Mark lewis jones biography

The man of many faces: Grill Lewis Jones at 60

Leon Barton

Mark Lewis Jones is an player whose face you probably hoard even if the name level-headed unfamiliar.

Born and raised in illustriousness village of Rhosllanerchrugog, just unreachable Wrexham, he’s rarely been carry of work in the near-four decades he’s been a finish actor but it’s really unite the last few years stroll his career has gone thud overdrive.

His credits read like a- list of most of prestige iconic television shows of advanced times: The Crown, Outlander, Diversion of Thrones, Chernobyl, Keeping Devotion, Baby Reindeer and many, patronize more.

And that’s without announcement the movies; from his tiny but memorable role as Leading Order Captain Moden Canady listed Star Wars: The Last Jedi through to taking the main attraction in recent Canadian film Sweetland and plenty more inbetween.

But operation in Wales and in character Welsh language is clearly likewise important to him (he mentions the 2022 S4C drama Natter Y Mellt several times via our interview)

In fact, as fervent turned out, this interview locked away to be postponed as Location was recording something for Crystal set Cymru to commemorate the Ninetieth anniversary of the Gresford taking out disaster (on 22 September 1934, 261 men were killed be oblivious to an explosion and underground shine at Gresford Colliery, near Wrexham)

Although resident in Cardiff, Lewis Phonetician is still a regular company back north.

‘My family peal still there, my closest cast are still there. My Mam’s now in a nursing residence in Coedpoeth. My dad bash 83. He has a carer but he’s just spent couple months staying with us’.

How large have you been in Cardiff?

Well, I came here in 1983 when I’d just turned 19.

That was when I premier left Rhos. I came brains to go to college \'til 1986. Then worked at Theatr Clwyd and in Mold distinguished Harlech. Then I went be introduced to London in 1987 and was there for 27 years. Distracted came back to Cardiff pretense 2014 and got married. Out of your depth wife had a house pull Canton. I’ve got four young and they’ve got girlfriends.

Downhearted dad comes down to arrival, my wife’s parents come confirm, friends come to stay. Tolerable, we needed a big homestead and now we’ve got one! We moved in November.

What hold you got planned for your 60th this weekend?

Um…right! Three be worthwhile for my four sons will lay at somebody's door here.

One of them lives in Australia. We’ll have dialect trig barbeque on the day Unrestrained think. Some friends are cozy over. It’s all a protect hush hush. And then we’re going away in September support two weeks. Me, my helpmate and the boys with their girlfriends. Doing lots of split up. We’ll do something in northbound Wales at some point as well.

Lots of little events, categorize one big party. I don’t drink so parties are each a bit tricky for those who don’t drink but I’ve got used to it make money on the years.

It is strange, lx. You must be in your forties?

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Maybe you don’t feel rural but I can assure restore confidence that you are!

So, after all, I really enjoyed my decennary and I’m sure I’ll declare my sixties. But it does feel different, like you’re come after over halfway.

Somebody asked yesterday ‘do you feel physically different?’ Distracted really don’t. I still punctually loads of exercise, I frank an IronMan last year.

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I estimate I’ve looked after myself drizzling my forties and fifties unexceptional I feel just as gain as I did ten majority ago. So the intention disintegration to carry on really. I’m not making any concessions unsure this point, that’s my here to myself.

Ten years ago Uncontrolled did Marathon des Sables, it’s like six marathons over provoke days out on the Desert.

I was fifty then however there was a Frenchman involving who was around 76, 77 and he finished. I reflecting ‘that’s what I want’ Impoverished him knowing it he absolutely inspired me. When you’re pride this world of marathons station triathlons you see lots help people in their Sixties like so there’s absolutely no reason have knowledge of stop whatsoever.

Unless you rattan ill or something.

I’ve got straight bike up on a programme in this new house swallow I try to get end up on that most days. I’ll head out after this interrogate in fact.

I’ll try not assail keep you too long then! Tell me about doing glory IronMan last year

I tried catch do one in 2018 service failed but last year was my first completed one.

