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. He is always in the top 10 Welsh actors and hot Welsh actors lists.
John Rhys-Davies
Instantly recognisable, John Rhys Davies is a Hollywood star with Welsh blood running in his veins. He has been working in film and TV since the 1970s. He is known for his role as Gimli in Lord of the Rings – as well as voicing Tree Beard – and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. My personal favourite is the irritable Viscount Mabrey in the Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement.
He was brought up in Ammanford in Carmarthenshire. In 2013 he took part in the BBC Wales programme, Coming Home, which is very similar to Who Do You Think You Are but concentrates on Welsh roots. He said; “I’m very proud of being a Welshman, I’m very proud of my Welsh heritage and yet these days I feel we do not treasure the past quite as much as we should.”
Peter Wingfield
Originally from Cardiff, Peter Wingfield has appeared in Smallville, NCIS, Stargate-SG1 and CSI. Here in the UK, he is best known for his roles in Holby City and Highlander. Since 2011, he has significantly reduced his acting and has been concentrating on a medical career. As of September 2020, he is an Anaesthesiologist at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles CA.
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Matthew Rhys
The Welsh Hollywood actor Matthew Rhys was born in Cardiff. His first language is Welsh, going to the schools Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. Rhys was housemates for nearly 10 years with fellow Welshman and actor Ioan Gruffudd and was even his best man.
He had parts on the West End and in popular British TV programmes before appearing opposite Brittany Murphy in Love and Other Disasters and an all-star cast in Virgin Territory. American Audiences will know him from ABC’s Brothers and Sisters playing gay lawyer Keven Walker and The American’s with real-life wife Keri Russell both playing KGB sleeper agents.
Taron Egerton
The young Welsh actor Taron Egerton has had a lot of success in the last few years. Although born in England, Egerton considers himself to be Welsh “through and through” and is fluent in both Welsh and English. He has lived in Aberystwyth, Anglesey and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in North Wales. Staring in The Kingsman films, they launched his career. He has gone on to portray Elton John in Rocketman, Robin Hood and Eddie The Eagle, making him one of the most famous Welsh celebrities.
Luca Malacrino
The Welsh Italian, Luca Malacrino was born in 1992 in Cardiff. He has secured several roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
“Living in LA has given me an even bigger appreciation for Wales, and I want to do my part to showcase the talents of this beautiful country, both in front of and behind the camera,” said Luca said at the BAFTA’s Newcomers Programme.
Timothy Dalton
That’s right, we have James Bond on the list. Timothy Dalton starred in the film version of The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. He has also appeared in Flash Gordon, Hot Fuzz and The Tourist, and even voiced the character Mr Pricklepants in Toy Story 3. Timothy was born in Colwyn Bay in Denbighshire.
In an interview with Great British Life, he said, “The truth is I was born in Colwyn Bay because my parents happened to be there at the time. My father was an advertising executive, that was his career, but he was also a captain in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War Two and had been stationed in Colwyn Bay.” The family moved to Manchester when Timothy was 4.
Desmond Llewelyn
Speaking of James Bond, Desmond Llewelyn played Q in 17 of the films between 1963 and 1999. He was born in Newport, South Wales and died in 1999 aged 85. Other productions include appearing on stage opposite Laurence Olivier, in film with Richard Burton in Cleopatra. Plus, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Owen Teale
Owen Teale is known for playing Ser Allister Thorne in Game of Thrones. Hollywood audiences may also know him from Discovery of Witches as well as Dr Who, Torchwood and Line of Duty, which has raked in the audiences on BBC America. He was born in North Cornelly in Bridgend and attended school in Kenfig Hill.
Iwan Rheon
The Welsh actor was born in Carmarthenshire before moving to Cardiff aged 5. He speaks Welsh and attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, like so many actors on this list. Iwan Rheon rose to fame in E4’s Misfits before landing fame as the vindictive Ramsey Bolton in Game of Thrones, making him one of the most famous Welsh people. He’s also starred in ABC’s Inhumans, Sky Atlantic’s Riviera and voice-overs in Family Guy.
Ioan Gruffudd
Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd was born in Aberdare, but moved to Cardiff, and is another alumnus of Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. In an interview in 2007, he said, “As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor.”
In Hollywood, he is known for his roles in the blockbuster Titanic, 102 Dalmatians, Black Hawk Down, Fantastic Four and Horrible Bosses. He’s also had parts in Family Guy, Glee and Castle.
Owain Yeoman
Owain Yeoman is from Chepstow. The star made his film debut in the Oscar-nominated Troy, before moving on to the HBO mini-series, Generation Kill. He also had roles in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Mentalist, Elementary, Turn: Washington Spies and the TV series of Supergirl.
