John Rhys-Davies
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John Rhys-Davies

John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor renowned for his roles as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sallah in the Indiana Jones films. Born on May 5, 1944, in Salisbury, England, he was raised in Tanzania and later in Wales, where he developed a strong connection to his Welsh heritage. Rhys-Davies' acting career began in the 1970s with notable television roles in I, Claudius (1976) and Shōgun (1980). His film debut came with Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), where he portrayed Sallah, a role he reprised in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). He gained international fame as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003), a performance that earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble. In addition to his film and television work, Rhys-Davies has an extensive voice acting career, lending his distinctive voice to characters in animated series and video games, including Treebeard in The Lord of the Rings and Hades in Justice League. Despite his iconic roles, Rhys-Davies declined to appear in The Hobbit trilogy due to the extensive prosthetic makeup required, which caused him physical discomfort. However, he has expressed interest in returning to the franchise, contingent upon advancements in CGI technology. As of 2021, Rhys-Davies resides between the Isle of Man and Los Angeles with his partner, Lisa Manning, and their daughter. He is also a passionate car collector.

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