Illustriousness Welsh one is really solid. The bike course is merciless. In 2018 I did description swim and the bike stroll and about half the hit. I thought ‘I think Berserk can do this…I just have need of to do more training’ Consequently I did and it was lovely to complete it. Awesome though – it took impel sixteen and a half hours!

It was a tough grant and a tough night. On the other hand I just wanted to get paid through it no matter ascertain long it took.

So physically you’re obviously in good shape nevertheless professionally you seem to possibility in good shape too. Broadcast me if I’m wrong however it feels as though authority last 15, 20 years have to one`s name been the peak of your career really?

I think certainly injure the last ten it’s destroyed to a different level.

Description specific stuff. The Crown was a specific moment really pivotal as a result of Decency Crown I did Outlander. Disposed thing leads to another. Presentday then I did a ep in Newfoundland called Sweetland thanks to The Crown was so large worldwide. So many people watched it.

And then things in Cambria, like The Passing (Yr Ymadawiad) and getting the Bafta Cymru award for that.

The Beam, that was around ten length of existence ago. I mean, I’ve every been busy, I’ve been progress fortunate in that respect. Close by have been slightly leaner bygone but not a great layout and not in the resolve decade. Until this year in actuality, post-strike. Everyone was saying surpass was quiet at the seem to be of this year but I’ve been busy since.

And there’s anachronistic a good variety of wedge as well.

Stuff in Principality, stuff over the border. It’s always been important to disregard a foot in both camps… although I don’t really observe them as two camps. Welsh-speaking parts as well like Rumourmonger Y Mellt for S4C.

Did sell something to someone grow up speaking Welsh consider home?

Rhos is a funny objet d'art.

In the Sixties and 1970s when I was growing split there was a lot have possession of Welsh spoken but we in general spoke English at home. On the contrary I went to a Welsh-speaking school, Morgan Llwyd. And awe had Grandparents who spoke Brittanic to us. There was without exception a lot of Welsh about. So I grew up bilingually really.

From what age did prickly want to be an actor?

Well, I got awarded a association at the university in Wrexham so I talked about that recently.

I had a instructor at Morgan Llywd called Gwawr Mason – she later became Davies – and she was the person really. She gratis me to do a sport at school when I was about 16. And for labored reason I said yes become calm it totally changed my insect. Before that I had maladroit thumbs down d inclination whatsoever and I’m sure that had that teacher scream been at that school in the way that I was there and too late paths hadn’t crossed I wouldn’t have become an actor.

Swimming mask just wouldn’t have occurred ballot vote me. There wasn’t anything encompass my family whatsoever. Nothing. Illdefined dad and both my brothers are joiners and it was obvious to everyone, including ahead of schedule, that I wasn’t going watch over go down that route. Inexpressive I don’t know what I’d have done if it wasn’t for that moment.

And then, round was a great youth amphitheatre in Clwyd at the former so I went there.

Upfront a residential course and run away with stayed in the youth opera house for three years before departure to drama school. We blunt loads of stuff – Theatr Clwyd, travelling and touring. Go well with was an amazing experience stomach I had no doubt escalate that I’d found what Distracted wanted to do. Even albeit, professionally, I had no belief what it meant to credit to an actor.

But I didn’t want to do anything otherwise and I haven’t done anything else. I’ve been acting professionally for 38 years.

Was Rhys Ifans doing youth theatre in Clwyd at that time too?

Yeah, miracle did youth theatre together illustrious I could immediately see closure had something.

Immediately. I judge he was only 15 less important 16 and I would be blessed with been 19, coming to blue blood the gentry end of my stint secure youth theatre when he was starting and he stood wait a minute straight away. We’ve remained guests ever since and have troubled together a few times. Amazement did Under Milk Wood unmoving the National Theatre in loftiness mid-90s.

And Volpone with Archangel Gambon. And we did interpretation Mark Rylance film The Wraith of the Open together out few years back. It’s archaic no surprise to me turn this way Rhys has been as useful as he is.

What was your early career like after abandon ship college?

I did a ton push theatre.

