John Rhys-Davies
Encyclopedia
John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh
actor
and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah
in the Indiana Jones films
and the dwarf Gimli
in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
. He also played Agent Michael Malone in the 1993 remake of the 1950s television series The Untouchables
, Pilot Vasco Rodrigues in the mini-series Shōgun
, Professor Maximillian Arturo
in Sliders
, King Richard I in Robin of Sherwood
, General Leonid Pushkin in the James Bond
film The Living Daylights
, and Macro
in I, Claudius
. Additionally, he provided the voices of Cassim in Disney's Aladdin and the King of Thieves
, Man Ray in SpongeBob SquarePants
, and Tobias in the computer game Freelancer
. He is also the narrator for the TV show Wildboyz
.
, the son of Welsh
parents Mary Margaretta Phyllis Jones, a nurse, and Rhys Davies, a mechanical engineer and Colonial Office
r. He spent much of his childhood in his mother's home town of Ammanford, although he was also brought up in Tanganyika
. He was educated at Truro School
and at the University of East Anglia
where he was one of the first 87 students admitted, and where he founded the Dramatic Society. After teaching at Watton
County
Secondary School
in Norfolk
he won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
.
in Budgie
), Rhys-Davies first gained widespread popularity for his performance as Praetorian
officer Naevius Sutorius Macro
in I, Claudius
. He then began to appear more frequently, and not just in the UK, with roles as a Portuguese
navigator Rodrigues in the 1980 television miniseries Shogun
, based on the novel by James Clavell
, and in the Indiana Jones
movies. In 1989, Rhys-Davies also starred in another James Clavell
adaption, Noble House
, set in Hong Kong, in which he plays Ian Dunross' corporate enemy, Quillian Gornt. He has since appeared in numerous television shows and miniseries, including Agent Michael Malone in the 1993 remake of the 1950s
television series The Untouchables
as well as a leading role in the television series
Sliders
as Professor Maximillian Arturo
from 1995 to 1997. He also appeared in Reilly, Ace of Spies
in 1983, made several appearances on Star Trek: Voyager
as a holodeck
version of Leonardo da Vinci
, starred as an ally of James Bond
in The Living Daylights
and appeared in the movie One Night with the King
. Davies has played the character Porthos
in two separate projects; a two-part episode of The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
and the Hallmark Channel
movie La Femme Musketeer
. He has also appeared in a number of Sci Fi Channel
original movies. In 2004, he starred in The Privileged Planet, a documentary that makes the case for intelligent design
.
He is also known for his popular portrayal of the dwarf Gimli
in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
. The cinematography of the films was aided in that Rhys-Davies is tall—6' 1", compared to the actors playing hobbits at around 5' 6". Therefore, whereas his character was supposed to be short, he was properly in proportion compared to the hobbit actors. Had he been of more similar height, shots of the entire fellowship would have required three camera passes rather than two. Rhys-Davies is the only one of the nine Fellowship of the Ring actors who did not receive a tattoo of the word "nine" written in the Tengwar
script. The other members of the cast (Sean Astin
, Sean Bean
, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellen
, Dominic Monaghan
, Orlando Bloom
, Viggo Mortensen
, and Elijah Wood
) got the same tattoo. Rhys-Davies' stunt double (Brett Beattie) got the tattoo instead as Rhys-Davies was disinclined to get one himself.
Rhys-Davies suffered severe allergic reactions to the prosthetics used during filming, with his eyes sometimes swelling shut. When an interviewer asked him whether he would consider returning to the role for the film version of The Hobbit, he said, "I've already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn't. I have already completely ruled it out. There's a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more." He added that this time around "They've got a different set of problems... because you've got 13 dwarves, a whole band of them... You're trying to represent a whole race... You're trying to do for dwarves what 'The Lord of the Rings' did for hobbits".
in Lord of the Rings, Rhys-Davies has also lent his distinctive deep, Welsh voice to many video games and animated television series, including playing the role of Hades
in Justice League
and numerous times in Gargoyles
(1994–1996), as the character Macbeth
. He appears in the full motion video
cut scenes of computer games including Ripper (as Vigo Haman) (1996), Dune 2000
(as Noree Moneo) (1998), and the Wing Commander
series (as James "Paladin" Taggart). He also lent his vocal talents to the games Freelancer
(as Winston Tobias) and Lords of Everquest
(both in 2003) and the game Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, which was released with his narration on a CD-ROM
version in 1995. He also made a voice role on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
as the character Jherek, and narrated a documentary called The Glory of Macedonia.
John Rhys-Davies' voice can be heard on the 2009 documentary Reclaiming The Blade
. In the narration, Rhys-Davies explores swords and fight choreography on film, a topic very familiar to him from his experiences in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
, where his character Gimli
wielded an axe in many scenes.
In 2004, he was the unknowing subject of an internet prank that spread false rumours in several mainstream media sources that he was scheduled to play the role of General Grievous
in Star Wars Episode III
.
Rhys-Davies is the narrator of "The Truth & Life Dramatized audio New Testament Bible," a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament which uses the RSV-CE translation. Additionally, the 2011 documentary film
he presents, KJB:The Book That Changed The World, features him reading diverse snippets from the King James Version as his dynamic voice reverberates and echoes between the cathedral walls.
