Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) hosted a special guest in the Titus Lecture Hall on September 5 when actor John Rhys-Davies joined students, alumni, other members of the PBA community and guests for a morning of stories, laughter and conversation.
Davies, who is best known for his roles in movies such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and, “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was visiting PBA for the second time. In March, Davies greeted students in the Warren Library, where he also answered questions. This time around, the actor sat down for a question-and-answer session with Laura Bishop, executive vice president of development, who is a friend of Davies, which made the interaction lighthearted and fun.
Bishop began by asking Davies about his childhood. He spoke warmly about his parents and their humble beginnings. His mother, the daughter of a coal miner, was sent to work as a maid when she was only eight years old.
Davies recalled being sent to boarding school as a young boy, and it was there, at age 11, that he saw his first play, “Oedipus Rex.” He was captivated by the experience and decided then that he wanted to become a dramatist.
That decision eventually led him to an acting career that has run decades and included some memorable characters. But Davies was quick to point out that making it an actor involves more than talent and hard work.
“In acting, more than any other job, luck plays a huge part,” he said.
It thrilled 2025 PBA Alumna, Rebecca Nacy to hear Davies reference classical writings as influences on his decision to get into acting.
“As a graduate of the Honors program here, I read Aristotle and Plato, so I was glad to here him reference their writings and even apply their thoughts to modern dilemmas,” she said.
AI and Threats to the Arts
Of course, no conversation about the future of acting would be complete without talking about artificial intelligence. Davies expressed concern about what AI could mean for young actors and other creative professionals.
“AI is making human hands and human brains less [economically] valuable,” he said. “Theatre will survive but not in the same ways it has in the past.”
Even with those concerns, Davies continued to emphasize the importance of storytelling and the unique role people play in creating and sharing stories.
And he didn’t just talk about his past roles; he brought them to life. Much to the delight of the audience, Davies broke into monologues from some of his best-known characters, including Gimli and a role from “The Princess Diaries.”
Davies Faith Based Films
Faith was another important part of the conversation. Davies has appeared in several faith-based films, including “I Am Patrick” and “One Night with the King.” He spoke about his belief that creation points to a Creator and reflected on the influence of Christianity on Western culture.
“The debt we owe to early Christianity is extraordinary,” he said. He talked about Christianity’s influence on areas such as art, freedom and government and shared his appreciation for America, describing her as the ‘last great hope of mankind’ when it came to nations, and marveled at her contribution even in her relatively young age of 250.
For Isabella Vieillard, a senior psychology major who attended the event, Davies’ comments about AI and the future particularly stood out.
“I thought he was really well spoken, and I appreciated his perspective and concern on the future of AI and the work outlook for this generation, but also his encouragement,” she said.
Even after the 1.5-hour event concluded, Davies made time to shake hands with and take a photo with each guest who wanted one, showing his passion for giving back to the next generation.
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