Who is the first person that comes to mind when you think of a Scottish actor or actress? Most people’s answer is going to be Sean Connery. Probably because of the roles that he has played throughout his acting career, James Bond, Indiana Jones’ Dad, King Arthur in First Knight and hundreds of others! Well he is just one of many famous actors and actresses that you might have known were Scottish. For example:
James McAvoy:
Depending on what kind of movies you watch you might know him best from the movie “Wanted”. He was also in Deadpool 2, X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: First Class, Victor Frankenstein, Becoming Jane, Penelope, and Chronicles of Narnia. James was born in 1979 in Glasgow Scotland. Believe it or not acting was not high on the list of career choices for young James. Not until he was 16 and David Hayman came and talked at his school was the seed even planted for becoming an actor. Later in life he had been accepted to the Royal Navy and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he took the path towards Music and Drama.
Sean Connery:
One of the most well-known actors that came out of Scotland, mostly because in all of his roles his accent wasn’t covered up to sound American or British, but he had a unique way of speaking that drew his career down a successful path. “Thomas Sean Connery” was born in 1930 in Fountainbridge Edinburgh, Scotland. He was not born into a home or a life of privilege, his mom worked as a cleaning lady and his father was a factory worker. Before Sean’s acting career took off, he had worked a lot of odd jobs including being a milkman, laborer, delivery driver. It wasn’t until he was 23 did, he begin to have opportunities in the acting fields. He had a choice of either becoming a professional footballer or an actor – he chose acting and his first major film role was in 1957 in the film “No Road Back”. Now he is known as “The Greatest Living Scot”, “Scotland’s Greatest National Living Treasure”, “Sexiest Man Alive” and “Sexiest Man of the Century”.
Gerard Butler:
You might have known Mr. Butler was going to be next on the list. Known for some of his bigger cinematic roles, King Leonidas – 300, The Phantom – Phantom of the Opera, Clyde Shelton – Law Abiding Citizen. Gerard was born in Paisley, Scotland however his family originally came from Ireland. Gerard had a late start to his acting career, he was attending the Glasgow University where he was studying law and was president of the school’s law society. He took his first step in his acting career when he was approached in a London coffee shop by actor Steven Berkoff, who gave him a role in a stage production of “Coriolanus”. That is the moment that Gerard turned in his briefcase in law and turned his heart towards to acting. Now we can enjoy the talents of his career on the silver screen.
Karen Gillan:
You might not recognize her without her Nebula costume on but this is the lady behind the machine we all know and mostly love as Nebula in “Guardians of the Galaxy” but she has acted in dozens of films prior to and since “Guardians of the Galaxy”. Born and raised in Inverness, Scotland. Karen knew what she wanted to do from a young age, acting was her calling. Knowing what she wanted to do she took part of every school play she could get casted in, going to Youth Theater camps and groups. When she was 16, she decided to take the next step in her career and studied at the Performing Arts Studio Scotland.
Rose Leslie:
Landing major roles within the last 10 years you might know her from the movies, The Last Witch Hunter, Honeymoon, Morgan but most people know her from the world-renowned TV series Game of Thrones where she plays the character Ygritte. Rose was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, near Lickleyhead Castle where her family line has lived for the last 500 years. Born to Candida Mary Sibyl and Sebastian Arbuthnot-Leslie, who is the Chieftain of Clan Leslie. Rose took her first acting job in 2007 when she landed a role in the TV documentary series “Locked Up Abroad”.