Cardiff-born actor Matthew Rhys has revealed he speaks exclusively in Welsh to his two-year-old son, Sam, in a bid to ensure the boy retains the language for life. Rhys, 44, who lives in New York with his partner Keri Russell, told the Radio Times: 'I speak to him solely in Welsh. He can answer and understand at the moment.'
The actor, known for his role in The Americans, joked that he plans to 'force' Welsh culture on his son, including supporting the national rugby team in the Six Nations. 'The one thing I do know is he will need a crash helmet for the amount of banging into his head he's going to get about the part of him that's Welsh,' he said.
Rhys's own Welsh accent surprised Netflix fans in September when he gave an Emmy acceptance speech. Many took to Twitter expressing shock at hearing his natural tones after years of hearing him speak with an American accent on screen.
Reflecting on leaving Cardiff at 18 to pursue acting, Rhys expressed a deep sense of loss. 'I was traumatised by leaving Cardiff. This word 'home'... If melancholy was an Olympic sport, the Welsh would be gold medallists,' he said. 'For me Wales is now this place of unicorns and druids - a place I know I'll never return to.'
Rhys stars in the upcoming BBC Two adaptation Death And Nightingales, set to air later this month.
