Michael Sheen mocked for hitting out at non-Welsh actors doing Welsh roles trends now

Michael Sheen mocked for hitting out at non-Welsh actors doing Welsh roles trends now
Michael Sheen mocked for hitting out at non-Welsh actors doing Welsh roles trends now

Michael Sheen mocked for hitting out at non-Welsh actors doing Welsh roles trends now

Michael Sheen has been mocked after he revealed he finds it 'very hard to accept' when Welsh characters are not played by Welsh actors - despite himself playing a series of non-Welsh roles.

The outspoken Welsh actor, 54, also blasted the 'ridiculous' title of the Prince of Wales, saying he sees 'no reason' why the 'silly' title should be used in the modern age, and 'certainly not with someone who's not Welsh'. 

But the Staged star has been mocked for his record of playing a series of non-Welsh roles - famously including Scottish former Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen and Middlesbrough footballer Brian Clough in The Damned United.

One - called Rob - laughed: 'Wait wait wait... you're telling me Brian Clough and Tony Blair ... were Welsh?!'

Another, called Lisa, joked: 'Michael Sheen played a vampire and I'm pretty sure he's not from Transylvania.'

Michael Sheen, (pictured December 15, 2019 in New York) has once again hit out at Prince William's title of the Prince of Wales

Michael Sheen, (pictured December 15, 2019 in New York) has once again hit out at Prince William's title of the Prince of Wales

But the Staged star has been mocked for his record of playing a series of non-Welsh roles - famously including Scottish former Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen

But the Staged star has been mocked for his record of playing a series of non-Welsh roles - famously including Scottish former Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen

He also won acclaim for playing Middlesbrough footballer and manager Brian Clough in The Damned United

He also won acclaim for playing Middlesbrough footballer and manager Brian Clough in The Damned United

Michael Sheen as television interviewer David Frost - from Kent - in the 2008 film Frost / Nixon

Michael Sheen as television interviewer David Frost - from Kent - in the 2008 film Frost / Nixon

And a third, called Christopher, added: 'I look forward to him playing nothing but Welsh roles, which I am sure he will be very good at.' 

Sheen - who further blasted 'posh' stars cast in working-class roles - is known for being a proud Welshman, and recently featured in a clip calling for the Brecon Beacons National Park to be renamed in the Welsh Bannau Brycheiniog.

In an interview with The Daily TelegraphSheen claimed: 'Seeing people playing Welsh characters who are not Welsh, I find, it's very hard for me to accept that.

'Not particularly on a point of principle, but just knowing that that's not the case.' 

But even fans of the outspoken actor struggled to support his claims.

One said: 'I'm a fan of Michael Sheen, but, by his logic, he should lose all the roles he has playing Englishmen.'

Another commentor added: 'And the Americans must feel the same, when Michael Sheen has played an American multiple times.'

And a third - Derek Bell - joked: 'Michael Sheen seems to have misunderstood the concept of acting.'

Pictured: Sheen as Brian Clough in The Damned United, 2009

Pictured: Sheen as Brian Clough in The Damned United, 2009

Pictured: Sheen as Tony Blair alongside Alex Jennings as King Charles, then Prince of Wales, in The Queen

Pictured: Sheen as Tony Blair alongside Alex Jennings as King Charles, then Prince of Wales, in The Queen

Sheen defended his claims by saying as a white man he would not expect to be cast as Othello, a role typically played by black actors in Shakespeare's 1603 play. pictured: As Frost in Frost / Nixon

Sheen defended his claims by saying as a white man he would not expect to be cast as Othello, a role typically played by black actors in Shakespeare's 1603 play. pictured: As Frost in Frost / Nixon 

He said it would be 'sad' if non-disabled actors were not allowed to play Richard III, who had radial dysplasia. Pictured: As Blair in The Queen

He said it would be 'sad' if non-disabled actors were not allowed to play Richard III, who had radial dysplasia. Pictured: As Blair in The Queen

Sheen defended his claims by saying as a white man he would not expect to be cast as Othello, a role typically played by black actors in Shakespeare's 1603 play. 

He said it would be 'sad' if non-disabled actors were not allowed to play Richard III, who had radial dysplasia.

Sheen also criticised casting 'posh' actors in working-class roles, saying: 'Personally, I haven't seen many actors who have come from quite privileged backgrounds being particularly compelling as people from working-class backgrounds.'

The father-of-two said, however, that he would draw the line at casting only real-life murderers to play killers on-screen. 

He said: 'The extreme example is, well, if you haven't murdered someone, can you play a murderer?'

The outspoken actor, who has children with 28-year-old Swedish actress Anna Lundberg and a daughter with Kate Beckinsale, is full of controversial opinions.

He took a series of swipes at Prince William after the royal met the England team and presented them with shirts for the World Cup in Qatar instead of the Welsh team. 

The star said it was 'inappropriate' for William to give them England shirts given his title is the Prince of Wales.

Sheen took a series of swipes at Prince William after the prince met the England team and presented them with shirts for the World Cup in Qatar

Sheen took a series of swipes at Prince William after the prince met the England team and presented them with shirts for

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