You've probably seen him in one film or another, but just don't know his name. Hopefully the name of Ioan Gruffudd will soon become a household name....just as soon as people can figure out how to pronounce it, that is. It's pronounced YO-an GRIFF-ith, by the way.

I first saw Ioan in 'King Arthur', smack dab next to my other future ex-hubby Clive Owen. I just about fell off the couch wondering who this grime covered hot piece in chain mail was. He played Lancelot to Owen's King Arthur, and he was fantastic, and incredibly sexy.

Speaking of fantastic, I next saw him in the 'Fantastic Four' as the rubber guy. He really knows how to fill out a tight, rubber jumpsuit.

His other Hollywood type films were '102 Dalmatians', and minor parts in 'Black Hawk Down' and 'Titanic'.

Gruffudd is a serious actor however, and most of his credits seem to be period pieces from the other side of the pond. He was Horatio Hornblower in the series of the same name, and played Pip in Brit TV's 'Great Expectations'.

Welsh star Ioan Gruffudd has hit out at British actors who scoff at the idea of earning their living in Hollywood. The star, who lives in Los Angeles, claims his U.K. counterparts are often far too cynical about the America industry and has called on them to live the dream.

He says, "I would say to all other British actors: 'Please don't tell me that you haven't once stood in front of the mirror and quoted Scarface or The Godfather, or made your Oscar speech!' The only different with me is that I admitted it. I said I wanted it, and I broke the taboo."

Next up, Ioan will be back in the rubber jumpsuit for 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'.

Labels: Clive Owen, Fantastic Four, Ioan Gruffudd, King Arthur