Ioan Gruffudd on Staying True to His Welsh Roots

Exclusive Interview:

International audiences may recognise actor Ioan Gruffudd as Marvel’s Mr Fanastic, Titanic’s Officer Lowe or Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’s Adam Lockwood, but Wales considers him one of the country’s most successful actors.

Ioan Gruffudd starred as Mr Fantastic in Fantastic Four (2005)

Image courtesy of 20th Century Studios

The native Welsh speaker has achieved international success and resides in Los Angeles, yet remains true to his cultural heritage.

Monopoly Events’ Comic Con Wales 2023 marked an opportunity for Gruffudd to return to his home country and for his countless national fans to share their gratitude for his role in putting Wales on the map.

Chatting in an exclusive interview with Regan Elis at the event, the actor stated that being a guest at the event has been “such a lovely experience.”

Gruffudd, who has lived in Los Angeles since he was eighteen, describes the Comic Con as “a wonderful opportunity to come back [to Wales]… everybody has been so lovely!”

The actor initially found success in James Cameron’s internationally acclaimed hit Titanic, one of the highest-grossing films of all time. As Officer Lowe, Gruffudd saved some of the ship’s passengers, including Kate Winslet’s Rose.

Ioan Gruffudd as Officer Harold Lowe in 1997’s Titanic

Image courtesy of Landmark Media/Alamy

Gruffudd believes his distinctly Welsh identity was an asset to him in Hollywood, despite resistance in the early days of his career. His Welsh name was a clear signifier that he was different to the rest.

“In the beginning, I guess there was a push by some people that I should change my name, or change the spelling, but I was a very proud young Welshman at the time.”

Reflecting on his decision to keep his Welsh spelling, he stated “I’m glad I stuck with it because in this day and age there are so many programmes, shows and films that everybody has access to. [Film has] become a very international medium. Wherever you are in the world, you get access to programmes and shows… and we’ve all grown to learn all these different actors’ names, and mine is one of those that you have to learn!”

Soon after Titanic, Gruffudd’s native Welsh tongue helped him land the lead role of 1999’s Welsh language film Solomon & Gaenor, revolving around a relationship between an Orthodox Jewish man and a gentile woman in early 20th-century Wales.

Ioan Gruffudd and Nia Roberts in Solomon & Gaenor

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 72nd Oscars, which quickly brought Gruffudd to the public eye.

This international platform opened the doors for countless opportunities for the actor. The TV series Hornblower saw Gruffudd starring in the lead role, and the Fantastic Four film series, based on Marvel Comics, featured Gruffudd as team leader and superhero Mr Fantastic.

Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba are members of the Fantastic Four

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Following his Fantastic Four films in 2005 and 2007, where he starred opposite acting powerhouses Jessica Alba and Chris Evans, the actor has portrayed several antagonists in big-budget Hollywood hits San Andreas and most recently, Bad Boys: Ride or Die. While adopting an American accent for the roles, Gruffudd still has a strong Welsh accent outside of work.

Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd) is the twist villain of Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Gruffudd attributes his humility to his Welsh roots, expressing that, “as Welsh people, we’re pretty down to earth – we are ambitious, we are creative, we are artistic.” The actor believes that the “combination of ambition and drive”, along with being brought up in Wales has helped him “keep [his] feet on the ground” throughout his career.

He continued, explaining that his Welsh heritage has informed many of the beloved characters he has portrayed on the big screen.

“As much as I’ve had this incredible career all over the world, and worked with so many amazing people on incredible projects, I think the fact that I haven’t lost where I’m from has infused the characters that I’ve played and also infused my career.”

Representing Wales on film is an “honour” for Gruffudd, who feels “glad to be back to share everything that [he has] done in the past with the fans.”

The event, hosted in Newport, saw hundreds of fans conversing with the smiling actor and receiving autographs on figurines and posters of his most iconic characters. It was a truly special occasion for fans to have such an acclaimed actor return to their home country. The excitement of fans – many of whom have followed the actor’s career from the beginning – was evident, along with a gratitude to Gruffudd for taking the time to travel to the event.

The actor signs a photograph for an excited fan

Image courtesy of Comic Con Wales/Monopoly Events

Grateful to the fans and organisers of the event, the actor made sure to mention some Welsh  – “Diolch yn fawr” (translating to “thank you very much”). While Gruffudd’s career has taken him on an incredible international journey, it’s clear that Wales will always be home and close to his heart.