Cardiff-born actor Tom Rhys Harries has spoken about feeling 'impostor syndrome' as he leads the DC movie Clayface, in which he stars as Matt Hagen in a body horror psychological thriller based on the DC comics character.
Harries, who recently appeared in Welsh films such as Effi o Blaenau and Madfabulous, has now moved to Hollywood for his latest project. During a video interview, he recognised the reporter's Swansea accent from his time filming in the Welsh city for his first film, Hunky Dory, in 2011.
Long Audition Process and Relief
Harries described the lengthy audition process for the leading role, which spanned about three months. The first screen test lasted around three hours and the second about four hours, and he felt it was heading in a certain direction.
He said: "I've been doing this for about 16 years, and you have to get pretty thick-skinned as an actor, and you get very used to the word no. I've had far more of those than I've had 'yes' in my career. If for whatever reason James Watkins, and the decision-makers at DC, James Gunn, Peter Safran and Matt Reeves, hadn't decided to go with me, it would have been one of those that sticks with you. I'd have found it fairly bruising."
He added: "So I was initially relieved, and then that kind of gave way to a sort of nervous anticipation about having to actually do the thing."
Impostor Syndrome and Welsh Pride
In the film, Harries plays an up-and-coming actor nominated for a major award before his life changes drastically. His character speaks to school children about feeling like an impostor because of his background.
Asked if he has impostor syndrome himself, Harries said: "I think everybody does. I think everybody does to a point, and then you kind of maybe get a bit surprised." He added: "I feel like I take a lot of time to shake that feeling, and it takes me a long time to get used to stuff. I guess there's always an element of impostor syndrome to do with anything."
He spoke of landing the role as a Welshman, saying: "It is really exciting, and it feels like such a moonshot, doesn't it? Especially being from Cardiff and Wales. But I feel really privileged to be allowed to bring Clayface to the big screen for the first time."
Welsh Connections and Rob Brydon
Harries discussed reactions from people back home in Cardiff and his hopes for a Welsh takeover of Hollywood. He mentioned a friend he has known since age two doing behind-the-scenes work on the film, and his cousin's design studio, Canton Studio, which designed three T-shirt designs for the movie that Warner Brothers agreed to put on the DC store.
He joked: "So, I'm trying to build out some Welsh mafia here. Taffia, that's what I should have called it."
Rob Brydon, a fellow Welsh actor, appears in Clayface as a chatshow host with a thick Welsh accent, interviewing Harries's character about a role he plays with an English accent. Harries said: "Rob Brydon in a DC movie just feels right. He's awesome, and such a kind man, and he's a brilliant actor."
He admitted being a little jealous that Brydon used his own accent while he had to be American, noting the meta nature of a Welsh actor playing an American actor interviewed by Brydon's American chat show host, with a British accent used back at him at one point.
Harries also recalled seeing a poster of his character's melted face at his childhood bus stop, by the 61 bus he used to catch to Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plas Mawr. He credited a former teacher, Catrin Pallot, head of the special needs department while he was there, saying: "I've had so many different mentors and people throughout my life that had they not been in my life, I really don't think I would be in this position."
Clayface is in cinemas now.
