Jonathan Rhys Meyers (original) (raw)
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Operation Blood Hunt (2024)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers was born Jonathan Michael Meyers on July 27, 1977, in Dublin, Ireland, to Mary Geraldine (Meyers) and John O'Keeffe, a musician. He and his family moved to County Cork, Ireland, when the actor was nearly a year old, and then, at the age of 3, his father left the family, leaving his mother to care for Jonny and his 3 younger brothers alone.
Rhys Meyers grew up with a tumultuous childhood and being permanently expelled from school at age 16. Happy to be out of school, he began spending time in a local pool hall where he was discovered by Hubbard Casting. The casting agents were talent-spotting for the David Puttnamproduction ofKrieg der Knöpfe (1994), and asked Rhys Meyers to appear for an audition. After three days of auditions, however, he did not get the role, and Rhys Meyers gave up on his acting aspirations. Soon afterward, he received a call to audition for a national ad campaign for Knorr Soup, and though embarrassed by the attention from the ad, he soon found himself considered for a major film. His movie acting debut was a very small role in the filmEin Mann ohne Bedeutung (1994), where his simple cast credit is as "First Young Man". His first lead role was in the filmAuf der Suche nach Finbar (1996). During a 6-month postponement in production, he returned home to Cork and there received a call about the filmMichael Collins (1996). He traveled to Dublin to meet with directorNeil Jordan and successfully won the role of Collins' assassin. Jordan wrote about his meeting with the actor, "I have found someone to play Collins' killer. Jonathan Rees-Myers (sic), from County Cork, apparently, who looks like a youngTom Cruise. [He] Comes into the casting session with alarming certainty. Obviously gifted".
Rhys Meyers continued working constantly from that point and appeared in such films as Der Macher (1997),American Dreamer - Charmante Lügner (1997), and The Tribe (1998). Going on to filmThe Governess (1998),B. Monkey (1998),Titus (1999) andWer mit dem Teufel reitet (1999), he has received critical acclaim for several performances, most notably as "Brian Slade" inVelvet Goldmine (1998), as "Steerpike" in the British mini-seriesGormenghast (2000), and as a sympathetic football coach inKick It Like Beckham (2002). Rhys Meyers is also a talented singer and musician, having performed his own vocals inVelvet Goldmine (1998) and appearing on the film's soundtrack. Rhys Meyers still resides in County Cork, Ireland.
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