A PENARTH-raised actor is starring in a film with former Doctor Who Matt Smith.

Morfydd Clark, born in Sweden but raised Welsh-speaking in Penarth, stars alongside Smith in Starve Acre.

Described as a “meditation on grief that roots itself in contemporary folk horror”, the film is one of the features to be celebrated at the upcoming 67th BFI (British Film Institute) London Film Festival 2023.

Starve Acre: ‘An instant classic of contemporary folk horror’

In 1970s rural England, the seemingly idyllic family life of Richard (Smith) and Juliette (Clark) is thrown into turmoil when their son Ewan starts acting out of character, creating an insurmountable wedge between the couple.

At Starve Acre, their remote family home, archaeologist Richard buries himself in exploring a folkloric myth that the ancient oak tree on their land is imbued with phenomenal powers.

While Juliette turns to the local community to find some kind of peace, Richard obsessively digs deeper.

Penarth Times: Former Doctor Who Matt Smith plays Clark's husband in 'Starve Acre'Former Doctor Who Matt Smith plays Clark's husband in 'Starve Acre' (Image: PA Media)

Penarth Times: Clark plays the mother of a child who starts acting strangelyClark plays the mother of a child who starts acting strangely (Image: Starve Acre)

The ‘Northern Irish, Glaswegian, North Walian, Swedish’ Clark

Morfydd (pronounced ‘Mohr-fith) is a Swedish-born Welsh actress who moved to Penarth when she was two.

She described her father as a "Northern Irish, Glaswegian", and her maternal side is from North Wales

She is best known for Saint Maud playing Maud (2019) and The Lord of the Rings TV Series, playing Galadriel.

Penarth Times: Clark comes from an eclectic background which includes PenarthClark comes from an eclectic background which includes Penarth (Image: Morfydd Clark)

For her work in Saint Maud, Clark was nominated for Best Actress at the British Independent Film Awards, and the BAFTA Rising Star Award.

She also appears in The Falling (2014), Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016), Love and Friendship (2016), The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017), and The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019).

Her feature film debut was in Madame Bovary as Camille (2014).

The 67th BFI London Film Festival 2023 takes place from October4 to 15.