Matthew Rhys says his only hope was the army – but it didn't want him
Hollywood star Matthew Rhys has revealed he was once so desperate for work he considered joining the army - but it would not have him.
The 51-year-old had been on stage opposite Kathleen Turner in The Graduate in 2000 , but when it ended he was unable to find work for more than 18 months.
That was when the Cardiff-born actor decided to give up treading the boards and join the military.
He said: "I met with an officer and he was incredibly suspicious of me as an actor... and he said, 'We'll be in touch'."
"Then about a week later, I got a rejection letter from the British Army saying, 'Thank you for your interest, good luck in your career'.
"And I went, 'Oh my God, I can't even join the army'."
He has come a long way since then.
Now Rhys, who said he comes from a line of mariners, is starring in Apple TV's horror-comedy Widow's Bay.
In the series he portrays the mayor of a New England town trying to attract tourists while playing down reports of the supernatural.
"It's not Fishguard, but it's heavily based on it," joked Rhys, whose mum is from the town.
He said he explained during his interview for the part he was from a country with a history of mythology.
"If myth and legend were an Olympic sport, our country [Wales] would [be on the] podium every time, because it's something very dear to our hearts," Rhys told BBC Radio Wales .
In Widow's Bay, Rhys plays Tom Loftis, mayor of a community struggling with no WiFi, patchy mobile reception and residents who think the island cursed.
Loftis wants to attract visitors, but finds there is more to old stories he once deemed ludicrous.
Widow's Bay comes hot on the heels of a spell of hit dramas for Rhys.
He spent five years on Brothers and Sisters, won an Emmy for portraying a Soviet spy in The Americans - where he met girlfriend Keri Russell - and starred opposite Claire Danes in last year's Netflix thriller The Beast in Me .
Last year, Rhys took to stages across the country in Playing Burton, a one-man theatre show in which he portrayed his hero , Richard Burton.
The shows raised money for the Welsh National Theatre, set up by actor and philanthropist Michael Sheen to tell stories from Wales.
Rhys is now in talks about taking Playing Burton to Broadway.
"I hadn't been on stage in 16 years, so terrifying as it was, it was one of the most gratifying things I've ever done within acting," he said.
"We're still half talking about it possibly having a small re-emergence in New York next year.
"So it definitely still has a little life, but as memories go, it will be forever one of the most cherished I have."
