Iwan Rheon
Rheon in 2016.
Born (1985-05-13) 13 May 1985
Carmarthen, Dyfed, Wales
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • musician
Years active2002–present
Children1
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano

Iwan Rheon (Welsh: [ˈɪʊ̯.an ˈr̥ɛ.ɔn];[1][2] born 13 May 1985) is a Welsh actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Bellamy in the E4 series Misfits, Ramsay Bolton in the HBO series Game of Thrones, and Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars in the film The Dirt. He has also appeared in the series Vicious, Riviera, and Inhumans.

Early life

Rheon was born in Carmarthen on 13 May 1985,[3] the son of Einir and Rheon Tomos.[4] When he was five years old, his family moved to Cardiff.[5] His older brother, Aled, is a musician; the two performed together on the 2015 single "Rhodd".[6] Rheon attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, a Welsh-speaking school, where he began acting in school drama productions at age 17. He was later spotted by a talent scout at a National Eisteddfod of Wales.

Career

Acting

Rheon in 2011

At age 17, Rheon joined the Welsh language soap Pobol Y Cwm, in which he originated the role of Macsen White, but later left to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[5] His first notable stage part came in Eight Miles High, which was staged in 2008 at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool. Also in 2008, he was cast as the haunted Moritz Stiefel in the London production of the Tony Award-winning rock musical Spring Awakening.[5] He played this role from January 2009 at the Lyric Hammersmith and continued when the show was transferred to the Novello Theatre, until it closed in May 2009, five months earlier than planned. He earned a What's on Stage Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, which was eventually won by Oliver Thornton (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). For his performance he won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical at the 2010 Olivier Awards.[5]

Immediately after Spring Awakening, Rheon was cast in the E4 channel's Misfits, a BAFTA winning programme that was described by 247 Magazine as "a mix of Skins and Heroes". He plays nervous, shy Simon Bellamy, who gains the superpower of invisibility and precognition in season 3.[7] On 20 December 2011, Rheon announced via Twitter that he had left the show, along with fellow cast member Antonia Thomas.[8]

In 2011, he also appeared in the final episode of Secret Diary of a Call Girl. In 2011, he was nominated for a Golden Nymph in the "Outstanding Actor – Drama Series" category for his role in Misfits. Rheon also made two guest appearances as the character Ben Theodore in Simon Amstell's comedy Grandma's House.[7] In early 2012, Rheon filmed the crime heist drama The Rise. In spring 2012, he began shooting Libertador in Venezuela and Spain. He plays Daniel O'Leary. In May 2012, it was announced that he had signed on to the gritty drama Driven. In 2013, Rheon was cast as the villainous psychopath Ramsay Bolton in the HBO series Game of Thrones. In the DVD commentary for the series' third season, producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss mentioned that Rheon previously auditioned for the role of Jon Snow, but lost to Kit Harington, with whom Rheon maintains a close friendship. He portrayed Ash Weston in the ITV sitcom Vicious from 2013 until 2016.

In 2013, Rheon played a lead role in the philosophical radio play, Darkside, based on the themes of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon album.[9] In September 2014, Rheon joined the cast of BBC One's Our Girl as Dylan "Smurf" Smith. In 2017, it was announced that Rheon had been cast in ABC's Inhumans series.[10] Rheon played Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars in the 2019 film The Dirt.[11] In 2023 he filmed the BBC television feature Men Up, about the first clinical trials for the drug Viagra that took place in Swansea in 1994.[12]

Music

Songwriting and singing since the age of 16, Rheon was lead singer in The Convictions until leaving the band to pursue his acting career. In 2010, he recorded his first solo work, Tongue Tied EP, at RAK Studios in London,[13] produced by Jonathan Quarmby and Kevin Bacon.[14] The EP, a four track release with acoustic guitar and voice, was released digitally in June 2010.

He returned to RAK Studios, in April 2011, to record his second EP Changing Times, again produced by Quarmby and Bacon, with the addition of three backing musicians. Changing Times was released on 10 October 2011.[15] On 7 April 2013, Rheon released his third EP Bang! Bang! and on 9 April 2013, released the music video for the title track.

Rheon recorded his first album, Dinard, at RAK Studios in London and Tŷ Cerdd Studios in Wales. The album was released in April 2015 and produced by James Clarke and Jim Unwin. A "self-funded collection of emotive folk-pop songs recorded over several years",[16] the album's title refers to Dinard, a town in Brittany, France, where Rheon met Zoë Grisedale, who was his girlfriend at the time of the album's release.[16] Music journalist Neil McCormick described the album as "an absorbing collection of moody, introspective songs, all written by Rheon, who plays acoustic guitar with a deft touch and sings in an expressive, gritty voice".[17]

Personal life

Rheon is fluent in both Welsh and English, with Welsh being his first language.[18] He lives in London and has a son, born in August 2018.[19][20] His son's mother is Zoë Grisedale.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Resistance George
Wild Bill Pill
2012 The Rise Dempsey known as Wasteland in North America
The Gospel of Us Himself Musical performer
2013 Libertador Daniel O'Leary
2015 Mermaid's Song Randall
2016 Alien Invasion: S.U.M.1 S.U.M.1
2017 Daisy Winters Doug
2018 Hurricane: 303 Squadron Jan Zumbach known as Mission of Honor in the U.S.
2019 Berlin, I Love You Greg Segment: "Embassy"
The Dirt Mick Mars
2021 The Toll Dom known as Tollbooth in the U.S.
Barbarians Adam
2022 The Magic Flute Papageno
2022 Suppression TBA

