Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend: Matthew Rhys Returns Again
Release Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Conan O’Brien (with Sona Movsesian, Matt Gourley, Adam Sachs)
Guest: Matthew Rhys
Episode Overview
In this raucous and lively episode, actor Matthew Rhys returns for his third appearance on Conan O’Brien’s podcast. The conversation is a wide-ranging, comedic, and heartfelt exploration of Welsh identity, Celtic insecurities, the burdens of acting, and showbiz mishaps. Rhys and Conan banter, roast each other, and dig into stories of culture, family, and imposter syndrome. Along the way, topics like contacts, Celtic eyes, one-man shows, and power players – in both relationships and New York City – fuel the laughter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Contact Lenses Calamities
[03:04 – 11:10]
- Conan details his traumatic first attempt at inserting contact lenses, turning a routine visit to the optometrist into comic disaster.
- Sona and Matt reminisce about their own contact lens horrors.
- Matthew dryly mocks Conan’s struggle, sarcastically elevating the "saga."
- Eduardo, a staff member, is revealed to use a plunger to remove his rigid lenses, which spurs classic Conan riffing.
Notable Quote:
- Conan (re: contact lenses & talent):
“It’s just too much talent. The eyes reject the talent so the eyes just start seeping... I don’t like to walk away from something, so I’m gonna double down on this.” (05:20)
2. Conan’s Man Crush, Boats, and Welsh Lore
[11:11 – 18:09]
- Conan professes a “man crush” on Rhys, stemming from his work in "The Americans" and their past podcast encounters.
- They bond over Rhys’s real-life boat obsession; Conan jokes about buying a miniature model of Rhys's boat, launching a fake celebrity Kickstarter.
- Conan and Rhys joyfully lampoon their own cultures—Irish and Welsh—trading jokes about hard-drinking Christmases, miserable Santas, and the historical enmity with the English.
Notable Quote:
- Matthew Rhys (mocking Welsh Christmas):
“Apparently there’s only one Welsh Santa because all the other Santas refused to do Wales... Give it to that drunken fool.” (17:42)
3. Language, Family, and Childhood in Wales
[14:00 – 18:09]
- Rhys discusses raising his son in Welsh and the fading use of complex words as the child grows up.
- Conan admires the “romantic” idea of a Welsh Christmas. Rhys bursts the bubble with a description of inebriated shouting and lost memories.
Notable Quote:
- Matthew Rhys:
“I spoke to him purely in Welsh from the moment he was born... as conversations get more evolved, he’ll just say, ‘Oh, just say it in mama’s language.’” (15:41)
4. Welsh, Irish, and Celtic Insecurities
[18:09 – 20:55; 26:11 – 42:54]
- Conan and Rhys riff on the Celtic oral storytelling tradition, self-deprecating family skepticism (“Who do you think you are?” syndrome), and the long memory of old colonial wounds.
- Rhys discusses prepping a one-man show as Richard Burton in Wales, detailing the terror of performing for a home crowd with deep personal connections to the subject.
- Deep dive into Welsh icons, the national burden of expectations, and the risk of not meeting personal “mythologies” of cultural heroes.
Notable Quotes:
- Rhys (on Welsh audience expectations):
“A lot of people... I saw your Dylan Thomas, I don’t think you got it right. And that can be someone driving a bus. Or my father. Which is ironic—because he does drive a bus.” (26:10) - Conan (on Irish homecoming):
“When I go back to Ireland... you know you’re asking for it. ‘Who the fuck do you think you are? 30 fucking big balls, look at him!’” (41:03)
5. Welsh and Irish Accents, Acting, and Imposter Syndrome
[18:09 – 20:54; 34:07 – 36:26; 38:09 – 40:56]
- Discussion of the uncanny ability of UK actors to do American accents (and not vice versa), aided by growing up watching U.S. TV.
- Conan and Rhys playfully commiserate over the “imposter syndrome” plaguing performers, with comic asides about Celtic guilt.
- Rhys shares advice for one-man shows: rehearse recoveries, not just lines.
- Conan jokes the key is: “If you can get out of the play, get out.”
Notable Quotes:
- Rhys:
“It fans the flame of your imposter syndrome. That’s all it does.” (34:10) - Rhys (on Celt insecurity):
“Who do you think you are? Syndrome—if it was an Olympic sport, we would podium every time.” (26:41)
6. The Power Broker, Robert Caro, and NYC Stories
[28:04 – 31:48]
- Conan reveals he’s a super-fan of historian Robert Caro; is thrilled that Rhys is attached to a possible adaptation of Caro's "The Power Broker" about Robert Moses.
- Rhys reveals the status: rights tangled, but Netflix is interested. He might play Moses.
- The two nerd out about Caro’s focus on power, politics, and the making (and breaking) of New York.
Notable Quote:
- Matthew Rhys:
“If you read [The Power Broker]… it lays Shakespeare to the sword. You cannot quite believe the ascent of that man.” (30:05)
7. “Celtic Eyes,” Plastic Surgeons, and the Mystique of Being Downtrodden
[32:01 – 36:53]
- Rhys recounts a dinner with a plastic surgeon who identified his “Celtic lids” and offered to “help him out.”
