Tom Rhys Harries, star of the new DC film "Clayface," has revealed that the extensive and uncomfortable prosthetics he wore for the role were instrumental in helping him portray the character's distress. Rhys Harries plays Matt Hogan, a handsome actor whose face is mutilated and then transformed into living clay through experimental treatment.
"There was a benefit to having it, because the character is in discomfort," Rhys Harries stated. He estimated that he spent approximately half of his time on set working with the special effects makeup team. The film has been described as a body horror psychological thriller.
The character of Clayface, a Batman villain who first appeared in DC comics in 1940, has never been adapted for cinema until now. This marks the first major studio movie role for the Welsh actor.
Rhys Harries also noted that the creative team utilized malleable physical effects to better replicate the consistency of a clay-like substance. He described this as a "steep learning curve," explaining that actors have an instinct to interact with or touch elements on their person, especially if they are depicted as mutating or morphing. "You've got these artists who've created this piece of work that happens to be on you and the inclination is not ruin their work, but this stuff really works when you're able to interact with it," he said.
Despite the film's genre, Rhys Harries believes the story is relatable, comparing his character's loss of his physical appearance to a violinist losing the use of their hands. "It's just what any of us would do where your means of making a living has been taken away and I think there's a relatability in that," he explained.
He also reflected on the influence of Welsh cultural traditions on his career, citing his early participation in the Eisteddfod. "I think that's a great strength of us as a nation, our cultural output. It's fairly ridiculous given the size of the country how impactful I think we are on a global stage, culturally, and I think that's something we should foster within Wales."
"Clayface" is scheduled for release in cinemas on October 23.