Jonathan Rhys Meyers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Meyers at the Cabourg Film Festival in June 2013
Born	Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe (1977-07-27) 27 July 1977 (age 47) Dublin, Ireland
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Mara Lane ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	1

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor. He is famous for his many roles in movies and TV shows. Some of his well-known films include Michael Collins (1996), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), and Mission: Impossible III (2006).

On television, he played Elvis Presley in the miniseries Elvis (2005). For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award. He also played King Henry VIII in the historical drama The Tudors (2007–10). Later, he starred as Dracula in the NBC series Dracula (2013–14). He also appeared as Bishop Heahmund in the TV series Vikings.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers has continued to act in many films. These include Albert Nobbs (2011) and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013). In 2017, he starred in The 12th Man. He won a Best Actor award at the Manchester Film Festival in 2018 for Damascus Cover. In 2020, he was named one of Ireland's greatest film actors by The Irish Times.

Meyers has also been part of advertising campaigns for Hugo Boss. He supports charities like the Hope Foundation and Barretstown, which helps children. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is married to Mara Lane, and they have one son.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Jonathan Rhys Meyers was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 27 July 1977. He grew up in County Cork with his three younger brothers. His family is Catholic.

When he was a teenager, he was spotted by casting agents. They were looking for young Irish boys for a movie called War of the Buttons. Even though he didn't get that role, the agents told him he should try acting. This encouraged him to start his career.

Career Highlights

Early Roles and Big Movies (1994–2004)

Jonathan decided to use the name Rhys Meyers for his acting career. His first movie role was in A Man of No Importance (1994). In 1996, he played a sniper in Michael Collins. He also played a glam rock star in Velvet Goldmine (1998).

He starred as Steerpike in the BBC show Gormenghast (2000). He played a football coach in the popular movie Bend It Like Beckham (2002). In 2004, he appeared in Vanity Fair and Oliver Stone's epic film Alexander.

Becoming a Star (2005–2017)

Meyers with Natalia Vodianova at a film premiere in 2013

In 2005, Meyers starred in Woody Allen's drama Match Point. He also played Elvis Presley in the miniseries Elvis. This role earned him an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe win. In 2006, he was in the action movie Mission: Impossible III.

He then took on the role of King Henry VIII in the TV series The Tudors (2007). He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for this role. Other projects included August Rush (2007), The Children of Huang Shi (2008), and From Paris with Love (2010).

In 2013, Meyers was cast as Dracula in the NBC TV series Dracula. In 2014, he received The Irish Post Legend Award for his work in film and television. In 2017, he joined the cast of the TV series Vikings as Bishop Heahmund.

Recent Films (2018–Present)

Meyers played the main character in the spy thriller Damascus Cover (2017). He won Best Actor awards at the Boston and Manchester Film Festivals for this role.

He also played Patrick Pearse, an Irish leader, in the film The Rising. In 2020, he starred in Edge of the World and American Nights. In 2021, he appeared in the action thriller Yakuza Princess and the horror film Hide and Seek.

More recently, he starred in The Good Neighbour and Wifelike in 2022. In 2023, he was in the thriller "Disquiet" and the hijacking film 97 Minutes.

Music Roles

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is a self-taught singer and guitarist. He has performed in several musical roles. In Velvet Goldmine, he sang two songs, "Baby's on Fire" and "Tumbling Down". He also sang briefly in the TV miniseries The Magnificent Ambersons.

In the 2007 movie August Rush, he played a singer-songwriter. He performed four songs for the soundtrack: "Break", "Moondance", "Something Inside", and "This Time". Two of these songs were considered for an Academy Award.

Personal Life

Mara Lane and Jonathan Rhys Meyers in 2019

Jonathan Rhys Meyers married Mara Lane in 2016. Their son was born in December 2016.

Honours and Awards

On 5 October 2008, Meyers received an Honorary Patronage from the Trinity College Philosophical Society in Dublin. In 2014, he was given the Legend Award at The Irish Post Awards for his contributions to film and entertainment.

Charity Work

In February 2008, Jonathan Rhys Meyers became an ambassador for the Hope Foundation. This charity helps street children in Calcutta. He is also an ambassador for Barretstown, an Irish charity that supports children with serious illnesses. In 2019, he helped launch Barretstown's "Press Play" campaign to raise more money for children and their families.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers para niños