A MAN OF MANY
HE’S the Welsh character actor with a CV as long as both his arms put together, and much loved for being Rob Morgan from Stella and Steve Baldini in Keeping Faith.
But did you know that Mark Lewis Jones has appeared in some of the top TV shows in recent history?
His latest such role is as notable Welsh lecturer and proud nationalist Dr Edward Millward in series three of The Crown on Netflix – a role which Mark thoroughly enjoyed, especially when he got to meet the man himself during filming.
The episode Tywysog Cymru sees Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) parachuted into a scenic but gloomy Aberystwyth for a term at the university to learn Welsh. His tutor is a leading light in the Welsh nationalist movement, which finds its feet in the 1960s, Dr Millward.
In an episode that is largely spoken in the Welsh language and against the backdrop of the investiture and the early days of Plaid Cymru, the crux of the story shows the Prince of Wales’ isolation and detachment from both his family and the country he is meant to represent.
Speaking from the Cardiff home he shares with his wife Gwenno, Mark, whose credits include recent Channel 4 drama The Accident, HBO’s Chernobyl, Captain Canady in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the role of Bryn opposite Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen in The Good Liar, he said his representation of Dr Millward had to be spot on.
“Anything that was touched upon in terms of the Welsh movement at the time and Tedi and the role he played in that had to be correct for me,” said the Rhosllannerchrugog actor, who is a graduate of Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama after a stint at Clwyd Youth Theatre.
“But the story of the episode is about two men whose lives collide.
They come from different worlds and it’s how they are affected by meeting each other.”
So how close to reality is Tywysog Cymru? In the episode we see Charles tentatively repeating Welsh words in the language lab and even visit the Millwards’ home.
Dr Millward and his daughter, singer Llio Millward, visited the set when The Crown came to Aberystwyth and Mark shared some time with them.
He added: “Talking to Llio and to
Tedi, that is in line with what actually happened. They did form a relationship and there was respect on both sides by the end.”
With a talent for playing intimidating characters like the gruff Steve Baldini in Keeping Faith, Dr Millward is a slight departure for Mark, but the Welsh lecturer and protester casts a no-nonsense air over proceedings with the young prince.
“Some of the characters I’ve been playing recently are either psychopathic or sociopathic,” Mark