Jonathan Rhys Meyers has come under fire from animal rights activists after his latest co-star, Radha Mitchell, let it slip that he ate dog while filming in China.

Mitchell coos about the movie hunk’s “adventurous pallet” but officials at People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are less than impressed.

The actress insists dining out in rural China, where she and Rhys-Meyers, shot new film The Children of Huang Shi, was a challenge - and her co-star decided to go native.

She says, “The challenge was ordering lunch and getting chicken claws, just these weird things that you don’t expect and you’re not used to so you’re constantly adjusting. Jonathan did the dog’s meat. We were in some restaurant and there was dog meat on the menu and there was someone next to us just sitting there with their Chihuahua in a handbag.

“I was thinking, ‘That could’ve been dessert.’”

But PETA bosses are appalled that Rhys-Meyers, who plays British journalist George Hogg in the Roger Spottiswoode film, sampled man’s best friend.

Spokesman Michael MCGraw rages, “Most people are appalled to hear about Jonathan Rhys Meyers eating dog flesh.”
And he urges anyone sickened by the story to consider turning veggie: “They should take a look at what’s on their own plates. Chickens and cows may not be as cute and cuddly as puppies, but when it comes to their ability to feel pain and suffer, they are no different from animals people call pets. The best way to avoid harming any animals is simply not to eat them and go veggie.”

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WENN

Jonathan Rhys Meyers apologized Wednesday for a drunken confrontation at Dublin Airport. Charges were dropped against Mr. Rhys Meyers once he apologized. Rhys Meyers’s lawyer, Michael Staines, said the star’s behavior on Nov. 18 was “unacceptable and out of character” and that Jonathan “unreservedly apologizes” to the authorities and staff at British airline BMI, the Associated Press reports.

I can understand why he was drinking, his poor mom died!

Jonathan Rhys Meyers hates female co-stars who refuse to undress for movie roles, because their prudish nature makes him want to “cut their ears off”.

The Irish actor admits he doesn’t like reserved actresses who don’t want to bare their flesh for the pursuit of their art. He says, “I can’t stand actresses who won’t take their clothes off. It drives me nuts. I want to cut their ears off. “If it says in the script you’re naked, be naked, instead of moaning and saying, ‘I really don’t want to show my t**s, I don’t want to show my arse.”

Troubled Jonathan Rhys Meyers cracked open a can of extra-strong cider in the street at 10am yesterday - two days after being involved in a fracas at Dublin airport.

The actor, who plays Henry VIII in the BBC2 drama The Tudors, has been treated for alcohol problems twice this year.

Pictures of the 30-year-old drinking in North London were taken hours after the death of his mother at a hospital in Cork.

Geri Meyers O’Keeffe, 50, who was known to have been in poor health, died at 7am at the Mercy Hospital soon after being admitted.

She leaves three other sons, Jamie, Alan and Paul. The cause of death was not known last night.

Rhys Meyers was arrested in Dublin on Sunday.

He allegedly became aggressive when airport staff refused to allow him to board a flight to London because they believed he was drunk. He fell off a seat and lay asleep on the floor as he waited for the flight.

When he finally came round, he was led away by security but became abusive, say witnesses, and told a female airport worker to ‘**** off’.

Rhys Meyers was arrested and charged with being drunk and disorderly and with a breach of the peace.

Last night, members of his family at Mrs Meyers O’Keeffe’s neat bungalow in the Cork suburb of Glanmire were too distressed to talk.

She had celebrated her 50th birthday last January when friends in her local pub The Riverstown Inn threw a surprise party for her.

Last night regulars in the bar were stunned by the suddenness of her death. One said: “I saw her last week and she was in great form.

“I know she was ill in February but she pulled through that. We just cannot believe she is gone. She was a lovely women.

“She was extremely proud of Jonathan. She used to tell us she knew from the time he was born that he was destined for great things.”

Last night Meridith O’Sullivan, Jonathan’s LA based publicist confirmed that his mother had died.

She stated “I can confirm she passed away, but there are no more details tonight.”

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Jonathan Rhys Meyers was arrested Sunday afternoon at the Dublin, Ireland, airport, facing charges of public drunkenness and breach of the peace as he tried to get on a plane to England.

Rhys Meyers, 30, was refused permission to board a London-bound flight when police confronted the actor twice after erratic, abusive behavior at an airport gate and at a desk of the British airline BMI, the Associated Press reports.

Dublin Airport Police said they called Ireland’s national police force, the Garda Siochana, after Rhys Meyers refused repeated requests to calm down, reports the AP.

The Cork-born actor and star of Showtime’s The Tudors was held for a short time, charged under Ireland’s Public Order Act and released on his own bail. He is due in court for his arraignment Dec. 5.

Rhys-Meyers, who earlier this year did a stint in rehab, was in Dublin to promote his new movie August Rush.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers regrets not taking his musical career more seriously because he would have liked to have formed a band with his brothers.

The star’s brother plays the drummer in Rhys-Meyers’ musician character’s band in new film August Rush, and the performance scenes made the actor crave the concert stage.

Rhys-Meyers admits music is a bigger deal in his family than the movies and his father once played in a revered pub act called Hector Pick Axe And The Floatin’ Crowbars.

He recalls, “They were a country western band and my daddy was the bass guitar player. All my aunties are all choir singers. My three brothers, Jamie, Alan and Paul, are musicians… I would have liked to have had a rock n’ roll band with my brothers, but they are really talented and I’m sort of mediocre. I can fake it good. I play a little bit of the flute, play guitar and sing.”

And Rhys-Meyers’ most recent musical role in “August Rush” brought the actor into contact with one of his heroes: “We got this studio space where Paul Simon was doing his new album. I was standing outside smoking a cigarette with a guitar strung over my shoulder and Paul Simon walks by. We chatted. It was good fun.”

On Brad Pitt:

“Let’s not kid ourselves—this business is about being good-looking. Look, Brad Pitt is an incredible actor, but do you think he’d be a famous movie star if he didn’t look like that? Come on!”

On Leonardo Dicaprio:

“[Leonardo DiCaprio] was successful very young, was a party boy, took two years off, and then became this major Hollywood player. Right now I can get a $5 million film green-lit, not a $100 million film.”

On Being a Narcissist:

“Part of being a narcissist is being terribly insecure. If I wasn’t so insecure about myself, I wouldn’t work as hard as I do. I am constantly seeking approval.”

On Staying Out of the Limelight:

“You know why I stay out of the limelight? I always think there will be that time that people will find out that I’m crap at what I do. I think they will figure out I’m crap. Doesn’t everybody have that feeling?”

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