Owen Rhys-Davies, the Welsh-born actor who appears in films by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Twin Peaks: Back Rebooted in 2017, he died. He was 44 years old.
His brother, Rhodri Davies, announced his unexpected death on May 30 in an Instagram post. The family statement, also issued by Father Conway Davies, said: “It is with profound sadness that my father and I announce the death of my brother Owen. This news will come as a great shock to many. While there are still questions that remain unanswered regarding the circumstances of his death, what we understand at this stage is that Owen died suddenly, naturally and peacefully.”
Rhys-Davies was born on 20 February 1982 in Cardiff, Wales, grew up in St Clares in Carmarthenshire and caught the acting bug while performing in local theater productions. His final screen credits included Disney films Alice through the looking glass film, Indian doctor For BBC and Hulu, the sci-fi series on Netflix Organic farming,holo Relationship And an Amazon Prime movie A serial killer’s guide to life.
Rhys Davies played FBI Agent Wilson Twin Peaks: Backa revival of Lynch’s popular 1990s series. In a May 2017 interview with the BBC Cymru Phyw service in Wales, the Welsh actor stated that he was chosen by Lynch after an audition.
“I met David Lynch on set for the first time. I was a bit nervous when he came, and for some reason when I get nervous I turn into a comedian and tell a lot of jokes! He took my hand and said ‘Should we…?’ We had a little chat about the character and then we started filming,” Rhys-Davies recalls.
It was more than half a year ago when the actor learned that he got the role. Rhys-Davies recounted: “I was in the car when my agent called. I had auditioned seven months before and thought I didn’t get the part. I had to stop the car and scream, and everyone around me looked surprised. It was an unforgettable day.”
The delay in telling him he got the gig was due to Lynch’s desire to keep the script and his mystery novel secret. Rhys-Davies remembers getting the call on a Monday, being fitted for costume on a Wednesday and making his debut on a Friday.
“Owen was lucky enough to have more than one family. Along with his biological family, he built extraordinary family bonds with his many close friends, colleagues and loved ones. I am so proud that, while he was my brother, he was also a brother to so many others. We know this loss will be felt by so many people, and we are comforted to know how much he is loved,” his brother Rhodri added in his statement.
