'Clayface' Director Explains Why Tom Rhys Harries Was Cast as Matt Hagen | Just Jared - Celebrity News and Gossip
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Tom Rhys Harries will be getting his biggest role to-date with the title role in DC Comics’ new movie Clayface.
The 33-year-old Welsh actor is currently promoting the movie at 2026 San Diego Comic-Con, where he participated in a panel discussion on Thursday (July 23) in San Diego, Calif.
Tom was joined at the event by Clayface director James Watkins and DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee.
Why Tom Rhys Harries got the role
During the press day, Watkins explained why he hired the actor.
“We met everybody, and Tom came in and I just thought he just felt right, and then I spent about four or five times auditioning him,” he told People. “We met, we had a great chat. We talked about the character, we talked about stuff and felt like we were seeing it the same way. The nature of these things is high stakes, so I think we did two, three reads and then we did chemistry reads and it was just trying to explore.”
Watkins added, “We had a very nice chat after we got the news.”
What is Clayface about?
Read Warner Bros’ official synopsis below!
Matt Hagen’s meteoric rise from Gotham street kid to Hollywood leading man is tragically cut short when a local crime boss’s actions leave him horribly disfigured. Abandoned by his team and with nothing left, Matt seeks out a cutting edge treatment that miraculously returns him to his former self… but also unexpectedly affects his grip on reality, spiraling him down a destructive path of all-consuming revenge.
Here’s some Clayface back story from the comics
Clayface has been portrayed by several characters in DC Comics, with Basil Karlo and Matt Hagen among the most well-known versions. Basil Karlo was a former Gotham actor whose career collapse fueled his obsession with fame, eventually leading him to become a shapeshifting criminal who could impersonate anyone. Matt Hagen took on another version of Clayface. He was largely depicted as a treasure hunter who gained the ability to transform his body after being exposed to a mysterious substance. Both versions use their shapeshifting abilities to challenge Batman, while also being portrayed as characters struggling with their identities and circumstances.
It looks like Tom will definitely be playing the Matt Hagen version in the 2026 film. EW is reporting it will be rated R.
The film hits theaters on October 23.
Watch the trailer…
See more Comic-Con photos below!
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