Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

Matthew Rhys Returns Again

December 1, 2025

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  • Matthew Rhys is preparing to perform a one-man show about Richard Burton in Wales, marking his return to the Welsh stage after 22 years, which he fears due to the audience's personal connection to Welsh icons. 
  • Conan O'Brien is struggling with inserting contact lenses, leading to a discussion about eye issues and a humorous suggestion to 'pull a Sheen' (inserting an ice cube rectally) to stay awake during takes. 
  • Conan and Matthew Rhys discussed the development of the Netflix series *The Beast in Me*, noting that Conan's early involvement with the script years ago did not immediately lead to production. 
  • The concept of an "A-list actor" is increasingly irrelevant due to the fractured nature of modern media consumption, where viewing habits have moved from grand movie palaces to small personal screens. 
  • The success of the podcast's video content on YouTube, which draws about half its views from non-subscribers, demonstrates that the platform's algorithm is effectively growing the legacy podcast audience. 
  • Conan O'Brien's current podcasting venture is ironically evolving into a full-fledged, multi-platform 'show' with audience suggestions, despite his initial desire to leave the structure of late-night television behind. 

Segments

Matthew Rhys’s Shame
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(00:01:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Matthew Rhys jokingly expresses shame about being Conan O’Brien’s friend upon his return to the podcast.
  • Summary: Matthew Rhys opens his appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend by stating he feels ashamed to be Conan’s friend. Conan reacts with mock delight at this ‘honest answer.’ This sets a humorous, self-deprecating tone for the reunion.
Conan’s Eye Saga Follow-up
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(00:02:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Conan provided an update on his ongoing eye issue, which involved a lengthy visit to the optometrist where he attempted to learn to use contact lenses.
  • Summary: Conan updates listeners on the ‘ongoing saga’ of his eye, which required a visit to the optometrist where he spent hours doing bits in the waiting room. He attempted to insert contact lenses but struggled due to fluttery eyelids, resulting in very red eyes. He was advised to rest his eyes for a couple of days.
Contact Lens Struggles Comparison
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(00:06:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Both Conan and Sona experienced difficulty with contact lenses, with Sona’s optometrist noting he had ‘abnormally strong eyelids.’
  • Summary: Sona shares his past negative experience with contacts, noting his optometrist diagnosed him with abnormally strong eyelids, a trait Conan also seems to possess. Conan mentions he is planning a Zoom consultation with David Hopping’s mother, who teaches people how to insert and remove contacts.
Sona’s Extreme Contact Lens Use
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(00:08:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Sona uses rigid gas permeable lenses that require a small plunger tool for removal, contrasting sharply with Conan’s difficulty with standard soft lenses.
  • Summary: Sona reveals he wears rigid gas permeable lenses, which require a small plunger tool for removal, leading Conan to mockingly call Sona and others ‘wusses’ for struggling with soft lenses. Conan expresses a desire to conquer his contact lens challenge, citing his commitment to comedy.
Wales, Language, and Christmas Traditions
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(00:13:35)
  • Key Takeaway: The Welsh language is structurally distinct from Irish, being more similar to Breton, and Welsh Christmas traditions involve an alcoholic Santa Claus who is often given coal, which children appreciate for warmth.
  • Summary: Matthew Rhys explains that Welsh is a Celtic language more related to Breton than Irish, though both share difficult guttural sounds. He is teaching his son Welsh, but the child prefers English for complex conversations. Rhys also describes Welsh Christmas as involving excessive drinking and a local Santa who is a ‘raging’ alcoholic, making coal a welcome gift.
Imposter Syndrome and Iconic Roles
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(00:18:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Matthew Rhys attributes his ability to perform an American accent to growing up watching extensive American television, unlike his British peers who played British roles like Downton Abbey.
  • Summary: Rhys suggests that British actors master American accents due to consuming vast amounts of US television, contrasting this with his childhood experience playing only British archetypes like Scrooge. He discusses the intense personal relationship Welsh audiences have with their national icons like Richard Burton, fueling his imposter syndrome about playing Burton.
Richard Burton One-Man Show Fears
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(00:24:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Rhys’s greatest fear for his Richard Burton one-man show is forgetting lines, leading him to devise a strategy where he incorporates a bad cold into the performance as a cover for potential memory lapses.
  • Summary: Rhys is returning to the Welsh stage after 22 years to perform a one-man show about Richard Burton, fearing the audience’s personal judgment of his portrayal. He plans to use a pre-written ‘bad cold’ as a theatrical device to mask any forgotten lines, turning a potential failure into a performance choice.
The Power Broker Adaptation
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(00:27:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Matthew Rhys is involved in an ongoing effort to acquire the rights to adapt Robert Caro’s biography The Power Broker into a series, with the goal of playing Robert Moses.
  • Summary: Rhys confirms he is part of a group trying to secure the rights to The Power Broker from publishers, as Robert Caro is willing to sell. He hopes to play Robert Moses, the man who wielded immense, czar-like power in shaping New York City, mirroring Caro’s study of power accumulation.
Chemistry Reads and Keri Russell
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(00:42:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell had a chemistry read for The Americans where Rhys was slapped, which the director cited as a reason for casting him because he ’took that slap so well.'
  • Summary: Rhys recounts that he and Keri Russell had a chemistry read for The Americans 16 years before they started dating, during which she slapped him, and he was praised for how well he took the unexpected physical contact. Conan contrasts this by saying he never had a chemistry read with his wife, fearing it would have ended their relationship.