'You were never in any doubt that Burton was from Wales - that was trailblazing'

HE'S best known for the uncompromisingly deadpan Dave Coaches in Gavin & Stacey, but Steffan Rhodri has so much more under his belt as an actor.

- KATHRYN WILLIAMS

In the past year, we've seen the Swansea-born star return as Dave, teach a rugby legend to speak Welsh on S4C’s Iaith ar Daith and gone back in time to portray Richard Burton's father for feature film Mr Burton.

The latter, a feature film funded by BBC Cymru Wales, tells the true story of the relationship between Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins.

Mr Burton – aired this week, the centenary of Richard Burton’s birth – follows the less-than-auspicious start of the actor who was to become one of Wales’ most famous exports.

The story tells how Burton, played by Harry Lawtey, was moulded by schoolmaster Philip Burton into the Hollywood star of Cleopatra, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and twice husband of Elizabeth Taylor.

Sometimes described as Wales’ most prolific working actor, Rhodri, 58, says he was acutely aware of the Burton legacy and also the responsibilty of playing the actor’s father, Richard Jenkins, an Afan Valley miner who lost his wife when Burton was just two.

A tough character, Richard Jenkins represents the complete opposite of Philip Burton, the man who becomes the legal guardian of the budding star.

“He's not really there as a father, he’s not very present,” said Rhodri.

“But in reading bits of Richard Burton’s biographies, and hearing other stories, like I always do, really, whoever the character is, I always try and find some compassion and humanity.

“And he clearly, like Richard Burton, had a drink problem and was addicted to drink, and also he’d lost his wife and then had all his children [to look after].