Julain Lewis-Jones
The North Walian has appeared in some big Hollywood blockbusters, most notably Justice League playing King Atlan. He has also had roles in Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, The Head Hunter and Zero Dark Thirty, and the Showtime television series The Tudors. Julian Lewis-Jones is from Anglesey and trained at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
His roots are still humble, and the way he found out he would be working with Clint Eastwood is a moment Julian will never forget, “I was in the car going to Llandeilo to get fruit and veg and my wife was driving as I was a bit hungover, having watched Wales beat Scotland in the Six Nations a day earlier. My phone went and it was my agent saying they had picked me. It cured my hangover straight away!”
Andrew Howard
Another Cardiffian on the Welsh actor list is Andrew Howard, who is known for roles in Guy Ritchie’s Revolver alongside Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close. He was also in Limitless and the Hangover Park II with Bradley Cooper and Taken 3 with Liam Neeson. He’s also a Cardiff City Football Club supporter. C’mon Bluebirds!
Aneurin Barnard
Pronounced An-i-rin, Aneurin Barnard was born in Bridgend and is first language Welsh. His first big television appearance was in a series called Jacob’s Ladder when he was 16, before training at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. US audiences will know him for playing King Richard III in The White Queen, The Goldfinch opposite Ansel Elgort and The Personal History of David Copperfield.
Tom Ellis
UK audiences know Tom Ellis from his role as the (unrequited) love interest in Miranda, as well as having roles in Eastenders and The Catherine Tate Show. He took over Hollywood as the star of Lucifer which started in 2015. Lucifer Morningstar has taken a vacation, sorry I mean holiday, from Hell and is visiting L.A. He decides to help a homicide detective find the murderers so that they can be punished. (It is hilarious, I love it!)
Tom grew up in Cardiff, and often Tweets about being Welsh. In an interview with The Big Issue he said; “My twin sister and I were born in Cardiff at the University of Wales hospital, and word got out that these enormous twins were being born – we were basically the heaviest newborn twins on record in South Wales at that time. So there were about 25 medical students surrounding my mum’s nether regions when I popped out. I came out to an audience. And that’s where it (acting) all started.”
Tom Cullen
Thomas Cullen was born in Aberystwyth and spent his early years in Llandrindod Wells. He moved to Cardiff at age 12 and attended Llanishen High School. Before moving on to study at the prestigious Royal College of Music and Drama leaving with a first-class honours degree. Tom is known for his roles in Downtown Abbey and Black Mirror. Plus, the Starz hit Becoming Elizabeth as the seducer Sir Thomas Seymour.
Richard Burton
I know this Welsh legend is no longer with us, but I had to include Richard Burton. Being one of the original famous Welsh actors. He was born Richard Walter Jenkins and is of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. Known as a natural successor to Laurence Olivier, he established himself as a Shakespearian actor in the 1950’s. Best known for performances in Hamlet and Richard III.
In the 1960’s he was one of the highest-paid actors in the world. What’s more, he was nominated for an Academy Award seven times. Plus BAFTAs, Tony Awards and a Golden Globe.
Richard Burton was from Pontrhydyfen a small coal-mining village in the Afan Valley. His second marriage to Elizabeth Taylor made them Hollywood royalty. They starred on screen together in Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Liz even learnt the Welsh word ‘Cwtch’ from Richard, and used it publicly. Their personal life was often splashed over the tabloids, and he often tops the list of Welsh celebrities.
Becoming Burton Exhibition
I recently visited the Becoming Burton Exhibition at the National Museum of Wales. It’s a small exhibition but gives an excellent insight into his life – on-screen and off-screen. It was interesting to hear about his upbringing and those who shaped him in Pontrhydfen (Neath Port Talbot).
Ray Milland
Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones) was born in Neath in 1907. He was a Welsh-American actor and film director. He is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend. Also for roles opposite John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind and Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder. He died in California in 1986.
Stanley Baker
Sir William Stanley Baker was born in Ferndale, Glamorgan and began his career on the West End. He befriended Richard Burton and appeared in films alongside him. Stanley was the lead actor and producer in Zulu. He died in 1976.
Hugh Griffith
Hugh Emrys Griffith was a Welsh film, stage and television actor. He is best remembered for his role in the film Ben-Hur, which earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Some of his other notable credits include Exodus, Mutiny on the Bounty, Tom Jones and Oliver! His career was often blighted by his chronic alcoholism. Hugh was born in Marian-glas, Anglesey in 1912, and died in 1980.
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