Welsh actor Owain Rhys Davies, best known for his appearances in TV series “The OA” and “Twin Peaks: The Return,” has died, his family announced Sunday.
Davies’ brother Rhodri Davies and their father Conway Davies said in an Instagram tribute that “there are still questions that remain unanswered” regarding the actor’s death, but that the family understands he “passed suddenly, naturally, and peacefully.” Owain Rhys Davies was 44.
“The reach of Owain’s love, friendship, and generosity was vast,” his family wrote on Instagram. The tribute also honored the actor’s community of friends, colleagues and loved ones and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support.
The statement continued: “I am incredibly proud that, while he was my brother, he was also a brother to so many others. We know that this loss will be felt by a great many people, and we take comfort in knowing how loved he was.”
Davies’ screen career began in the early 2000s and most notably includes roles in the 2016 film “Alice Through the Looking Glass” starring Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp, Showtime’s “Twin Peaks: The Return” and Netflix’s “The OA.” In “Twin Peaks: The Return,” Showtime’s revival of the classic David Lynch series, Davies appeared in three episodes as FBI Agent Wilson.
In 2017, Davies called his experience on “Twin Peaks” “a wondrously beautiful thrill ride” and wrote about his time working with “legend” filmmaker Lynch. “If you ever need to call on me you know what to do….WILSON!!!!,” he captioned his photo with Lynch. When Lynch died several years later, Davies wrote in a January 2025 post that the director “was a visionary like no other who welcomed me into the fold.”
The Cardiff-born actor was also a versatile theater actor who appeared in West End productions of “Mamma Mia!” and “The Wizard of Oz,” according to his website. His theater credits also include productions of “The Lion King,” “Something Rotten!,” “Grease” and “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.” In 2024, he led the raunchy musical “Grindr Help Desk,” starring as a drag queen named Candice. His recent credits also include the film “La Fantasia” and the play “The Opera Singer,” both written by collaborator Janna Ramos-Violante.
The actor’s brother on Sunday asked social media followers for privacy and said the family will continue to “share further information in due course” as they begin funeral arrangements.