- Discussion of how centuries of hardship—and coal dust—may be responsible for a certain eyelid droopiness.
- Hilarity ensues as Rhys shares a Charlie Sheen anecdote about keeping your eyes open on camera (hint: it involves an ice cube and creative “application”).
Notable Quote:
- Matthew Rhys:
“Centuries of being downtrodden makes you go, Oh, I’m so sorry... And the coal dust, too.” (32:53)
8. Relationships, Chemistry Reads, and Meeting Keri Russell
[43:05 – 47:02]
- Conan marvels that Rhys and his partner, actress Keri Russell, had a “chemistry read” before being cast as a couple in “The Americans.”
- Rhys discusses the awkwardness of “chemistry reads”—where you have to feign relationship spark in front of casting execs.
- He vividly remembers Russell slapping him, a surprise that apparently won him the part.
- They reveal they’d actually met 15 years earlier at a debauched Jennifer Grey kickball party but fate took its time.
Notable Quotes:
- Matthew Rhys:
“She had to slap me in our chemistry read. The director said ‘we cast you because you took that slap so well.’ I had no idea it was coming.” (45:08) - Conan (on spousal “chemistry reads”):
“If my wife and I had a chemistry read, I wouldn’t have children right now.” (43:53)
9. The Beast In Me (New Netflix Series)
[47:40 – 51:36]
- Conan recounts his tangential involvement in the long development saga of “The Beast in Me.”
- Jodie Foster and Conan both loved the script years ago, but it languished for years until finally coming to fruition with Claire Danes and Rhys.
- Rhys describes it as an “old-fashioned thriller”—“a cat and mouse game”—praising the story’s tension and the team behind it.
Notable Quote:
- Matthew Rhys:
“You have two people who are basically intrigued with each other and therefore begins a very gripping and thrilling cat and mouse game. It’s old-fashioned thriller tension.” (50:27)
10. The Myth of the A-List & Modern Fame
[51:36 – 53:51]
- Conan and Rhys poke fun at “A-list” status, naming fictional stars and joking that the label’s meaning is vanishing in an era of fragmented entertainment.
- Conan laments:
“These days, I watch all the Academy-nominated movies on my phone… sometimes I think that’s still too big, so I crack the phone in half and watch with one eye.” (53:37)
11. Classic Banter, Running Gags, and Friend Chemistry
Throughout:
- The episode is marked by wild Welsh–Irish energy, relentless teasing, and comic interruptions.
- Running gags: shouting about tinnitus, sticking ice up your ass (per “pulling a Sheen”), and dreams of renting a cabin just to yell at each other.
- Sona, Matt, and Adam support with playful comments, usually at Conan’s expense.
- Conan ends by showering Rhys with praise and playful ego.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Celtic Eyes & Acting
- Rhys:
“I was called King of Downtrodden Tragedy… That’s my resting face. I’m not acting. That is what my face looks like.” [33:32]
On Welsh Christmas Tradition
- Rhys:
“If you’re given coal in Wales, kids are overjoyed. They’re like, ‘Oh look what I got! Shove that up your assholes, England.’” [18:04]
On Fame
- Rhys:
“Who do you think you are? Syndrome—if it was an Olympic sport, we would podium every time.” [26:41]
On Relationships
- Rhys:
“Prawn is what she calls me… shellfish to the nth degree.” [43:17]
Important Timestamps
- 03:04 – Contact Lens Fiasco
- 11:11 – Conan’s “Man Crush” confession
- 14:00 – The centrality of Wales & language in Rhys’s life
- 17:20 – Christmas in Wales, drunken Santa
- 26:10 – Acting for the home crowd & “Who do you think you are?” syndrome
- 28:04 – The Power Broker adaptation
- 32:01 – What are Celtic eyes?
- 34:07 – Imposter syndrome & “downtrodden” faces
- 43:05 – Chemistry read with Keri Russell
- 47:51 – “The Beast in Me” development & casting
- 51:36 – Comedy about A-lists and the meaninglessness of “star” ranking
Tone & Style
- The episode is relentlessly playful, filled with biting wit, affectionate insults, and insider industry anecdotes.
- Conan and Rhys riff with the comfortable chaos of true comic chemistry, taking detours into history, pop culture, and self-deprecating laments about their respective Celtic upbringings.
- Beneath the jokes, there are honest, heartfelt moments about the challenges of maintaining culture, the risk of returning home as a performer, and the perennial struggle with self-doubt, all imbued with warmth and humor.
Conclusion
This episode is a showcase of Matthew Rhys’s sharp wit and Conan’s unmatched ability to draw out both pathos and hilarity from a guest. As they navigate topics from eye “jelly” to the myth of the A-list, the conversation emerges as a rollicking celebration of storytelling, cultural baggage, and—crucially—true camaraderie. For both long-time fans and newcomers, it’s a perfect example of why “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” remains a destination for thoughtful, laugh-out-loud podcasting.
Episode Length: ~68 minutes (main content: 03:00–57:59; behind-the-scenes discussion: 60:01–66:47)
End of Summary