Ioan Gruffudd ‘sought therapy’ over Fantastic Four disappointments: ‘I assumed that would be a calling card’

Welsh actor played Reed Richards in the 2005 film and its 2007 sequel, before finding success in TV

Ioan Gruffudd has revealed that he sought therapy after losing his confidence in the wake of Fantastic Four.

Gruffudd, who stars in the second series of ITV thriller Liar, played Reed Richards in the original Fantastic Four movies, alongside Chris Evans, Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis.

He has now said that he failed to capitalise on the Marvel adaptations at the time, and began seeing a therapist when additional work didn’t materialise in its wake.

“I sort of assumed that [Fantastic Four] would be a calling card,” Gruffudd told The Guardian. “When you’re not working, in Hollywood, you get presented every week with a new poster going up and you know where you are in the pecking order.”

He denied feeling envious of other actors as a result.

“I’ve managed to not suppress that, but to be aware of it and not take any heed of it, because you can’t compete with another actor as far as I’m concerned,” he explained. “The decision that is taken is not in his hands or my hands.”

It was an intervention from his wife, the actor Alice Evans, which made him realise he needed to make a change, Gruffudd said. A new manager was drafted in, and immediately began finding Gruffudd work again.

“‘Give me five months, I’m going to put this back on track’,” Gruffudd recalled her saying. “And she did.”

Gruffudd stars alongside Joanne Froggatt in the ITV suspense thriller Liar, which returns this week three years after the first series became a watercooler smash.