Michael Sheen shares dad's poingnant final words about Welsh town

North Wales Live

5 hours ago

Michael Sheen has opened up about the touching last words his father spoke concerning the Welsh town he called home.
Michael, 56, was born in Newport and moved to England at the age of five. Wales beckoned however and the family settled down in Baglan, Port Talbot, three years later.
Despite Sheen's ascent to Hollywood fame, his parents, Irene and Meyrick, remained living in the house where Sheen grew up. It meant the actor, famed for playing figures such as Tony Blair, Brian Clough, and David Frost, would regularly return to Port Talbot to see his parents.
Previously, Michael said: "As soon as I see the steelworks, there is no feeling like it for me. I get emotional coming back to this town."
Tragedy struck when Meyrick, after a prolonged struggle with Alzheimer's disease, passed away last year, leaving Sheen, alongside his mother Irene and sister Joanne at Meyrick's bedside during his final moments. Given the chance to reflect on their last exchange, Sheen chose to convey a simple yet profound message to his father, telling him "I love you" before his passing.
Following Meyrick's death, who was known for his work both as a respected steelworker and as an impersonator of Jack Nicholson, heartfelt tributes flooded in. A mural dedicated to Meyrick now stands in Port Talbot, accompanying one of Sheen himself—a tribute the acclaimed actor of 'Good Omens' fame described as "amazing", reports Wales Online.
Meyrick held a deep affection for his local area, dedicating years to community involvement in Port Talbot, which notably was on his mind during his final conversation with his son.
In an interview with The Times, Michael shared: "But the last thing he said to me was about Port Talbot. By the end, he was confusing and conflating things, but the spirit was clear."
Michael recounted: "I was telling him about the possibility of a project in town and he wasn't able to say very much, but the last thing he said to me wasn't about acting. He was so passionate about his community, where he grew up and lived all his life, so communicating that to me was the most important thing to him at the end."
He added, reflecting on the significance of his father's last words: "It was very telling. He just said, 'Get it done, Michael. Get it done.'".
In talks with WalesOnline, Michael, celebrated for his roles in Frost/Nixon, The Damned United, and The Deal, expressed his profound connection to his Welsh heritage: "My Welsh roots are everything, it's where I come from, the people I come from, the land I come from. In my own lifetime it's made me who I am."
Michael, also a family man, shares daughter Lily, 26, with Kate Beckinsale, and has two younger children, Lyra, five, and Mabli, three, with his current partner, actress Anna Lundberg, aged 30.
He believes that the Meyrick mural will serve as a lasting tribute for his children to remember their grandfather and for Irene, Meyrick's partner of nearly seven decades, whom he met when she was just 14 years old.