For decades, John Rhys-Davies has been a recognizable face and voice to millions, especially to fans of epic adventures.
The boisterous Welsh actor has played a variety of recognizable and lovable characters, from Sallah in the 'Indiana Jones' franchise to Michael Malone in 'The Untouchables,' to the professor in the 90's sci-fi show 'Sliders,' and Gimli in Peter Jackson's epic 'Lord of the Rings' films.
He's also had memorable turns in 'Star Trek: Voyager' and countless other films and shows.
Rhys-Davies sat down with CP24.com ahead of his appearance at Fan Expo Canada this weekend to discuss his career, life philosophy and real-life credentials as an epic adventurer.
Edit's Note: Conversation has been edited for length
CP24
Sir, great pleasure to be speaking with you today.
John Rhys-Davies
Wonderful, wonderful to talk to you.
CP24
As someone who has watched Sliders, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones over the years, you are a very recognizable face to many. I think people have certain associations with certain actors and I think if I may say so, when they see you, they know they're going on some sort of adventure. How did you get this gig as companion-guide on epic adventures, whether it's across time and space, or Middle Earth or wherever else?
John Rhys-Davies
I got lucky, is the truth of the matter in an actor's life. You assume that people have some sort of talent, but talent alone isn't enough. You need luck and you need to be cheap at the beginning of your career. American producers always used to come to England because they could find quite well-trained classical actors for peanuts. When I did 'Shogun,' for instance, five months in Japan, $13,000. When I did 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' five months, I suppose, and 13,000 pounds.
CP24
Wow, for that movie?!
John Rhys-Davies
Oh, yeah. But to be fair, they gave me a tiny, tiny little fraction of the of the net profit, which was enough to put my sons through boarding school. Very, very generous of George (Lucas) and Steven (Spielberg).
But for young actors, I'd always say, the right part and working is your seed corn. If you can get enough to cover the nut – that's an old Shakespearean travelling actors' expression. Innkeepers used to take the wheel nut off the wagon that had all the props and dresses and things just to make sure that the actors actually paid their bill at the end, you see.
CP24
I see, okay.
John Rhys-Davies
If you can cover the nut, and you're starting as an actor, be grateful. The worst thing that can happen to a young actor is to be hugely successful instantly, because then their expectations are high and they are doomed to disappointment, okay. Nobody's career just always continues in that linear, upwards fashion, alright, and the last thing you want to do is to go (he gestures to quickly going up and down early on, and then flat.)
CP24
So true. And was there a point where you realized that your career had kind of gone on a trajectory where, you know, it was in a place where you wanted it to be?
John Rhys-Davies
Well, I never got it quite where I wanted to be, but there's still a bit of time yet, damn it. I'm only 80!
CP24
Absolutely. Well certainly to many people on the street, your face brings to mind so many fantastic memories. And when I asked that question about being the companion-guide on epic adventures, it seems like there's a thread that's run through all these roles. Was that something you were looking for, or did it just happen?
John Rhys-Davies
Character actors have a longer life than straightforward leading younger men or leading older men, and that's one of the tragedies for you know, the very handsome young men who become rather worried middle aged men and sometimes rather bitter older men at the end of their life, unless they can make the transition into being character actors.
CP24
Is there something that's appealed to you about adventure-type films?
John Rhys-Davies
Yes, I had a pretty adventurous sort of life. I mean, I grew up in Africa as a boy. I shot my first buffalo when I was 11.
CP24
Oh, wow. Where in Africa?
John Rhys-Davies
East Africa, Tanzania. And, you know, it was a wonderful time to be in Africa. It was pretty safe. It was pretty uncorrupted, you did not have to pay bribes. It was rather glorious like that.
But I got lost out in the bush with my father when I was actually about 11-and-a-half or 12 and you know, I spent two days without water. I can't think of a more hellish way to die.
CP24
So how were you two finally rescued? Or how did you rescue yourselves?
John Rhys-Davies
Well, we found a track. I found a track. I got separated from my father and the guy who was out with us, because we all had different ideas of where the damn car was. It also taught me: Know where you are. And that's not just a geographical thing either. [boisterous laughter]
CP24
In life, it helps as well?
John Rhys-Davies
Yes, but I mean those sorts of adventures I had… I was in Zimbabwe in '85 and I went up in a light plane, and the plane crashed.
