Anna Lundberg and Michael Sheen (Image: Jeff Spicer, Getty Images For SOLT)
Welsh sensation Michael Sheen has revealed the critical role his wife Anna Lundberg played in supporting him when he found himself drowning in debt.
The 56 year old actor candidly opened up about the fears he harboured for his marriage when, back in 2019, he was financially strung after using personal funds to salvage the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff.
At this challenging juncture, Anna, who was pregnant with their first child at the time, stood as a bedrock of support – something that deeply touched Michael.
While speaking with The Guardian, Sheen confided: “Anyone would have been in their rights to go, ‘Sorry, I didn’t sign up for this.’ It could have gone either way, but I’m very glad that it went the way it did. I just couldn’t have got through that without her.”
Michael Sheen recently announced he would write-off £1m of other people’s debt (Image: BBC)
Despite having since starred in acclaimed film projects, Sheen is still chipping away at the debt incurred.
Reflecting on the initial shock, the Twilight star divulged to the popular publication: “At first, I thought it was the end of everything. I mean, I had nothing left. Not just that, I was in massive debt – I’m still paying it off.”
Sheen has spoken about his journey into philanthropy, revealing that a turning point came in 2011 during a 72-hour production of The Passion in his hometown of Port Talbot.
He told the that getting to know local organisations and people trying to make a difference in the community had a profound impact on him.
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Sheen recalled: “I got to know people and organisations within my hometown that I didn’t know existed.
“Little groups who were trying to help young carers, who had just enough funding to make a tiny difference to a kid’s life by putting on one night a week where they could get out and go bowling or watch a film and just be a kid.”
He added that when he returned a few months later to find that funding for one of these organisations had been cut, he realised the significant difference it had made to one child’s life.
This experience ultimately led him to become a “not for profit actor” and embark on various charitable projects, including writing off £1m worth of people’s debts, as documented in Channel 4’s Michael Sheen’s Secret Million Pound Giveaway.
A decade after that life-changing moment, the star of Frost/Nixon and Tron: Legacy has remained dedicated to his social justice mission, tirelessly working to aid those less privileged.
Michael Sheen’s Secret Million Pound Giveaway airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.