Rhys-Davies holds politically conservative views. As a university student in the 1960s
, he had been a radical
leftist, but changed his views when he went to heckle
a young local member of parliament, Margaret Thatcher
. Rhys-Davies says that "she shot down the first two hecklers in such brilliant fashion that I decided I ought for once to shut up and listen".
In 2004, Rhys-Davies stated the following in a very controversial interview with a Welsh news website about the Muslim
population, stating:
His comments were endorsed by the British National Party
. Rhys-Davies commented that it was "distressing to find yourself on a BNP leaflet". He was also endorsed in a National Vanguard
editorial. Yet, in an interview with the conservative National Review
, he clarifies that he is opposed to Islamic extremism precisely because he feels that it violates Western beliefs in equality, democracy, tolerance, and the abolition of slavery.
) since 2004. They have a daughter, Maia. Davies has a house on the Isle of Man
. Davies currently lives in Glen Murray, a country town north of Huntly, New Zealand
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah
Sallah
Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir, better known as Sallah , is a fictional character played by John Rhys-Davies in two of the four Indiana Jones films: Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade...
in the Indiana Jones films
Indiana Jones franchise
The Indiana Jones franchise is an entertainment franchise, based on the historical fantasy adventures of Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, a fictional archaeologist. It began in 1981 with the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. A prequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, followed in 1984 and the sequel...
and the dwarf Gimli
Gimli (Middle-earth)
Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. A Dwarf warrior, he is the son of Glóin ....
in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
. He also played Agent Michael Malone in the 1993 remake of the 1950s television series The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1993 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama series that aired for two seasons in syndication, from January 1993 to May 1994. The series portrayed work of the real life Untouchables federal investigative squad in Prohibition-era Chicago and its efforts against Al Capone's attempts to profit from the...
, Pilot Vasco Rodrigues in the mini-series Shōgun
Shogun (TV miniseries)
Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
, Professor Maximillian Arturo
Maximillian Arturo
Professor Maximillian P. Arturo is a fictional character on the science fiction television show Sliders. He was played by John Rhys-Davies....
in Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
, King Richard I in Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood
Robin of Sherwood , was a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel...
, General Leonid Pushkin in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
, and Macro
Naevius Sutorius Macro
Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro was a prefect of the Praetorian Guard, from 31 until 38, serving under the Roman Emperors Tiberius and Caligula...
in I, Claudius
I, Claudius (TV series)
I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time...
. Additionally, he provided the voices of Cassim in Disney's Aladdin and the King of Thieves
Aladdin and the King of Thieves
Aladdin and the King of Thieves is a 1996 animated film that is the second direct-to-video sequel to the Disney animated feature Aladdin...
, Man Ray in SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, and Tobias in the computer game Freelancer
Freelancer (video game)
Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
. He is also the narrator for the TV show Wildboyz
Wildboyz
Wildboyz is a spin-off and follow-up to Jackass, which debuted in 2003 on MTV and moved to MTV2 in its third season. Steve-O and Chris Pontius are the stars of the show, who perform stunts and acts with animals, often putting themselves in situations for which they are not trained...
.
Early life
Rhys-Davies was born in Ammanford, WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the son of Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
parents Mary Margaretta Phyllis Jones, a nurse, and Rhys Davies, a mechanical engineer and Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
r. He spent much of his childhood in his mother's home town of Ammanford, although he was also brought up in Tanganyika
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. He was educated at Truro School
Truro School
Truro School is a mixed independent school located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. The current Headmaster is Paul Smith. Deputy Headteachers are Nick Fisher and Anita Firth . Phil Brewer is Assistant Head and Head of Sixth Form...
and at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
where he was one of the first 87 students admitted, and where he founded the Dramatic Society. After teaching at Watton
Watton, Norfolk
Watton is a market town in the district of Breckland within the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the crossroads of the A1075 Dereham-Thetford road and the B1108 Brandon-Norwich Road, about west of Norwich....
County
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
Secondary School
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
he won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
.
Career
Although appearing sporadically on UK television in the early 1970s (for instance, as gangster Laughing Spam Fritter opposite Adam FaithAdam Faith
Terence "Terry" Nelhams-Wright, known as Adam Faith was a Teen idol English singer, actor and later financial journalist. He was one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the Top 5...
in Budgie
Budgie (TV series)
Budgie was a popular British television series starring former popstar Adam Faith which was produced by ITV company London Weekend Television and broadcast on the ITV network between 1971 and 1972....
), Rhys-Davies first gained widespread popularity for his performance as Praetorian
Praetorian
Praetorian is an adjective derived from the ancient Roman office of praetor. It may refer to:*Praetorian Guard, a special force of skilled and celebrated troops serving as the personal guard of Roman Emperors...
officer Naevius Sutorius Macro
Naevius Sutorius Macro
Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro was a prefect of the Praetorian Guard, from 31 until 38, serving under the Roman Emperors Tiberius and Caligula...
in I, Claudius
I, Claudius (TV series)
I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time...