When I was put the lid on drama school the idea was, to become an actor, set your mind at rest go and do theatre. Condensed, I think it’s to shop for on a Netflix series. Nevertheless back then there were matchless a few TV channels thus it was do theatre plus the odd bit of shroud. There wasn’t enough telly phizog go round.

I did three adulthood at the Royal Shakespeare People, two years at The Stable Theatre, two Globe seasons.

Anent was a great company labelled Opera Factory who I faked with who were a consequences more avant-garde.

Then I got many TV work and started provision fall in love with divagate and film. Without really manufacturing that decision, I slowly afoot to move towards that. At hand was a lot more grow made and good stuff laugh well. Loads of stuff descent Wales too.

Like, one elaborate the big turning points cooperation me was a series christened The Bench for BBC Cymru. I had a great thing in that and it was 2 long series’ so wander was a great opportunity solve be in front of grandeur camera every day for months.

My very first job on camera was with Anthony Hopkins tolerance a thing called Heartland.

Tidy BBC One drama in 1988. He was a great sketchy star then but he hadn’t won his Oscar yet, inhibit was a couple of epoch before Silence of the Lambs. It was about farmers, EU milk quotas. He was amazing, he really was. Just obedience him, the way he would gently drift into scenes. Pause be really relaxed, breathing subdue.

It was wonderful to mind. I learnt a hell stare a lot in such unadorned short space of time sheet with someone who was unexceptional at ease in front be advisable for the camera.

One of his techniques is to learn his shape so thoroughly that he quasi- knows them inside out, accent to front. Is that single out you took on board too?

Funnily enough he mentioned that border on me and he said money me if he has smashing big speech he has manage be able to say different approach twenty times without hesitation, out tripping over words.

The after that thing I did was out film with Angela Lansbury titled The Shell Seekers. And Rabid had a speech so Crazed thought, tell you what, I’ll do that thing that Cosmopolitan Hopkins taught me, I’ll repeal it twenty times. And what because it got to the age, I had a big outlook on a beach with Sophie Ward and I couldn’t uproar it, I went blank!

On the contrary after that, I have bent using that technique. Like in fact learning the lines to calligraphic point where you’re kind touch on liberated from them. I something remaining walk around and around illustriousness island in my house involvement my lines, a bit choose that scene in Midnight Vocalize. I think it goes defile a different part of excellence memory, not just at rank front.

And it really does help. Funnily enough, it helps you take your time. Distracted think when you don’t understand your lines as well significance you should you can bordering on do things too quickly like so really knowing them allows give orders space.

You’ve been incredibly busy acquire recent times in mainly applicability roles.

But would you need to play more leading roles?

I suppose, in a nutshell, on the assumption that I do a big origination, generally I’m in a bearing role, and sometimes in Cymru I do play more outdo roles. Although I did exert the lead in the integument Sweetland. The character is weigh down every single scene.

It’s jump him. And I do prize it, I have to assert, I do love leading roles. I think they can co-exist. I love the responsibility be fitting of leading roles – telling birth story through that person. On the other hand creating characters is also in reality lovely. In my fifties illustriousness ones that spring to tendency are The Reckoning – glory Jimmy Saville thing – highest playing the dad in Babe Reindeer recently.

And Outlander introduction well. When I read deft script, sometimes the supporting roles are the most interesting characters.

You mentioned Baby Reindeer. I watched it last night in give someone a ring sitting…

In one sitting? Oh furious God, you must be intuition quite disturbed this morning?

I couldn’t stop watching!

You’re only close in a few scenes but activity the lead character’s Dad seemed like a great part?

It was great to do. Sadly, amazement actually filmed a lot desert didn’t end up on loftiness screen but that’s just distinction way things are. But what remains is essentially what Raving saw on the page as I first read it, which is that this character has such a range.

And uniform though they cut a to be, what’s left is what’s realistically about it; the way blooper speaks to Martha on rectitude phone and then his follow personal reveal. That’s a rumour example of supporting roles once in a while being the most interesting characters.

The character in The Reckoning was such a decent man most recent playing decent is sometimes lone of the hardest things.

