A versatile artist, Rex Kodippili is an actor, producer, and director who primarily works in the Sinhalese film industry. Before starting his career in the film industry, Kodippili worked as a physical training instructor with the Sri Lankan Military police. He later worked as a manager at the Marina Caf and Hotel at Pettah, before becoming the manager at Salaka where he became friends with Oswald Jayasinghe.
In 1969, while he went to drop Oswald Jayasinghe at a film shooting location in Nugegoda, film director K.A.W. Perera approached him and offered to cast him in a role of pick-pocket in the film Kathuru Muwath, which is accepted and thus began his industry in the film industry. His other notable film credits include Lokuma Hinawa (1972), Dinum Kanuwa (1974), Chandani (1975), Yali Epade (1977), Channai Kello Dennai (1985), Mamai Raja (1989), Jeevan Malli (1993), Pissu Puso (2001), Ranja (2014), and Dr. Nawariyan (2017).