. He then began to appear more frequently, and not just in the UK, with roles as a Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
navigator Rodrigues in the 1980 television miniseries Shogun
Shogun (TV miniseries)
Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
, based on the novel by James Clavell
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
, and in the Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
movies. In 1989, Rhys-Davies also starred in another James Clavell
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
adaption, Noble House
Noble House (TV miniseries)
Noble House was an American television miniseries that was produced and broadcast by NBC in 1988. Based upon the novel Noble House by James Clavell, it featured a large cast headlined by Pierce Brosnan as business tycoon Ian Dunross and was directed by Gary Nelson...
, set in Hong Kong, in which he plays Ian Dunross' corporate enemy, Quillian Gornt. He has since appeared in numerous television shows and miniseries, including Agent Michael Malone in the 1993 remake of the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
television series The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1993 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama series that aired for two seasons in syndication, from January 1993 to May 1994. The series portrayed work of the real life Untouchables federal investigative squad in Prohibition-era Chicago and its efforts against Al Capone's attempts to profit from the...
as well as a leading role in the television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
as Professor Maximillian Arturo
Maximillian Arturo
Professor Maximillian P. Arturo is a fictional character on the science fiction television show Sliders. He was played by John Rhys-Davies....
from 1995 to 1997. He also appeared in Reilly, Ace of Spies
Reilly, Ace of Spies
Reilly, Ace of Spies is a 1983 television miniseries dramatizing the life of Sidney Reilly, a Russian Jew who became one of the greatest spies to ever work for the British. Among his exploits in the early 20th century were the infiltration of the German General Staff in 1917 and a near-overthrow of...
in 1983, made several appearances on Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
as a holodeck
Holodeck
A holodeck, in the fictional Star Trek universe, is a simulated reality facility located on starships and starbases. The first use of a "holodeck" by that name in the Star Trek universe was in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Encounter at Farpoint", although a conceptually...
version of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
, starred as an ally of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
in The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
and appeared in the movie One Night with the King
One Night with the King
One Night with the King is a historical epic film that was released in 2006 in the United States. Based on the novel Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen, One Night with the King is a dramatization of the Old Testament Bible story of Esther, who risked her life by...
. Davies has played the character Porthos
Porthos
Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is a fictional character in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père. He and the other two musketeers Athos and Aramis are friends of the novel's protagonist, d'Artagnan...
in two separate projects; a two-part episode of The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is a 22-episode science fiction television series in the steampunk genre that first aired in June 2000 on CBC Television in Canada and in syndication in the United States....
and the Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
movie La Femme Musketeer
La Femme Musketeer
La Femme Musketeer is a made for television movie produced by Hallmark Entertainment and Larry Levinson Productions, filmed on Draguć in Croatia. It originally premiered on June 20, 2004 on Hallmark Channel.-Plot summary:...
. He has also appeared in a number of Sci Fi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
original movies. In 2004, he starred in The Privileged Planet, a documentary that makes the case for intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Gimli (Middle-earth)
Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. A Dwarf warrior, he is the son of Glóin ....
in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
. The cinematography of the films was aided in that Rhys-Davies is tall—6' 1", compared to the actors playing hobbits at around 5' 6". Therefore, whereas his character was supposed to be short, he was properly in proportion compared to the hobbit actors. Had he been of more similar height, shots of the entire fellowship would have required three camera passes rather than two. Rhys-Davies is the only one of the nine Fellowship of the Ring actors who did not receive a tattoo of the word "nine" written in the Tengwar
Tengwar
The Tengwar are an artificial script created by J. R. R. Tolkien. In his fictional universe of Middle-earth, the tengwar were invented by the Elf Fëanor, and used first to write the Elven tongues: Quenya, Telerin, and also Valarin. Later a great number of languages of Middle-earth were written...
script. The other members of the cast (Sean Astin
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist, and producer better known for his film roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24...
, Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen
Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE is an English actor. He has received a Tony Award, two Academy Award nominations, and five Emmy Award nominations. His work has spanned genres from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction...
, Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor. He has received international attention from playing Merry in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and for his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost....
, Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom
Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom is an English actor. He had his break-through roles in 2001 as the elf-prince Legolas in The Lord of the Rings and starring in 2003 as blacksmith Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and subsequently established himself as a lead in Hollywood...
, Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. is a Danish-American actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He made his film debut in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness, and subsequently appeared in many notable films of the 1990s, including The Indian Runner , Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , Daylight , The...
, and Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
) got the same tattoo. Rhys-Davies' stunt double (Brett Beattie) got the tattoo instead as Rhys-Davies was disinclined to get one himself.
Rhys-Davies suffered severe allergic reactions to the prosthetics used during filming, with his eyes sometimes swelling shut. When an interviewer asked him whether he would consider returning to the role for the film version of The Hobbit, he said, "I've already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn't. I have already completely ruled it out. There's a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more." He added that this time around "They've got a different set of problems... because you've got 13 dwarves, a whole band of them... You're trying to represent a whole race... You're trying to do for dwarves what 'The Lord of the Rings' did for hobbits".
