The Rapture actor Robert Rhodes, who plays Sonic in the thriller, on facial scarring: 'Don't call me deformed'
The 28 Years Later star has a large scar on the left hand side of his face
The Rapture actor Robert Rhodes *almost* steals the show as Sonic in the BBC One drama, and the fame he’s about to encounter won’t be new to him. He’s used to getting a lot of attention, and not always for the right reasons.
Robert, 32, has had quite the year so far. He was frankly terrifying in the dystopian horror film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple playing the vile Jimmy Jimmy in Jimmy Crystal’s gang. He subsequently portrayed Ross in the Silent Witness episode The Enemy Within.
And that’s just a taste of things to come for the London-born star, who’s had to overcome more than most to achieve his goals. Here’s a rundown of his career so far, as well as his comments about the facial scarring he’s had since he was a baby…
Who plays Sonic in The Rapture on BBC One?
Actor Robert Rhodes portrays Sonic in the BBC One thriller The Rapture, based on the book of the same name. Sonic is a patient in the psychiatric hospital Oxsmith, and befriends Bethany Krall – the character the series centres on. Sonic is a slightly unnerving character, but is a lot more clued up than viewers might think. And he’s a friend to Bethany, which is something she desperately needs.
Robert, who is openly queer, was born in 1993 in London, and moved to Northampton at the age of eight. He decided to pursue an acting career after being cast as Link Larkin in a school production of Hairspray. He first appeared in theatre roles such as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and subsequently made his TV debut in the 2022 series Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? Robert portrayed Ben in the four-part series opposite Will Poulter, and Lucy Boynton.
Since then, he’s appeared in some of TV’s top dramas, including Masters of the Air, and House of the Dragon. He played Silver Denys in the Game of Thrones spin-off.
In 2025, he portrayed Dexter in the bilingual English/BSL drama Reunion. That same year, he won his biggest role to date. He took on the uncomfortable role of Jimmy Jimmy in 28 Years Later and its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Jimmy Jimmy was a sadistic member of a Jimmy Savile-inspired cult who commit truly heinous acts. Don’t watch it while you’re eatnig.
This year, Robert appeared in Silent Witness series 29 and is now part of the cast for The Rapture on BBC One.
The Rapture actor Robert Rhodes on ’50 surgeries’ on his face
Robert was born with a rare birthmark known as a congenital meanocytic nevus, which was removed due to fears it could turn cancerous. By the time he was 17, he had undergone nearly 50 surgeries, resulting in scarring around the left side of his face and hairline.
As a result of his own experiences, Robert is now an ambassador for the charity Changing Faces, which advocates and supports those with visible differences. He featured prominently in their “I Am More Than Just Your Villain” campaign.
Talking about his part in the campaign, he wrote on his Instagram: “The only time I think of my facial scarring is when other people make it an issue. Every time we cross paths with someone new, we all make assumptions – it’s human nature. But why when coming across a visibly different person do some people think it’s okay to say these out loud?
“Comments have impact. I’m asking you to Think Before You Speak.”
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Robert Rhodes described as “deformed” because of face scars
Actor Robert has received unkind comments from social media users referring to his appearance as “deformed”.
In response, he told BBC Radio London: “I’m not incorrect, I’m not half-formed, I’m just little old me who happens to look a bit different. There’s not enough representation of people who have a visible difference in the media. So people have a sense of panic when they see it and they don’t know how to act. Society has a backwards view of perfection that doesn’t really exist.”
In a first-person piece in the Metro, Robert said: “I was born with a rare birthmark on my face, called a congenital melanocytic nevus, which covered most of my left cheek. I spent most of my childhood in and out of hospital and underwent many operations, including tissue expansion and skin grafts, in order to remove it. Doctors were worried if they didn’t, there was a chance it could become cancerous. From the start, the resulting scars had gathered unwanted attention.”
His mother has always told Robert he’s “special, unique and one of a kind”.
Robert had his last surgery at 17 and doctors say there are still different things they could try. However, Robert has “decided not to have any more for the time being”. He said: “I’m happy with how I look. My scar has helped form the person I am.”