CP24
Oh my goodness.
John Rhys-Davies
I hopped out of the plane with a crushed leg, sort of swinging from the bottom… everything was hanging about.
CP24
Oh my goodness, were you flying the plane?
John Rhys-Davies
No, if I'd been flying it, we wouldn't have done it! You're talking to an ex-pilot.
By the way, the tough experiences of life are what you learn from and these experiences really toughened me and made me sharper.
Anytime somebody – I don't care what level of expertise – tries to tell me something that I don't understand, I question them, and I'll keep asking the question to the point at which everyone else in the room is embarrassed. I don't mind appearing to be the dumbest person in the room.
I've learned not to be embarrassed, but to simply ensure that the person who is giving me this crucial information, be it legal or medical, can actually explain it to my satisfaction, and if he can't, or she can't, then I tend to regard it as spurious and I'll make my own judgment call. Hugely valuable thing to learn. Wow, hugely valuable. But that is not, of course, to say that we don't defer to experts. We do actually.
CP24
I can kind of see how some of that might seep into some of the characters you've played, who always seem to know where they're going, what they need to do. Which is not to say that you have it all figured out always, but just a sense of what you need to get your bearings. I think that's something that certainly comes across in your characters.
John Rhys-Davies
All of us in life seek certain certainties. When you're a young man, you seek the certainty of Marxism. You know the dialectic material. You know thesis-synthesis, or at least see thesis, antithesis, synthesis – a simple way of looking at all the events of life and coming up with the right answer – it's rubbish. What do we use as a touchstone, as a guide in our lives? Now, if you're a Christian, you go to the Bible; If you are a Muslim, you go to Holy Quran. For me, one of the great touchstones is a remark by the American English poet T.S. Eliot. He says that we all engage in a common pursuit of true judgment. What a wonderful thing. I try and remind myself of that every day. 'Wait a minute, you're reading this. Does it make sense? Well, there is that evidence there and that evidence there. Can we trust that evidence?' And often you get it wrong. But for me, as long as I'm engaged in that attempt at finding true judgment, I have a certain measure of extra confidence that my approach to life is not wholly wrong.
CP24
I'm getting a note that we need to start wrapping up, so I'll be remiss if I don't ask you very quickly: You're coming to Fan Expo. Have you been to Toronto before and what do you love about these sorts of events?
John Rhys-Davies
Oh, that's quite crucial. I increasingly love doing fan conventions, though of course actors only do them when, when they're not working on proper jobs and right at the moment nobody's working on a proper job – the industry has collapsed in on itself. But the real value that I get out of them – and it sounds so absurd and mealy mouthed to say it – but the truth of the matter is meeting the fans who have who basically put a roof over my head for the last 50 years, teaches me so much about life and they have changed me.
I remember the first fan convention I went to. I thought; 'Why am I doing this? The show is making me do it. What the hell do I want to meet all these people dressed like Captain Kirk for? Stupid people – why can't they get a proper life? And I went and watched and listened, and slowly it dawned on me that actually most of them really do have a proper life, but most of them also live in that wonderful world of the imagination, which can be starved if you're living in a small community.
And they have changed me in this sense: I don't think as a younger man, I much cared for people. As an older man now, I can say without blushing I have learned to love people and I love those fans because they represent people. I love meeting people. They're the most astonishing things that I've ever encountered in my life. There's books, yes, there's films, yes, this wonderful world of the imagination. But the real heroes I meet at fan conventions so frequently.
CP24
That's beautiful.
John Rhys-Davies
And I have been to Toronto before, and I love it. And I'm going to meet up with my old friend (Academy Award winning filmmaker and fellow Fan Expo guest) Roger Christian and lots of other people.
CP24
Okay, fantastic. Well, I can say for certain that there will be many people who will be very happy to meet you. Sir, it's been a great pleasure chatting with you. Thanks so much for taking a little bit of time. Appreciate it.
John Rhys-Davies
I'm sorry. My wife, who's an ex journalist, says I'm incapable of a sound bite.
CP24
I appreciate that in this day and age. You get much more from a longer conversation, so that's no problem.
John Rhys-Davies
Thank you. Have a wonderful day. Who's my next victim?
John Rhys-Davies will be appearing at Fan Expo Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Aug. 22-25.
