Star of ‘The Americans’ makes shift to comedy

Matthew Rhys has made a pilot of British comedy drama series “Down the Caravan,” which sees “The Americans” star play a philandering and soon-to-be-dead RV park owner in Wales.

Wales has emerged in recent years as a major U.K. production hub; “Sherlock” and “Doctor Who” are both made there. In terms of comedydrama, James Corden and Ruth Jones’ Wales- and England-set comedy “Gavin and Stacey” was a big hit in the U.K.

Now Rhys, who is Welsh, will star in another comedy project with a connection to his native land. Playing Dai Hyatt, he appears alongside Jan Anderson, seen recently in an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” who plays an employee at the RV park.

Rhys is best-known for his starring role in FX’s espionage thriller “The Americans,” for which he garnered an Emmy nomination. He has also appeared on TV in “Brothers & Sisters” and “Death Comes to Pemberley,” and guest-starred in HBO’s “Girls” earlier this year.

Jerry and Kay Lockett’s Wales-based indie Happy Campers Productions made the crowdfunded pilot of “Down the Caravan” and will produce the series, which was written by Kay. Welsh actor-director Sara Sugarman (“Mr. Nice”) will direct. It does not have a confirmed broadcast or streaming partner.

“Down the Caravan” opens as Rhys’ character dies in bed, opening up a series of events that take in the local town, the RV park and a cast of characters including Maxine Evans (“Stella”), Sarah HarrisDavies (“Dim Ond y Gwir”) and Vas Blackwood (“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”).

Although dead, Rhys will appear throughout the show’s run if it is picked up, as it transpires that he recorded a series of messages before his death. He also will be an executive producer of the series. Cheryl Davies Keatley will produce and Jerry Lockett will be an associate producer.

“The Americans” will return for its sixth and final season in 2018. The series co-stars Rhys’ reallife partner, Keri Russell, and they play Russian spies posing as Americans who live in 1980s Washington, D.C. The couple have a son.