Brothers and Sisters actor Matthew
Rhys is patron of the Iris Prize Festival, a Welsh festival celebrating
gay and lesbian film and says he is proud that his character on the show
goes against stereotypes.
"Berwyn Rowlands (festival director) approached me about it because he
thought my profile as Kevin and the fact I'm Welsh were the perfect
combination for me to help," the 32-year-old actor tells
Western Mail's Karen Price.
"I would advocate anything that nurtures film-makers. It's great that
they are making films that are relevant to them."
Rhys has won praise for the non-stereotypical way he is portraying his
Brothers and Sisters character Kevin.
"I had a long chat with the creator and one of the writers. They said,
'Don't go off and research gay people.' He's just a guy who happens to
be gay. He's not governed by his sexuality. He has none of the cliched
feminine traits. He's a regular guy."
The Welsh actor says he receives many letters from gay men, particularly
from Small Town USA, saying that watching his character on the show has
helped them in their situations.
Fans often come up to him to ask him if he's gay in real life. "I
occasionally get women coming up to me and asking if I'm really gay,
whereas men just assume I am," he says.
The Iris Prize Festival, which opens on October 4, will include feature
films and screenings of the 30 short films which have been selected to
compete for the Iris Prize.
Check out this video of Kevin & Jason making out on the show:
The Hunk
