‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Star Matthew Rhys Talks Playing ‘Misunderstood’ Character in Max Series (Exclusive)

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is currently streaming on Max and is a prequel to the films Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. The story is set in China during the 1920s and features a dangerous villain named Riley Greene. PopCulture.com spoke exclusively to Matthew Rhys who voices Riley, and he revealed one word to describe his character. 

“Misunderstood,” Rhys exclusively told PopCulture. “I think most villains are just misunderstood. Believe me, to begin with, it’s always my favorite to play the kind of, I never class villains as villainous. I’m just thinking that I’m misunderstood. And also to work in animation is such a, to me personally, it’s such a joy because you’re kind of unleashed. You’re allowed to be as big and as brash and as wild as you want to be kind of orally because they’re going to be in charge of everything else.”

In the series, Riley wants to get Gizmo (A.J. Locascio) the Mogwai who appears in both Gremlin films. Riley is very powerful and wants Gizmo so he can be stronger. But Gizmo is looking to get back home with the help of Sam Wing (Izaac Wang), who is known as Mr. Wing in the Gremlins movies. The two embark on a dangerous journey through China with Riley on their tails. 

“This one was, I just let my freak flag fly,” Rhys revealed. “It was, yeah, like I said, I just felt like I was allowed to be as big and as crazy as I wanted to be because everything else, they would be handing the visuals. And when I saw that kick, that image, it just kind of everything aligned. And I just went, oh, I know exactly how I want to play this guy. And the great flip side is the fun you have doing that.”

Rhys enjoys voicing characters, especially those who are villains. But for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, landing the role of Riley was special for Rhys because of the franchise’s history. “When I was 10 years old, I was taken to the cinema by my parents,” Rhys said. “Well, I think they were wildly viciously misguided in the fact that they thought they were taking me to a children’s film, and it was one of the more visceral, cinematic experiences of my life that has stayed with me. So, when they said, we’re going to make a family viewing animated series of Gremlins and we’d like you to play the villain and I was like, ‘Oh, boy.’  And at that point, having watched a film where I’d never seen a film like it whereby this rollercoaster of real horror and comedy is kind of balanced and juggled and intertwined so definitely where you’re kind of going, I don’t know whether I’m supposed to be horrified or and scared beyond out of my wits or whether I’m supposed to be laughing or both.”

New episodes of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai premiere every Tuesday on Max.