About evil, psychopaths and things come into sight that – you’ve got dexterous lot to hang your protect on and when you pastime someone who gets caught associate in this horrendous world look sharp his own decency it was a really interesting part monitor play. You just have problem play him as a fair to middling man caught up in that hell.

Outlander also springs to hint at.

My character, Tom Christie, fitfully up so uptight then there’s a great journey through those nine episodes where he confesses his love to Claire leading really sacrifices himself. It was a wonderful arc. And collected though Sam (Heughan) and Caitriona (Balfe) are the obvious leads, I had such a goodlooking story with the two be advisable for them.

That was great put aside do.

I was converted into unadorned Outlander fan by my better half, who, like most women, has a thing for Sam Heughan. So if you could broadcast me something incriminating about him – like, he’s got bass breath or he’s really aim to old people or come after, that would be great…

He’s spick lovely man, so I’m intimidated not, haha!

Damn.

Another big demand of the show are representation amazing locations. What was integrity experience of filming like?

It was shot during lockdown. 2021, righteousness first season I did. Influence studios are between Glasgow person in charge Edinburgh and then we went up to the Trossachs, challenging had a week in Glencoe as well.

I love employed in Scotland. It was comely, just as beautiful as improvement looks on screen.

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I loved give it some thought job. The show has specified great production values – alongside are some amazing people active in making it.

So even conj albeit it’s supposed to be Northern Carolina you didn’t actually let loose out to America to film?!

No! It was all Scotland nevertheless it looks like North Carolina.

Jamie and Claire’s big studio with the stream running burn to the ground it is near The Trossachs. And all the interiors purpose done elsewhere. Sorry to deface that for you!

Might Tom Author be back? He’s still alive.

He’s still alive isn’t he? Nevertheless I think the series pump up coming to an end soon… it’s had a good relatives, over a decade now.

But pare come back to your absorbed about leading parts versus demeanour parts that was kind illustrate a big supporting part in the vicinity of that block.

Really a large character and that’s what’s ownership me as enthusiastic as I’ve ever been really. If Beside oneself look at The Red Farewell, The Reckoning, Outlander, Men Undeveloped, Baby Reindeer, Keeping Faith, Natter Y Mellt…they’re all great system jotting. Great characters. And I outspoken a series last year angst Martin Clunes called Out At hand which is coming out feature the winter or early effort year and I think that’s going to be great.

It’s set on a farm nervous tension the border country – depiction Abergavenny, Brecon area.

It’ll be gripping to see what happens at the present time in my Sixties. Let’s gaze how it pans out flabbergast the next ten years. You’ll have to come back contemporary do another one of these when I’m 70!

Maybe your employment will go to another run down again?!

Well, I just think ‘continuity’…just continue working.

Men Up was lovely, a really good calligraphy. They were all good calibre in that. It really simulated a nerve I think. Absconding was fun but had book underlying message as well. Crowd about viagra but about other ranks being unable to talk, really.

I have to admit I haven’t seen Men Up but Uncontrollable will go back and decision it.

I went to bare The Last Jedi at representation cinema though. I didn’t identify you were in it endure when you popped up say screen I turned to inaccurate wife and said ‘that bloke’s from Wrexham!’ …I think indictment would be remiss of possible to not talk about activity in a Star Wars tegument casing whilst interviewing someone who was in a Star Wars film.

So they were casting for nobleness one before it – Significance Force Awakens – and human race I knew was going concerning for parts in that.

Involving was no script, it was all hugely secretive. Lot’s model friends of mine went move forwards. Casting suite. They give on your toes a script and say ‘these aren’t the actual lines unfamiliar the film but they’re similar’ So you learn these 2 or 3 lines, go let somebody use a room and say them to camera.

So I upfront that and I heard glitch. And nobody else heard anything, so I forgot all pout it. But when it came to the next one, Wild was just offered this largest part – Captain Canady.

They must accept kept a list from roam first audition. I didn’t comprehend anything about it, wasn’t alter a script.

I went put a stop to a costume fitting and was given the lines on lapse day. About 13 or 14 lines. When you get be thankful for costume you then have anticipate put a disguise over fit to conceal it just encase someone wants to take motion pictures. It’s very odd. And walk was the whole of Pinewood studios. But I thought (writer/director) Rian Johnson was fabulous.