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2002–2004 Pobol y Cwm Macsen White
2006 Caerdydd Daniel
2009–2011 Misfits Simon Bellamy Main role (series 1–3)
2010 Coming Up Luka 1 episode
2010–2012 Grandma's House Ben Theodore 2 episodes
2011 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Lewis 1 episode
2013–2016 Game of Thrones Ramsay Bolton Recurring role (season 3); main role (seasons 4–6)
2013–2016 Vicious Ash Weston Main role
2014 Our Girl Dylan "Smurf" Smith Main role (series 1)
Under Milk Wood Evans the Death 1 episode
2015 Residue Jonas Flak 3 episodes
2016 The Green Hollow Sam Knight Television film
2017 Urban Myths Adolf Hitler 1 episode
Riviera Adam Clios Recurring role (series 1)
Inhumans Maximus Main role
Family Guy George Harrison / John Lennon / Ring Announcer Voice role; episode: "Petey IV"
2019 PTSD: The War in My Head Narrator
2020 A Special School Narrator
The Snow Spider The Voice of Gwydion
2021 American Gods Liam Doyle Recurring role (season 3)
The Prince Prince William Voice role
A Christmas Number One Blake Cutter Television film
2022 The Light in the Hall Joe Pritchard known as Y Golau in Welsh
2023 Wolf Molina Recurring Role - 6 episodes [21]
Men Up Meurig Jenkins Television film
TBA Those About to Die Tenax Upcoming series

Radio and audiobook

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Darkside The Boy Radio; voice role
2018 Wizards and Robots Narrator Audiobook: prologue
2021 Howl's Moving Castle Wizard Howl Radio; voice role

Video games

Year Title Voice role Notes
2014–2015 Game of Thrones Ramsay Snow Voice role
2021 Total War: Warhammer II Beastlord Rakarth Voice role

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2008Eight Miles HighAlRoyal Court Theatre, Liverpool
2009Spring AwakeningMoritz StiefelLyric Hammersmith
2010The Devil Inside HimHuw ProsserNational Theatre Wales
2011Remembrance DayLyoshaRoyal Court Theatre
2018FoxfinderWilliam BloorAmbassadors Theatre

Discography

EPs

  • Tongue Tied EP (2010)
  • Changing Times EP (2011)
  • Bang, Bang! EP (2013)

Studio albums

  • Dinard (2015)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2010 Laurence Olivier Award Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Spring Awakening Won [5]
2011 Golden Nymph Awards Outstanding Actor – Drama Series Misfits Nominated
2012 SFX Awards Best Actor Misfits Nominated
2014 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Game of Thrones Nominated [22][23]
2015 IGN Awards Best TV Villain Game of Thrones Nominated [24]
IGN People's Choice Award Best TV Villain Game of Thrones Nominated [24]
2016 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Game of Thrones Nominated [25]
2020 CinEuphoria Award Merit – Honorary Award Game of Thrones Won

References

  1. ↑ "Game of Thrones' Iwan Rheon talks torturing Alfie Allen | 60 Seconds with… Iwan Rheon". YouTube. BAFTA Guru. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Iwan Rheon on Christmas jumpers, Rockstar dreams and climate change | The Big Q's". YouTube. Sky TV. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Iwan Rheon". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Urdd Gobaith Cymru / Urdd Executive Committee". Urdd.cymru. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Ben Bryant (11 May 2010). "Iwan Rheon Interview". Buzz.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Rhodd – Iwan Rheon and Aled Rheon – Welsh Rock For Refugees". Welsh Rock For Refugees. 10 September 2015. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 Keith Watson (9 November 2010). "Misfits' Iwan Rheon: 'If I were invisible, I'd spy on David Cameron.'". Metro.co.uk.
  8. ↑ "Thanks for all the comments and support. I'm so grateful for the opportunity that MisFits gave me and all the fun that i had with the cast..." Twitter.com. 20 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Pink Floyd album inspires Sir Tom Stoppard radio play". BBC. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "'Game of Thrones' Grad Iwan Rheon to Star in Marvel's ABC Drama 'Inhumans'". Hollywoodreporter.com. 21 February 2017.
  11. ↑ Blabbermouth (2 December 2018). "MÖTLEY CRÜE Biopic 'The Dirt' To Arrive In March". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  12. ↑ Ritman, Alex (1 March 2023). "Viagra Trial Drama 'Men Up' Coming to BBC From Russell T. Davies, 'Industry' Writer, 'It's a Sin' Producer". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "Live Music". The Bedford. 29 December 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  14. ↑ "BACON & QUARMBY". Alan Cowderoy Management. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  15. ↑ "Iwan Rheon". The Monto. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Game of Thrones actor Iwan Rheon hoping for a hit with his debut album". Walesonline.co.uk. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  17. ↑ "Game of Thrones actor Iwan Rheon: 'Bad guys don't think they're bad, do they?'". Telegraph.co.uk/. 4 April 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2019. He is also recently been featured as voice actor for CA's Total Warhammer 2 FLC Legendary Lord Rakarth, a beast master of much renown for the Dark Elf roster.
  18. ↑ "Misfits:Iwan Rheon plays Simon". Channel4. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  19. ↑ "New father Iwan Rheon shrugs off sleepless nights for Foxfinder". Evening Standard. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  20. ↑ "Game of Thrones' Iwan Rheon urges Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to put nature first". 19 December 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2023. I want to be able to share that Wales with my son – one full of nature.
  21. ↑ "BBC releases first look imagery for new crime thriller series Wolf". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  22. ↑ "SAG Awards Nominations: 12 Years A Slave And Breaking Bad Lead Way". Deadline.com. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  23. ↑ "SAG Awards: Lone Survivor, Game Of Thrones Win Stunt Honors". Deadline.com. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  24. 1 2 "Best of 2015". IGN. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 January 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  25. ↑ "SAG Awards Nominations: Complete List". Variety. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
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