Matthew Rhys on Embracing the Darkness in Netflix’s “The Beast in Me”
Netflix’s hit limited series, The Beast in Me, has captivated audiences since its debut three weeks ago, consistently ranking at the top of the platform’s Top 10 list and earning critical acclaim, including Critics Choice and Golden Globe nominations. At the heart of this success is Matthew Rhys, whose chilling portrayal of Nile Jarvis, a ruthless real estate tycoon suspected of murder, has surprised and impressed fans familiar with his previous, more affable roles.
Rhys, known for his nuanced performance as Philip Jennings in The Americans, initially questioned whether he was the right fit for the role. “Wait, do they want me for this? Are you sure this is for me?” he recalled in an interview with Gold Derby. “Am I meant to be playing the cop? Who thinks I’m capable of this?” However, the complexity of the character and the opportunity to explore a darker side ultimately drew him in.
The actor described finding the “beast” within himself as tapping into past disappointments. “I think the beast in me has always been in me,” Rhys explained. “It’s every role I didn’t get. It’s every actor whose part I coveted.” He likened his process to simply “pretending really hard,” acknowledging a lifetime spent in the art of performance.
A key challenge was avoiding caricature. Rhys and director Antonio Campos frequently discussed the potential for Nile to become a stereotypical villain. “This was my thing on set a lot…where I would do that [mimes twirling a mustache], and it’s like, ‘Am I going too far with this?’” Rhys shared. He sought to ground the character in a believable reality, tracing the origins of his darkness.
Rhys admitted he was kept largely in the dark regarding the series’ ultimate trajectory, receiving only three scripts initially and not the finale. He relied on the trust he had built with executive producers Howard Gordon and Daniel Pearl, particularly Gordon, with whom he previously collaborated on Homeland. According to Rhys, Claire Danes, his co-star and also an executive producer, assured him that the narrative would build to a compelling climax.
Delving into Nile’s past through flashback episodes was crucial for Rhys. “Exactly, and that’s all that concerned me, is that it’s you see it,” he said. “It’s not just spur-of-the moment stuff. It comes from somewhere.” He praised the casting of Jonathan Banks as Nile’s father, noting that Banks’ performance effectively conveyed the fear and resentment that fueled Nile’s character.
Working opposite Claire Danes for the first time was a particularly exhilarating experience. Rhys described it as “like serving a tennis ball at Serena Williams,” emphasizing the challenge and excitement of matching her intensity. “She brings it and not expects it in an overt way,” he said. “It’s everything you want. You want those tennis partners.” He highlighted a pivotal lunch scene, filmed early in production, as instrumental in establishing the complex dynamic between their characters.
Rhys also explored the psychological underpinnings of his character, reading books like The Journalist and the Murderer and The Psychopath Test. He noted the surprisingly thin line between sociopathy and psychopathy, suggesting that a degree of emotional detachment can be a key to success in certain fields. “Captains of industry, especially, tend to skirt a very thin line between socio and psycho,” he observed.
Despite pushing for an alternative ending – envisioning a Hannibal Lecter-esque detective duo with Danes – Rhys ultimately accepted the narrative’s dark conclusion. He even jokingly suggested a scene of Nile faking his own death on a gurney, a pitch that was ultimately rejected.
Looking ahead, Rhys playfully acknowledged his ongoing attempts to join the cast of Keri Russell’s series, The Diplomat. “I’m always badgering,” he said with a laugh. “I said I want to come in as Rufus’ brother, and Keri’s like, you don’t look anything like him. I was like, ‘OK, half-brother?’”
Reflecting on the show’s success, Rhys expressed his surprise and gratitude. He noted a significant increase in fan interactions, surpassing even the attention he received during his time on The Americans. Ultimately, he believes The Beast in Me demonstrates a continued appetite for character-driven storytelling. “There’s still, I think, a very healthy appetite for kind of old school storytelling,” he concluded. “You don’t really need gimmicks or big concepts. You just need people and their relationships.”