Voice work
In addition to voicing the Ent TreebeardTreebeard
Treebeard is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The eldest of the species of Ents, he is said to live in the ancient Forest of Fangorn and stands fourteen feet in height and is tree-like in appearance, with leafy hair and a rigid structure. Fangorn Forest...
in Lord of the Rings, Rhys-Davies has also lent his distinctive deep, Welsh voice to many video games and animated television series, including playing the role of Hades
Hades (DC Comics)
Hades is a fictional character, a god in the DC Comics universe based on the actual Hades from Greek mythology. He is primarily featured in the Wonder Woman series, alternately as a divine benefactor and enemy of the heroine.-Fictional character biography:...
in Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
and numerous times in Gargoyles
Gargoyles (TV series)
Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
(1994–1996), as the character Macbeth
Macbeth (Gargoyles)
Macbeth is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by John Rhys-Davies. Macbeth is one of several characters in the show based on characters from plays by William Shakespeare , though in fact his back-story is closer to the historical story of Macbeth of...
. He appears in the full motion video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
cut scenes of computer games including Ripper (as Vigo Haman) (1996), Dune 2000
Dune 2000
Dune 2000 is a real-time strategy video game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, and later ported to the PlayStation. It is a partial remake of Dune II, which is also based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in...
(as Noree Moneo) (1998), and the Wing Commander
Wing Commander (franchise)
Wing Commander is a video game media franchise consisting of space combat simulation computer games from Origin Systems, Inc., an animated television series, a feature film, a collectible card game, a series of novels, and action figures...
series (as James "Paladin" Taggart). He also lent his vocal talents to the games Freelancer
Freelancer (video game)
Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
(as Winston Tobias) and Lords of Everquest
Lords of EverQuest
Lords of EverQuest is a 3D fantasy Real-Time Strategy game released in December 2003. It was developed by the short-lived startup company Rapid Eye Entertainment and published by Sony Online Entertainment...
(both in 2003) and the game Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, which was released with his narration on a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
version in 1995. He also made a voice role on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2; later released for the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. It was re-released on the PlayStation 2 as a Greatest Hits title...
as the character Jherek, and narrated a documentary called The Glory of Macedonia.
John Rhys-Davies' voice can be heard on the 2009 documentary Reclaiming The Blade
Reclaiming the Blade
Reclaiming the Blade is a documentary produced by Galatia Films on the topic of swords, focusing on cinematic choreography of swordsmanship....
. In the narration, Rhys-Davies explores swords and fight choreography on film, a topic very familiar to him from his experiences in The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
, where his character Gimli
Gimli (Middle-earth)
Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. A Dwarf warrior, he is the son of Glóin ....
wielded an axe in many scenes.
In 2004, he was the unknowing subject of an internet prank that spread false rumours in several mainstream media sources that he was scheduled to play the role of General Grievous
General Grievous
General Grievous is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, an antagonist in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He was voiced by Matthew Wood...
in Star Wars Episode III
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
.
Rhys-Davies is the narrator of "The Truth & Life Dramatized audio New Testament Bible," a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament which uses the RSV-CE translation. Additionally, the 2011 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
he presents, KJB:The Book That Changed The World, features him reading diverse snippets from the King James Version as his dynamic voice reverberates and echoes between the cathedral walls.
Political views
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, he had been a radical
Radicalization
Radicalization is the process in which an individual changes from passiveness or activism to become more revolutionary, militant or extremist. Radicalization is often associated with youth, adversity, alienation, social exclusion, poverty, or the perception of injustice to self or others.-...
leftist, but changed his views when he went to heckle
Heckler
A heckler is a person who harass and try to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes.Hecklers are often known to shout disparaging comments at a performance or event, or interrupts set-piece speeches, for example at a political meeting, with intent to disturb its performers or...
a young local member of parliament, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. Rhys-Davies says that "she shot down the first two hecklers in such brilliant fashion that I decided I ought for once to shut up and listen".
In 2004, Rhys-Davies stated the following in a very controversial interview with a Welsh news website about the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population, stating:
There is a demographic catastrophe happening in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
that nobody wants to talk about, that we daren’t bring up because we are so cagey about not offending people racially. And rightly we should be. But there is a cultural thing as well… By 2020, fifty percent of the children in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
under the age of 18 will be of Muslim descent… And don’t forget, coupled with this there is this collapse of numbers. Western Europeans are not having any babies. The population of GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at the end of the century is going to be 56% of what it is now. The populations of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 52% of what it is now. The population of ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
is going to be down 7 million people.
His comments were endorsed by the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
. Rhys-Davies commented that it was "distressing to find yourself on a BNP leaflet". He was also endorsed in a National Vanguard
National Vanguard (American organization)
National Vanguard is an American National Socialist organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded in 2005 by Kevin Alfred Strom and former members of the National Alliance.-History:...
editorial. Yet, in an interview with the conservative National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
, he clarifies that he is opposed to Islamic extremism precisely because he feels that it violates Western beliefs in equality, democracy, tolerance, and the abolition of slavery.
Personal life
In 1966, he married Suzanne A.D. Wilkinson, a translator. They have two sons, Ben and Tom. Although he separated from Suzanne (who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1995) he did not divorce her and he remained close to her until her death in August 2010. He has lived with Lisa Manning (ex-host from television show Good MorningGood Morning (New Zealand show)
Good Morning is a New Zealand morning television magazine lifestyle show. It airs weekday mornings from 9am - 12pm on TV ONE. The show began in 1996 and is hosted by Jeanette Thomas and Rod Chesseman...
