Rhys Ifans takes a seat in a charity poker tournament organized by the Welsh children’s cancer charity Latch in Grosvenor Casino Swansea.
We doubt Rhys Ifans has ever taken a seat in Molly’s Game but the Welsh Hollywood star has some game after kindly agreeing to participate in a charity poker match this weekend.
The star of the box office hits Notting Hill, Harry Potter and The Amazing Spiderman joined organizers Jamie Lloyd and Barry Harrison to raise money for the children’s cancer charity Latch by playing in a charity poker tournament at the Grosvenor Casino in Swansea.
It’s the second time that the event has been held and last year they raised £3,378.76 for the children’s charity. Miss Lloyd, 24, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was just five years old and the charity supports the University Hospital of Wales—the only place of treatment for children suffering from leukemia and cancer in Wales.
“I have been in remission now for 15 years and I’m very grateful for the care I was given and to Latch for their help. I am on growth hormone injections for life and I have yearly checkups but I have been very lucky,” Lloyd told the South Wales Evening News.
Actor and producer Kevin Allen, who is friendly with Lloyd’s parents, invited Ifans to the game. Allen and Ifans worked together on the Hollywood star’s breakout movie Twin Town back in 1997.
The evening was also in honor of Sarah Jayne Harrison; a young girl who was being treated for cancer at the same time as Lloyd; she died following a bone marrow transplant in 1997, aged just 13.
There was lots of prizes and sporting memorabilia up for auction at the event. Osprey’s player Dan Biggar donated a Welsh tour jersey signed by the team; they had boxing gloves signed by Iron Mike Tyson and football boots by Swansea City players Chico Flores and Angel Rangel.
Ifans was taking a time out from filming the upcoming film version of the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas’s, stage play Under Milk Wood, where he stars alongside the Welsh singing sensation Charlotte Church. Former Labor Leader Neil Kinnock, and the former Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas also have cameo roles.
