Hollywood actor Luke Evans on 'joyous' four months filming in rainy Wales — SkimNews
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- Luke Evans filmed The Party in Cardiff and Bridgend, 25 minutes from the terrace house in Aberbargoed where he grew up — the closest he's worked to family in 30 years, compared with Pembrokeshire for The Pembrokeshire Murders.
- Evans stars as journalist Martin Gilmour in the five-part series adapted from Elizabeth Day's novel, opposite Aberystwyth-born Tom Cullen as a wealthy, charismatic politician and lifelong friend.
- Evans's cousin, his wife, and their kids secured a cameo in the final episode after asking to join the production, and family dinners and dog walks continued through the rainy four-month shoot.
- After wrapping in Wales, Evans spent seven months playing Dr Frank-N-Furter in a Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show in New York.
- Tim Curry — who first played the role before the 1975 cult film — died in August at 80, a day after Evans finished his run; Evans had sent Curry a thank-you letter and received a response from his team three weeks before the final performance.
- Earlier this summer, Evans switched on the Empire State Building lights for pride in New York.
- The Party premieres on ITV on 11 October; Evans said he was "on the list for Bond for a good decade" but now considers himself "too old" for the part.
Why it matters: Evans anchoring a lead UK drama role to his Rhymney Valley roots — with family cameos and weekend dinners during a four-month shoot — marks a deliberate homecoming after three decades of Hollywood franchise work. The 11 October ITV premiere gives him a screen vehicle that contrasts with his Beauty and the Beast, Hobbit, and Fast & Furious outings, and comes as he reflects on being one of the few openly gay actors in the industry.
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