) since 2004. They have a daughter, Maia. Davies has a house on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. Davies currently lives in Glen Murray, a country town north of Huntly, New Zealand
Huntly, New Zealand
Huntly is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is on State Highway 1, 93 kilometres south of Auckland and 35 kilometres north of Hamilton. It is situated on the North Island Main Trunk Railway and straddles the Waikato River.Huntly was called Rahui Pokeka when...
.
Filmography
- The Black WindmillThe Black WindmillThe Black Windmill is a 1974 British spy thriller directed by Don Siegel and starring Michael Caine, John Vernon, Janet Suzman and Donald Pleasence The screenplay by Leigh Vance is based on Clive Egleton's novel Seven Days to a Killing. The story involves a British secret service agent, John...
(1974) - Fall of EaglesFall of EaglesFall of Eagles is a 13-part British television drama aired by the BBC in 1974. The series was created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge....
(1974) - The Naked Civil ServantThe Naked Civil Servant (film)The Naked Civil Servant is a 1975 TV film based on the 1968 autobiography by the gay icon Quentin Crisp, also titled The Naked Civil Servant. It stars John Hurt in the title role....
(1975) - A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareA Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (film)A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square is a 1979 British heist film directed by Ralph Thomas, written by Guy Elmes and starring Richard Jordan, Oliver Tobias, and David Niven...
(1979) - ShōgunShogun (TV miniseries)Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
(1980) - Peter and PaulPeter and PaulPeter and Paul is a 1981 film starring Anthony Hopkins as Paul of Tarsus and Robert Foxworth as Peter the Fisherman, David Gwillim as Mark and Jon Finch as Luke. It was directed by Robert Day. The film mostly shows the works of Paul, beginning with his being struck down and converted by the Lord...
(1981) - Raiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
(1981) - IvanhoeIvanhoe (1982 film)Ivanhoe is a 1982 television film adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's novel of the same name. The film was directed by Douglas Camfield and screenplay written by John Gay...
(1982) - Best Revenge (1982)
- Victor Victoria (1982)
- SaharaSahara (1983 film)Sahara is a 1983 film starring Brooke Shields, Lambert Wilson, John Mills and Horst Buchholz. It was filmed in Israel and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The original music score was composed by Ennio Morricone...
(1983) - Sadat (1983)
- Reilly, Ace of SpiesReilly, Ace of SpiesReilly, Ace of Spies is a 1983 television miniseries dramatizing the life of Sidney Reilly, a Russian Jew who became one of the greatest spies to ever work for the British. Among his exploits in the early 20th century were the infiltration of the German General Staff in 1917 and a near-overthrow of...
(1983) - King Solomon's MinesKing Solomon's Mines (1985 film)King Solomon's Mines is a 1985 action and adventure film loosely based on the novel King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. It stars Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom and John Rhys-Davies. It was adapted by Gene Quintano and James R. Silke and directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1985) - Firewalker (film)Firewalker (film)Firewalker is a 1986 action/adventure B-movie starring Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett, Jr., Will Sampson and Melody Anderson. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by Norman Aladjem, Robert Gosnell and Jeffrey M. Rosenbaum...
(1986) - The Living DaylightsThe Living DaylightsThe Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
(1987) - WaxworkWaxwork (1988 film)Waxwork is a 1988 horror comedy film starring Zach Galligan and Deborah Foreman.-Plot:In a small suburban town a wax museum appears, seemingly overnight. The owner invites two college students, Sarah and China, to attend that night with four more guests of their choice...
(1988) - War and Remembrance (1988)
- Indiana Jones and the Last CrusadeIndiana Jones and the Last CrusadeIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford reprises the title role and Sean Connery plays Indiana's father, Henry...
(1989) - The Trial of the Incredible HulkThe Trial of the Incredible HulkThe Trial of the Incredible Hulk is a 1989 TV movie sequel to the 1970s Incredible Hulk television series, featuring both the Hulk and fellow Marvel Comics character Daredevil, who team up to defeat Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin...
(1989) - Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations (1989 film)Great Expectations is a British television serial based on Charles Dickens' novel of the same title. The six-part serial was first broadcast on the ITV network in 1991 though it was distributed on video in the United States in 1989....
(1989) - The Unnamable Returns (1991)
- The Double 0 KidThe Double 0 KidThe Double 0 Kid is a 1992 direct-to-video family adventure/comedy film starring Corey Haim, Nicole Eggert and Brigitte Nielsen.-Plot summary:...
(1992) - The Lost WorldThe Lost World (1992 film)The Lost World is a 1992 film, based on the book of the same title by Arthur Conan Doyle.- Plot :It is approximately 1912. Junior reporter Edward Malone bungles into the office of Gazette editor McArdle looking for an adventurous assignment and is sent to interview Professor Challenger , whose...
(1992) - Return to the Lost WorldReturn to the Lost WorldReturn to the Lost World is a 1992 film, a sequel to the film The Lost World, which was released the same year.-Plot:Belgian scientist Bertram Hammonds, along with Gomez, who survived being injured in the first film, arrives in the Lost World to drill for crude oil. He and his men begin capturing...
