Rhys Ifans

Rhys Owain Evans, known professionally as Rhys Ifans, is a Welsh actor and musician born on 22 July 1967. He is recognized for his work across film, television, and theatre, as well as his musical performances. His major film credits include Twin Town, Notting Hill, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The King's Man. On television, he has held roles in Berlin Station, Elementary, Star City, and House of the Dragon. Additionally, Ifans served as the frontman for the rock groups Super Furry Animals and The Peth.

Ifans was born in Haverfordwest to nursery school teacher Beti-Wyn and primary school teacher Eirwyn Evans. Raised in Ruthin speaking Welsh as his first language, he grew up with his younger brother, Llŷr Ifans, who also became an actor. He attended Ysgol Pentrecelyn and Ysgol Maes Garmon, took acting classes at Theatr Clwyd, and presented Welsh-language programs on S4C. He later studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 1997.

His early stage performances included Badfinger, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Under Milk Wood, and Volpone. His later theatre roles include productions of Don Juan in Soho, King Lear, A Christmas Carol, and Exit the King. On television, Ifans appeared in early Welsh-language shows such as Pobol y Chyff and Stwnsh. In 2004, he portrayed Peter Cook in the television film Not Only But Always, winning the BAFTA Best Actor award at the 2005 British Academy Television Awards.

Ifans gained international attention playing Spike in the 1999 film Notting Hill, following his role in Twin Town. He subsequently appeared in films including Little Nicky, Kevin & Perry Go Large, The Replacements, The 51st State, Danny Deckchair, Vanity Fair, Enduring Love, and Hannibal Rising. He portrayed Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Howard Marks in Mr. Nice, and Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in Last Call.

In high-profile feature films, Ifans played Dr. Curt Connors / Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), later providing voice work and archival footage for Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and portrayed Grigori Rasputin in The King's Man (2021). His television career includes playing Hector DeJean in Berlin Station, Mycroft Holmes in Elementary, and Otto Hightower in House of the Dragon.

In music, Ifans was an early lead vocalist for Super Furry Animals and fronted the psychedelic rock band The Peth, which supported Oasis in 2009. He has also appeared in several music videos. Outside of performing, he became a patron of Welsh-language Wikipedia in 2012, joined Shelter Cymru's 2017 homelessness campaign, and supported the community purchase of the Tafarn Sinc pub.