Hollywood actor to join Welsh soap after learning language

A Hollywood actor is to join the cast of Welsh soap Pobl y Cwm after learning the language.

Hans Obma has worked on several well-known series including Better Call Saul, The Vampire Diaries, and Criminal Minds, but his most recent venture is across the pond in the fictional village of Cwmderi, based in south-west Wales.

Inspired by his Welsh grandmother, Obma, from Wisconsin, USA, says Wales has become his "second home" while filming for the 51-year-old S4C soap.

"It's been quite a journey," said Obma, adding his grandmother was "such a cherished person" and because of that, Wales and the Welsh language has always been meaningful to him.

His grandmother was originally from Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent, said Obma but never spoke Welsh herself, and moved to the US after World War Two.

"I had the honour of visiting Wales with her some years ago and her Welsh accent came straight back to her," he said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, he added: "For me, the fact of learning a language and then using a language is exhilarating, there is nothing I've enjoyed as much as this."

"I need to be on the top of my game acting in Welsh," he added.

Obma couldn't reveal too much about his character in the series, but said he played an American, so retains his accent, but the show is 97% in Welsh.

Pobol y Cwm, which translates into English as People of the Valley, is the BBC's oldest television soap, having first broadcast on BBC Wales on 16 October 1974.

It moved to the Welsh-language channel S4C in 1982, where it currently airs three times a week.

A number of well-known actors and actresses have appeared on the show over the years, including Ioan Gruffudd, Iwan Rheon, Michael Sheen and Alexandra Roach.

The star said he watched Pobol y Cwm, Rownd a Rownd and Newyddion S4C to help him while learning Welsh, so "coming to set after watching these people for years was a strange experience".

"I believe the news and soap operas are such a good tool for people who want to want to learn a language."

Recognised for his role in the American supernatural series The Vampire Diaries, Obma also played the role of construction worker Adrian in the fourth and fifth seasons of Netflix's Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul.

"I find that through learning a language I have immediate, unique relationships with people," he added.

Obma, who has aunties and cousins living in Cardiff, now splits his time between Wales and Wisconsin, and named Pembrokeshire and the Llŷn Peninsula, Gwynedd, as some of his favourite spots.

The actor said he will be back in Wales for the Eisteddfod in August, and has been to the Welsh language cultural festival three times already.

"Wisconsin is home but this is going to become a great second home," said Obma.

"I'm enjoying this so much that I absolutely am here to continue to work in the Welsh language, so accordingly I hope people like what I do and I hope they receive the character well."