(1992) - Sunset GrillSunset Grill (film)Sunset Grill is a 1993 neo-noir mystery film starring Peter Weller as a private detective in Los Angeles. The movie co-stars Lori Singer and Stacy Keach, and was directed by Kevin Connor.- Plot :...
(1993) - Cyborg CopCyborg CopCyborg Cop is a 1993 action adventure film starring David Bradley, John Rhys-Davies, Todd Jensen, Alonna Shaw and Rufus Swart as the Cyborg. It was directed by Sam Firstenberg and written by Greg Latter.- Brief summary :...
(1993) - The Seventh CoinThe Seventh CoinThe Seventh Coin is a 1993 independent film starring Peter O'Toole and directed by Dror Soref.-Production:The film is filmed in Jerusalem, Israel, and With the help of Paramount, The Seventh Coin became Soref's debut as a feature film writer/director.-Plot:Peter O'Toole is Emil Saber, a retired...
(1993) - The Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph CarterThe Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph CarterThe Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph Carter is a 1993 horror film. It incorporates elements from the short story "The Statement of Randolph Carter" by H.P...
(1993) - The High CrusadeThe High CrusadeThe High Crusade is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson about the consequences of an extraterrestrial scoutship landing in Medieval England...
(1994) - A Flintstones Christmas CarolA Flintstones Christmas CarolA Flintstones Christmas Carol is an animated made-for-TV movie based on the original 1960s series classic, The Flintstones and on the holiday novel of the same name by Charles Dickens. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, it premiered in syndication on November 21, 1994...
(1994) - Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of DarknessQuest for Glory IV: Shadows of DarknessQuest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness is an adventure game/role-playing video game hybrid. It is the fourth installment of the Quest for Glory computer game series by Sierra Entertainment.- Release :...
(1994) - SlidersSlidersSliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
(1995–1997) - Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmMortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmMortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series, is a cartoon series based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series...
(1996) - The Great White HypeThe Great White HypeThe Great White Hype is a 1996 film directed by Reginald Hudlin. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Berg, Damon Wayans, Jeff Goldblum, Jon Lovitz, Cheech Marin, John Rhys-Davies, Salli Richardson and Jamie Foxx....
(1996) - Glory DazeGlory DazeGlory Daze is an independent film starring Ben Affleck, Sam Rockwell, French Stewart and Alyssa Milano. It had a limited release in 1996.- Plot :...
(1996) - Aladdin and the King of ThievesAladdin and the King of ThievesAladdin and the King of Thieves is a 1996 animated film that is the second direct-to-video sequel to the Disney animated feature Aladdin...
(1996) (voice) - Marquis de SadeMarquis de SadeDonatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
(1996) - Cats Don't DanceCats Don't DanceCats Don't Dance is a 1997 animated musical comedy film, notable as the only fully animated feature produced by Turner Entertainment's feature animation unit . The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment...
(1997) (voice) - Bloodsport III (1997)
- Secret of the AndesSecret of the Andes (film)Secret of the Andes is a 1999 Argentine family fantasy adventure film. Directed by Alejandro Azzano, it stars Roshan Seth as a powerful shaman, Camilla Belle as a young girl with unusual gifts, David Keith as her archaeologist father, Nancy Allen as her mother and John Rhys-Davies as a Catholic...
(1998) - Dune 2000Dune 2000Dune 2000 is a real-time strategy video game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, and later ported to the PlayStation. It is a partial remake of Dune II, which is also based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in...
(1999) - Au PairAu Pair (film)Au Pair is a 1999 telefilm starring Gregory Harrison and Heidi Noelle Lenhart.-Plot:Jennifer Morgan is an MBA looking for a job as an executive at Oliver Caldwell’s company...
(1999) - BritannicBritannic (film)Britannic is a romantic drama film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. It stars Edward Atterton and Amanda Ryan as star-crossed lovers on the forgotten sister ship of the , the HMHS Britannic...
(2000) - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini TeamNever Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini TeamNever Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team is a 2001 British film spoof starring Bruce Payne, John Rhys-Davies and Cecilie Bull. It was directed by Buzz Feitshans IV.-Plot:...
(2001) - SabretoothSabretooth (film)Sabretooth is a 2002 made for television science fiction-horror film directed by James D.R. Hickox. It premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel on November 16, 2002.-Plot:...
(2002) - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (dual roleDual roleDual role refers to one actor playing two or more roles, which may be deliberately scripted in a play or film, or merely be a by-product of a low budget. In a theatrical production where more than one actor plays multiple characters, it is sometimes referred to as an "Ironman" cast...
) - Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species (2002 film)Endangered Species is a 2002 science fiction horror film directed by Kevin Tenney. It follows a cop, Mike Sully Eric Roberts trying to find out who is behind a series of killings at the local gyms, eventually realising that the killer is actually an indestructible alien, who has come to make...
(2002) - ScorcherScorcher (film)Scorcher is a 2002 science fiction disaster film directed by James Seale and starring Mark Dacascos, John Rhys-Davies, Jeffrey Johnson, Tamara Davies, Mark Rolston and Rutger Hauer. It was first released in the USA in 2002...
