Tom Rhys Harries: Career, Best Known Roles and What to Watch
Tom Rhys Harries spent more than a decade as a reliable face in British drama before one part made him a lead. In October 2026 he took the title role in DC's body-horror film Clayface. This guide covers his path there, his best known roles and where to start if you want to catch up.
From Cardiff to the screen
Harries was born in Cardiff on 8 October 1990 and trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He attended from 2009 to 2012, and the college later made him an Honorary Associate in 2020.
His screen debut came while he was still a student, in the 2011 musical drama Hunky Dory. In 2012 he was named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, a list that picks out promising newcomers in British and Irish film.
Theatre first
Stage work shaped his early career. He appeared in The History Boys at the Sheffield Crucible and in Torch Song Trilogy at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London.
In 2014 he made his West End debut in Jez Butterworth's Mojo at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The cast included Ben Whishaw, Daniel Mays and Rupert Grint. It was a serious first showing for an actor not long out of drama school.
Best known roles
White Lines (2020)
For many viewers this is where he first stood out. In the Netflix drama White Lines he plays Axel Collins, a Manchester DJ whose story is tied to the Ibiza club scene. It showed he could handle charm, volatility and vulnerability in the same scene.
Suspicion (2022)
In the Apple TV+ thriller Suspicion he played Eddie Walker. The ensemble included Uma Thurman, Georgina Campbell, Kunal Nayyar and Elizabeth Henstridge. It was his first big role in a US-backed series with an international cast.
Unforgotten, Jekyll and Hyde and Britannia
Before and between those, he took recurring parts on British television. They include Eliot Hollis in the ITV cold-case drama Unforgotten, as well as Jekyll and Hyde (2015) and Britannia (2019). None made him a household name, but together they built a steady reputation.
Doctor Who: Dot and Bubble (2024)
He had a guest lead in the Doctor Who episode Dot and Bubble. The story is a sharp piece of social satire, and it reached a wide audience, including many people who knew nothing else he had done.
Film work
Harries has built up a varied film list alongside his television credits. The best known titles include:
- The Gentlemen (2019): a supporting part in Guy Ritchie's crime comedy. It also led to a later reunion with Eddie Marsan, who appears with him in Clayface.
- Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018): a British horror comedy set at a boarding school.
- Kandahar (2023): an action thriller in which he plays a CIA agent.
- Sisi & I (2023): a historical drama in which he has a leading role.
- The Return (2024): a screen take on Homer's Odyssey, in which he plays Pisander.
- How Kids Roll (2024): a smaller film that shows his range.
Clayface: the big break
In June 2025 DC Studios announced Harries as the lead of Clayface. He plays Matt Hagen, a performer who is transformed into a creature made of clay after an experimental treatment. James Gunn said the studio had searched exhaustively before choosing him.
The casting was not quick. Director James Watkins has said he put Harries through three months of auditions and two long screen tests. Harries has described himself as untested in this kind of film, and said he was glad of the scrutiny.
Fans were curious because Alan Tudyk voiced a version of the character in the animated series Creature Commandos. DC has noted that Clayface has had several incarnations in the comics, so the two need not be the same person.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on 13 October 2026. Reviews were generally positive. Critics praised Harries and the practical body-horror effects, though some found the script and visual effects weaker. He is joined by Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan.
Where to start
- Clayface (2026): his first true lead and the best sign of where he is heading.
- White Lines: the series that made his name, with a strong, layered performance.
- Doctor Who: Dot and Bubble: a single episode and a quick way to see him at work.
- Suspicion: a tense ensemble thriller with a starry cast.
- The Gentlemen: a stylish crime comedy with a deep supporting bench.
- Unforgotten: a long-running ITV drama for a gentler, more traditional watch.
The verdict
Harries has taken the long route: drama school, a respected West End debut, steady television work and then a studio lead. His best performances share a quality of unease, with a likeable surface that can turn quickly. That suits Clayface well.
Whether the character returns in later DC projects is not something we can say. What the film does show is that Harries can carry a major release. His earlier work is worth seeking out, and it holds up well.