Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor accustomed to working in Hollywood films. Her talent and charisma have enabled her to star in such major feature films as Braveheart, Harry Potter, Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, Gangs of New York and Inisherin’s Banshees.
Brendan Gleeson was born in Dublin on March 29, 1956, and spent his childhood there with a keen interest in literature and the great Irish writers.
However, the young Irishman did not immediately follow the path of the cinema. Indeed, he was a teacher for a good ten years before following his passion for acting. It was in his native country that he began to make his mark as an actor.
So he joined the Dublin Shakespeare Festival, even though he spent his time playing music in the street.
But Gleeson wanted more, and decided to leave his native Ireland to join London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a school that allows him to graduate after 3 years. He then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he spent several years performing plays…
Images from the film The Banshees of Inisherin
Gleeson was soon looking for new challenges, and wanted to try his hand at filmmaking.
He was soon auditioning for the role of Michael Collins in “The Treaty”, a TV movie produced by RTE One.
In 1990, Brendan Gleeson was spotted by Hollywood and starred in “Horizons Lointain” (with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), “Le Cheval venu de la mer” (The Horse from the Sea), then the famous film “Braveheart”, where he played Amish Campbell, the best friend of William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson.
But it was his role in 1998’s “The General”, in which he played an Irish criminal, that really brought Gleeson acclaim and several awards.
Success followed, and Gleeson took on a host of roles, thanks to his acting talent and atypical good-naturedness. He has also appeared in Mission Impossible 2, Lake Placid, The General, 28 Days Later, Gangs of New York, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Kingdom of Heaven, Bon Baisers de Bruges (with Colin Farell) and Harry Potter.
Her performance in the Irish drama “Calvary” in 2014 was also critically acclaimed. With this film, he tackles a profound societal issue affecting Ireland. A way of getting involved in the sensitive issues of his native country.
Over the years, he has taken on a succession of roles, alternating between big Hollywood productions and more intimate, independent films. He also lends his voice to dubbing projects (including the animated film Riverdance).
Among his most recent notable roles was in “The Banshees of Inisherin”, in which he co-starred with his friend and fellow Irishman Colin Farrell. His gritty duet helped him elevate the feature to the pantheon of the best films of 2023, winning multiple Oscars.
It’s no secret that comedy runs in the Gleeson family. His sons, Domhnall and Brian Gleeson, are also actors and have sometimes shared the screen with their father, reinforcing the Gleeson dynasty in the film industry.
The family is the pride of the Irish, who see in these talented actors the possibility of representing Ireland internationally.
Brendan Gleeson is notoriously discreet about his private life, a common trait among Irish celebrities. Nevertheless, a few elements are public and help paint a more complete picture of the man behind the actor.
One of the best-known aspects of his private life is undoubtedly his role as a father. He is married to Mary Gleeson, and they have four sons: Domhnall, Fergus, Brían, and Rúairí.
In addition to his passion for acting, Brendan Gleeson is also a music lover. He plays several instruments and has even released an album, “The Walworth Farce”, in collaboration with his son Domhnall. Their love of music is clearly a family affair.