(2002) - Coronado (2003)
- FreelancerFreelancer (video game)Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
(2003) (voice) - The Jungle Book 2The Jungle Book 2The Jungle Book 2 is a 2003 American animated film produced by the DisneyToons studio in Sydney, Australia and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution. The theatrical version of the film was released in France on February 5, 2003, and released in the United States on February...
(2003) (voice) - The MedallionThe MedallionThe Medallion is a 2003 action-comedy film co-written and directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Gordon Chan, and starring Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, and Claire Forlani...
(2003) - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
(2003) (dual roleDual roleDual role refers to one actor playing two or more roles, which may be deliberately scripted in a play or film, or merely be a by-product of a low budget. In a theatrical production where more than one actor plays multiple characters, it is sometimes referred to as an "Ironman" cast...
) - 12 Days of Terror12 Days of Terror12 Days of Terror is a 2004 docudrama made for The Discovery Channel, directed by Jack Sholder and starring Colin Egglesfield, Mark Dexter, Jenna Harrison and John Rhys-Davies.-Plot:...
(2004) - The Princess Diaries 2: Royal EngagementThe Princess Diaries 2: Royal EngagementThe Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is the 2004 sequel to 2001's The Princess Diaries.Most of the cast returned from the first film, including Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, and Heather Matarazzo...
(2004) - La Femme MusketeerLa Femme MusketeerLa Femme Musketeer is a made for television movie produced by Hallmark Entertainment and Larry Levinson Productions, filmed on Draguć in Croatia. It originally premiered on June 20, 2004 on Hallmark Channel.-Plot summary:...
(2004) - The Lost Angel (2004)
- The Privileged PlanetThe Privileged PlanetThe Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery is a book by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards which claims scientific evidence for intelligent design...
(2004) (voice of Narrator) - Dragon StormDragon Storm (film)Dragon Storm is a 2004 made for TV fantasy action film written by Patrick Phillips and Sam Wells, and directed by Stephen Furst. The film is noted as the Sci Fi Channel's most-watched original movie with over 3 million viewers of the premiere broadcast.- Plot :Meteorites falling from the sky...
(2004 TV Movie) - The Game of Their Lives (DVD title: The Miracle Match) (2005)
- Chupacabra: Dark SeasChupacabra: Dark SeasChupacabra: Dark Seas is a 2005 Syfy channel original film directed by John Shepphird and starring John Rhys-Davies, Giancarlo Esposito, Dylan Neal, and Chelan Simmons. It was filmed on location in Turks and Caicos Islands. This movie was released on DVD as Chupacabra Terror.-Plot:Dr...
(DVD title: Chupacabra Terror) (2005) - The King MakerThe King MakerThe King Maker The King Maker The King Maker (Thai: กบฎท้าวศรีสุดาจันทร์ , or The Rebellion of Queen Sudachan, is a 2005 Thai historical drama film set during the Ayutthaya kingdom. With a storyline that shares many similarities to 2001's The Legend of Suriyothai, The King Maker's plot focuses on a...
(2005) - One Night with the KingOne Night with the KingOne Night with the King is a historical epic film that was released in 2006 in the United States. Based on the novel Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen, One Night with the King is a dramatization of the Old Testament Bible story of Esther, who risked her life by...
(2006) - The Legend of SasquatchThe Legend of SasquatchThe Legend of Sasquatch is a 2006 computer-animated independent film released by Gorilla Pictures that stars William Hurt and John Rhys-Davies...
(2006) - In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege TaleIn the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege TaleIn the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale is a 2006 fantasy action film directed by Uwe Boll, inspired by the Dungeon Siege video game series. It was produced by Brightlight Pictures and distributed by Freestyle Releasing and Vivendi Entertainment in the United States and Canada. 20th Century...
(2007) - The FerrymanThe Ferryman (film)For the classical Greek ferryman see StyxThe Ferryman is a New Zealand made film directed by Chris Graham and starring British actor John Rhys-Davies and New Zealand actress Amber Sainsbury, the film was released in the middle of 2007....
(2007) - Catching Kringle (Short Film; 2007) (voice)
- Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008)
- Fire & Ice: The Dragon ChroniclesFire and Ice: The Dragon ChroniclesFire & Ice is a 2008 action film by MediaPro Pictures and the Sci Fi Channel directed by Jean-Christophe Comar.The special effects and the CGI were entirely created in Romania.-Cast:* Amy Acker - Princess Luisa* Tom Wisdom as Gabriel...
(2008) - Prisoners of the SunPrisoners of the Sun (film)Prisoners of the Sun is an upcoming movie directed by Roger Christian starring John Rhys-Davies, David Charvet, Carmen Chaplin, Emily Holmes, Nick Moran, Joss Ackland, Michael Higgs and Gulshan Grover.-Plot :...
(2009) - Anacondas: Trail of BloodAnacondas: Trail of BloodAnacondas: Trail of Blood, also known as Anaconda 4:Trail of Blood, is a 2009 made-for-television horror film and sequel to Anaconda 3: Offspring. Written by David C. Olson and directed by Don E. FauntLeRoy, it is the fourth and last film in the Anaconda series and picks up where the third film ended...
