Jonathan Rhys-Meyers
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| Jonathan Rhys-Meyers | |
 Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in 2002's Bend It Like Beckham |
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| Birth name | Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe |
| Born | July 27, 1977 (age 29) County Dublin, Ireland |
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe on 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor and Golden Globe winner.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe in County Dublin, Ireland. His stage name is derived from his mother's maiden name, Meyers. Rhys-Meyers was born with a serious heart problem, and was baptised shortly after his birth as it was feared that he might not survive long enough for a traditional baptism ceremony. He spent the first few months of his life in the hospital.
One year after his birth, his family moved to County Cork, Ireland, where they still reside. When Rhys-Meyers was 3 years old, his father left the family. He has three younger brothers named Jamie, Alan and Paul. His mother raised him and his brothers on her own in rural Cork with little money.
When Jonathan was a teenager, he befriended an Anglo-Irish gentleman farmer. He was taken in by the farmer and his family and went to live with them in Buttevant.
Rhys-Meyers was expelled from school at age 16, and spent much of his time hanging out in pool halls. Casting agents looking for Irish boys to appear in War of the Buttons spotted Rhys-Meyers at a Cork pool hall, the Victoria Sporting Club and invited him to audition. Although he passed over for War of the Buttons, the casting agents encouraged him to pursue a career in acting. His first film role came soon afterwards, in A Man of No Importance.
[edit] Career
Rhys-Meyers has starred in television series like Gormenghast (2000) and in the CBS 4 hour mini-series Elvis (2005) as Elvis Presley. The latter earned him an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe win.
His film roles range from a David Bowie-inspired glam rock star in Velvet Goldmine (1998) to a dedicated girls' football coach in Bend It Like Beckham (2002). In 2005, Rhys-Meyers starred in Woody Allen's film Match Point, for which he received a Chopard Trophy at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, he appeared in Mission: Impossible III. He will next be seen in the Showtime series The Tudors (2007), where he plays young Henry VIII, and August Rush (2006). He is in talks to play Branwell Bronte in the movie Bronte (2007), and rumored to be appearing in Danny Glover's Haitian epic Toussaint (2007).
According to the Internet Movie Database, in 2004, the actor found himself typecast in junkie, androgynous, and weak roles. In order to avoid this and attempt to play, as well as be considered for, more masculine and heroic roles, Rhys-Meyers underwent a massive fitness regimen. He ended up gaining, and keeping, 25 extra pounds of muscle.
There were also rumours that he was considered for the role of James Bond, succeeding Pierce Brosnan. However, like similar rumours concerning actors Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor and various other actors, the rumour was unconfirmed. The part eventually went to Daniel Craig.
Aside from his acting skills, Rhys-Meyers also has experience as a singer. He did much of his own singing in the role of rock star Brian Slade in Velvet Goldmine, although some of these songs were replaced on the CD release of the soundtrack with alternate tracks by better-known vocalists. Rhys-Meyers also sings briefly in the TV miniseries version of The Magnificent Ambersons.
Jonathan was chosen as the "face" for the Versace men's collection of Autumn/Winter 2006.
[edit] Private life
Rhys-Meyers has been romantically linked to several actresses in the past, including Toni Collette, his co-star in Velvet Goldmine, Asia Argento, Rachael Leigh Cook and Estella Warren. He and Match Point co-star Scarlett Johansson both deny persistent rumors of romantic involvement. In an interview with Sugar magazine in October 2006, he described Johansson as "selfish and attention-seeking". In the same interview he called Angelina Jolie "intimidating", Reese Witherspoon "the best actress" and called Keira Knightley a "nice girl" but said they "are not mates".
Rhys-Meyers recently ended a nearly two-year relationship with heiress Reena Hammer. Hammer is the daughter of George and Ruby Hammer, the owner of Harrods Spa and co-creator of Ruby & Millie make-up, respectively.
[edit] Filmography
- A Man of No Importance (1994)
- The Killer Tongue (1996)
- The Disappearance of Finbar (1996)
- Michael Collins (1996)
- Samson and Delilah (1996)
- The Tribe (1996)
- The Maker (1997)
- Telling Lies in America (1997)
- The Governess (1998)
- Velvet Goldmine (1998)
- The Loss of Sexual Innocence (1999)
- B. Monkey (1999)
- Ride with the Devil (1999)
- Titus (1999)
- Gormenghast (2000)
- Prozac Nation (2002)
- Tangled (2002)
- Happy Now (2002)
- The Magnificent Ambersons (2002)
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- The Tesseract (2002)
- Octane (2002)
- I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2003)
- The Emperor's Wife (2003)
- The Lion in Winter (2003)
- Vanity Fair (2004)
- Alexander (2004)
- Elvis (2005)
- Match Point (2005)
- Mission: Impossible III (2006)
- August Rush (2006)
- The Tudors (2007)
- Brontë (2007)
- Toussaint (2007)
- The Children of Huang Shi (2007)
