New heatwave TV thriller resonates in today's world, says Iwan Rheon
New heatwave TV thriller resonates in today's world, says Iwan Rheon
Nicholas Bourne - BBC Wales Sun, July 26, 2026 at 3:48 PM UTC
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Iwan Rheon and Ruth Madeley are portraying characters coping in a heatwave in new BBC thriller series The Rapture
New psychological thriller The Rapture may have been set in a heatwave, but it certainly wasn't hot when actor Iwan Rheon was filming on location in south Wales last autumn.
Rheon said make-up artists used heavy moisturiser to portray characters sweating - with the actual weather conditions "changeable" at best - as they filmed the BBC portrayal of Liz Jensen's bestselling novel.
"Over the last week or so it would have been the perfect time to film it," said the Game of Thrones star.
"I think this one really hits home. We are seeing the world heat up so, yeah, it really resonates in today's world," he told Lucy Owen on BBC Radio Wales.
The weather in Wales was "changeable" at best when they filmed the drama, which is set in a heatwave, says Rheon
"They had to make us look oily and sweaty. It wasn't my sexiest role," Rheon joked.
The Rapture sees forensic psychologist Dr Gabriele Fox (Ruth Madeley) meet 17-year-old Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio).
Bethany been convicted of murdering her mother but claims she is innocent, has psychic powers and can predict the future.
The drama also includes a host of other stars including Gavin and Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones.
It is one of three new productions that Rheon, who grew up in Cardiff, has been filming in Wales.
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Ruth Jones plays Mel in the gritty drama
"It's lovely to be back home... because you get to see family," he said.
"I feel really lucky and, hopefully, I get to do a lot more."
Rheon said Wales had long been known for its "innate" ability to produce great actors - although he didn't name any names, adding that the creative industry in Wales had "great infrastructure now, fantastic crews".
The Rapture has been made for BBC iPlayer and BBC One by Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, and received support from the Welsh government via Creative Wales.
Rheon has also shared the screen with Michael Sheen in the upcoming British si-fi comedy film Out There, about a teenage girl in a small Welsh seaside town in 1999 who becomes convinced her father has been abducted by aliens, with filming in Ceredigion.
He also has a role in a movie called the Mountain, being filmed on Anglesey, about a neglected young boy in 1980s Wales searching for friendship and community when he meets someone living in isolation.
It is directed by Celyn Jones, who also directed Madfabulous about the Marquess of Anglesey, an eccentric 19th Century Welsh aristocrat.
Other cast members in Mountain include Scottish actor Peter Mullan and Rebecca Lucy Taylor, otherwise known as singer Self Esteem.
All episodes of The Rapture are now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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