(2009) - Reclaiming the BladeReclaiming the BladeReclaiming the Blade is a documentary produced by Galatia Films on the topic of swords, focusing on cinematic choreography of swordsmanship....
(2009) - 31 North 62 East31 North 62 East31 North 62 East is a US$ 3.1 million British independent psychological thriller film released in September 2009. It was written by brothers Leofwine Loraine and Tristan Loraine with the first draft of the screen play being completed on 2 May 2008. Principal photography commenced on 21 July 2008...
(2009) - KJB:The Book That Changed The World (2011)
Television appearances
- The SweeneyThe SweeneyThe Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
(1975) (Ron Brett, "Poppy") - I, ClaudiusI, Claudius (TV series)I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God. Written by Jack Pulman, it proved one of the corporation's most successful drama serials of all time...
(1976) - 19901990 (TV series)1990 is a British then-futuristic political drama television series produced by the BBC and shown in 1977 and 1978.- Plot :The series is set in a dystopian future in which Britain is under the grip of the Home Office's Department of Public Control , a tyrannically oppressive bureaucracy riding...
(1977) (TV) - The NativityThe Nativity (television film)The Nativity is a 98-minute long 1978 television film set around the Nativity of Jesus and based on the accounts in the canonical Gospels of Matthew and Luke, in the apocryphal gospels of Pseudo-Matthew and James, and in the Golden Legend. It was directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, written by Morton S...
(1978) (TV) - ShogunShogun (TV miniseries)Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...
(1980) as Vasco Rodrigues - Peter and PaulPeter and PaulPeter and Paul is a 1981 film starring Anthony Hopkins as Paul of Tarsus and Robert Foxworth as Peter the Fisherman, David Gwillim as Mark and Jon Finch as Luke. It was directed by Robert Day. The film mostly shows the works of Paul, beginning with his being struck down and converted by the Lord...
(1981) (TV) - CHiPsCHiPsCHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
(1982) (TV) - Robin of SherwoodRobin of SherwoodRobin of Sherwood , was a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel...
(1983) (TV) - Marjorie and the Preacher Man (1987) (TV)
- Noble HouseNoble House (TV miniseries)Noble House was an American television miniseries that was produced and broadcast by NBC in 1988. Based upon the novel Noble House by James Clavell, it featured a large cast headlined by Pierce Brosnan as business tycoon Ian Dunross and was directed by Gary Nelson...
(1988) - I misteri della giungla nera (1991)
- Archaeology (1991) (Host)
- Tales from the CryptTales from the Crypt (TV series)Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
(1991) (Emil Duvall, "Dead Wait") - Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
(1992) (voice only, "The Cape and the Cowl Conspiracy") - The UntouchablesThe Untouchables (1993 TV series)The Untouchables is an American crime drama series that aired for two seasons in syndication, from January 1993 to May 1994. The series portrayed work of the real life Untouchables federal investigative squad in Prohibition-era Chicago and its efforts against Al Capone's attempts to profit from the...
(TV series, 1993–1994) - Fantastic Four (1994 TV series)Fantastic Four (1994 TV series)Fantastic Four is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996...
(1994–1995) (voice only- ThorThor (Marvel Comics)Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, god of thunder, "To Battle the Living Planet") - The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series) (1996-1997) (voice only- Thor, "Mortal Bounds")
- GargoylesGargoyles (TV series)Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
(1994–96) (voice only, MacbethMacbeth (Gargoyles)Macbeth is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by John Rhys-Davies. Macbeth is one of several characters in the show based on characters from plays by William Shakespeare , though in fact his back-story is closer to the historical story of Macbeth of...
) - Sliders (TV series, 1995–1997)
- You Wish (TV series, 1997) (Mad Man Mustafa)
- Star Trek Voyager (1997–1998) as Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
- Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
(2002) (voice only, "Paradise Lost") - Helen of TroyHelen of Troy (TV miniseries)Helen of Troy is a 2003 television miniseries based upon Homer's story of the Trojan War, as recounted in the epic poem, Iliad. This TV miniseries also shares the name with a 1956 movie starring Stanley Baker...
as King Priam (2003) - Revelations (Omnium Finis Imminet) (TV miniseries) (2005) as Professor Jonah Lampley
- Dark Days in Monkey CityDark Days in Monkey CityDark Days in Monkey City is an Animal Planet documentary about the lives of Toque Macaques in the wild of Sri Lanka and gives us an insight as to what their complex and high political lives are all about. The programme features two rival macaque tribes, the Temple Troop and their ancient foes the...
(2009) Narrator - Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of FireKröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of FireKröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire is a British-American comedic sword and sorcery series created by Peter A. Knight, co-produced by Hat Trick Productions and Media Rights Capital for Comedy Central and BBC Two, which premiered on April 9, 2009 in the USA and on June 11 in the UK. It began...
(2009) as Grimshank - Legend of the SeekerLegend of the SeekerLegend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
(2010) as Horace/Panis Rahl
External links
- Article about controversial statements January 18, 2004
- Andrew Leigh, "No Sean Penn". National ReviewNational ReviewNational Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
. March 5, 2004. - "Lord of the Rings star: I'm settled with a new family but I'll never leave my ailing wife" Mail Online, April 11, 2007