[2]Okay. Admit it. You love the accent.
And the tartans and kilts.
And the stories of feuds and clan rivalries.
And the bagpipes.
Well, maybe not the bagpipes. That’s a “you either love it or you hate it” thing.
Still, Scotland is a part of our culture. Or, at least, a strong presence in our entertainment.
In (belated) honor of St. Andrew’s Day [3] (November 30), the celebration for the patron saint of Scotland, I thought I’d follow up on an earlier blog I wrote about Scotland. This time I’m focusing on the Scottish actors and actresses in movies and TV today. Probably the best-known is Sean Connery, who has been a part of movies for nearly 60 years. He’s also very proud of his homeland, writing the book Being a Scot [2] – the title of which I borrowed for this blog. It’s only right that I should start with him.
I have my favorites among the list below – Robert Carlyle, Robbie Coltrane, James McAvoy. You probably do, too. With all this talent, it’s easy to find a great movie or TV show you might like.
And as for loving bagpipes, you bet I do.
Sean Connery [4] (James Bond movies; The Untouchables; Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
John Barrowman [5] (Torchwood)
Gerard Butler [6] (300; The Phantom of the Opera; The Ugly Truth)
Robert Carlyle [7] (The Full Monty; Once Upon a Time; Trainspotting)
Robbie Coltrane [8] (Harry Potter movies; Cracker)
Billy Connolly [9] (Mrs. Brown; Brave; The Last Samurai)
Brian Cox [10] (Mystic River; Red; X-Men 2)
Annette Crosbie [11] (One Foot in the Grave; Calendar Girls)
Alan Cumming [12] (X-Men 2; Emma; The Good Wife)
Craig Ferguson [13] (Saving Grace; How to Train Your Dragon; Brave)
Isla Fisher [14] (Confessions of a Shopaholic; Definitely Maybe; Rango)
Karen Gillan [15] (Doctor Who)
Iain Glen [16] (Game of Thrones; Downton Abbey)
John Hannah [17] (Four Weddings and a Funeral; The Mummy; Rebus)
Shirley Henderson [18] (Topsy-Turvy; Hamish Macbeth; Meek’s Cutoff)
Ashley Jensen [19] (Ugly Betty; Eleventh Hour)
Kelly Macdonald [20] (Gosford Park; Boardwalk Empire; No Country for Old Men)
James McAvoy [21] (X-Men, First Class; Atonement; The Conspirator)
Ewan McGregor [22] (Trainspotting; Shallow Grave; Moulin Rouge)
Kevin McKidd [23] (Grey’s Anatomy; Rome; Made of Honor)
Dougray Scott [24] (Ever After; Desperate Housewives, season 3; My Week with Marilyn)
David Tennant [25] (Doctor Who; Hamlet; The Decoy Bride)
- Movies [26]
- Scottish actors [27]
- Scottish actresses [28]
- Television [29]