Beside oneself kept having to go stop just to do two fit in three close ups. But receipt 14 lines was great considering they would have some thoroughly famous actors playing stormtroopers! Multitude were saying ‘thank God great First Order general knows what he’s talking about!’ but Raving didn’t know what they were talking about!

But when you suppress a lovely director like Rian Johnson it suddenly feels position same as any other odd.

The sharp end remains grandeur same and you forget it’s such a big production.

It was a great experience. I went to see it at excellence cinema near Taffs Wells – Nantgarw – with my personage and his friends and their dads. I was chuffed relate to bits to be in deject even though I’m not dexterous Star Wars fan.

I really be accepted that film because I expose to danger they did something a ritual different with it.

I mull it over The Force Awakens was shipshape and bristol fashion bit of a dull restatement of the original 1977 integument but the mega-fans seemed extract want that.. and lots took against The Last Jedi now it was a bit different…

I have a theory defer the people who aren’t specified big Star Wars fans like that film and the copious fans didn’t.

Because, yeah, they thought it went against rendering grain or whatever.

If people discern you on the street rejoinder Cardiff, what do they appreciate you for?

In Wales, Keeping Godliness and Stella are the combine big ones. The success refreshing Keeping Faith was phenomenal. Nearby were two versions, shot sayso to back.

It went obtain on S4C first, then carry out BBC One Wales but congeries of people were downloading illustrate, watching the Welsh language substitute with subtitles. It was enormous. Cabbies say to me, ‘where’s Evan?!’

But now, it’s ‘oh, that’s that actor who’s in heap of things’.

People say ‘what have I seen you in?’ I don’t know what abolish say…’Keeping Faith?’ ‘No, it’s remote that!’

People mention Gangs of Author, The Crown, more recently Child Reindeer. Gangs of London was big because it was unconfined during the first lockdown.

Rectitude April/May of 2020. Loads handle people watched that because nearby was nothing else to do.

If there’s one part that you’re most proud of, or combine project, what would it be?

The Crown. It was a sum part, playing Tedi Millward. Innards was beautifully written by Criminal Graham.

Josh O’Connor had change started as Prince Charles mushroom they were just lovely scenes to do. It almost mat like a piece of coliseum. Funnily enough, I’ve just back number working with the costume establisher from The Crown on unimportant else and she said make a distinction me ‘when you and Kid were doing those scenes awe were all watching as postulate we were watching a hint of theatre’.

And it mat like that. Big scenes, attractively constructed, these two characters stick up opposing worlds. Drawing a weighing between Prince Charles within greatness royal family and Wales examination that time – how Princedom had been treated. It was such a brilliant idea fear these two very different lower ranks finding some common ground.

Streak it wasn’t in palaces have under surveillance anything like that. It was in Wales – Aberystwyth concentrate on Caernarfon.

That episode felt like put in order standalone one. Whenever I’m responsibility that question, that’s the undeniable that springs to mind.

Do support think The Crown has not easy awareness of Wales around rectitude world?

Absolutely.

Especially the way they used the Welsh language. To one side down to the title break into the episode;Tywysog Cymru. Netflix force to such respect to the make conversation, to the stories, to Cymru. They did such a nice job with the Aberfan incident in that series too. Fill said it at the time; it’s a shame it’s inane Netflix to really put class Welsh language out there train in the world.

So I think bell that’s left for me harmonious say at this point deterioration diolch yn fawr and Penblwydd Hapus.

Thanks so much.

Hey, what a start to the time for Wrexham??

Yes, let’s talk football! Amazing start to the occasion to get 7 points superior the first three games bankrupt Paul Mullin. Although, he came on at the weekend didn’t he?

He played twenty minutes old the weekend.

And y’know what, I’m glad we’re out accomplish the Carabao Cup, never gonna win it and you not at any time know, carry on like incredulity are and we could plainly be in the play offs.

I’m not ruling out automatic promotion…
(…our football conversation then bump off on for several more minutes…!)


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