Gerard Butler is one of the top names in Hollywood, and he’s got the high-grossing movies to back it up. Among a handful of Scottish actors in Hollywood, Butler ranks among the top most successful. The 52 years old actor was born Gerard James Butler in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, on November 13, 1969.
Don’t know about you, but it took me a while to distinctly distinguish Gerard Butler from the New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe. That being said, Butler has been featured in some notable movies throughout his 25 years acting career. If you haven’t seen some of his movies, here are some of his most popular films.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003)
Credit: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life
Gerard Butler wasn’t as big an actor as he is today, but his acting skills were impressive enough to play a leading role with the iconic Angelina Jolie. The movie was a sequel to the 2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. In its sequel, Gerard Butler plays the character Terry Sheridan.
Terry Sheridan was an ex-marine commando and love interest of Angelina Jolie’s character, Lara Croft. Butler’s character is imprisoned for stealing and selling off artifacts. However, on a special request by Lara Croft, he’s released to help her in her expeditions to retrieve the Mati. Ultimately, Lara Croft is faced with a hard decision and has to shoot Terry Sheridan to secure the artifact.
300 (2007)
Credit: 300
The 300 movie is rated as one of the most profitable movies in Hollywood to date. With a budget of around $60–65 million, the movie went on to make a revenue of $456.1 million at the Box Office. Gerard Butler plays the lead as the protagonist who leads his 300 Spartan soldiers to battle.
Gerard Butler stars as King Leonidas. He defies the Persian “God-King” Xerxes. Refusing to bow to the invading King Xerxes and his 300,000 soldiers, Leonidas rallies his 300 men with plans to die rather than surrender. Gerard Butler stars in the movie with Game of Thrones actress Lena Headey, who plays a supporting role as Queen Gorgo, his wife.
He also plays the role of King Leonidas in the movie’s 2014 sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Credit: Law Abiding Citizen
Emotions run wide in this epic action thriller. Gerard Butler gets in this movie as a producer and also the lead character, Clyde Shelton. Butler gives life to Clyde’s character. When a home invasion goes wrong, Clyde is forced to watch as his wife and daughter are killed.
When a corrupt justice system fails to give the main killer a deserving sentence, Clyde is forced to take matters into his hands years later. The movie also features Jamie Foxx, who plays the character of the Prosecuting attorney, Nick Rice.
The Bounty Hunter (2010)
Credit: The Bounty Hunter
What do you do when you’re hired to find and arrest your ex-wife? Gerard Butler also takes the lead role in this action-comedy movie which also stars Jennifer Aniston as the ex-wife, Nicole Hurley. The movie was successful at the box office because it seemed relatable.
Butler plays the bounty hunter character, Milo Boyd. But Boyd is not just your ordinary bounty hunter; he’s an ex-New York Police Department detective. His ex-wife skips bail and must be brought to book. Who wouldn’t want to bring in an ex-wife to pay for her crimes?
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
Credit: Olympus Has Fallen
Undoubtedly one of Gerard Butler’s most popular movies in recent times. It was the first in the Has Fallen movie series. Gerard Butler plays the protagonist Mike Banning. Butler also helped co-produce the movie, which starred Morgan Freeman and Aaron Eckhart, as well.
The movie stands out for showcasing the possible vulnerability of the US Secret Service. Although a disgraced service agent, Mike Banning takes it upon himself to ensure he protects the President of the United States and defends the White House.
Gerard Butler also stars in the 2016 sequel, London Has Fallen, and the 2019 third movie in the series, Angel Has Fallen. In all the movies, he maintains the character of Mike Banning.
Besides these projects, Gerard Butler has also starred in other interesting movies, including 2016 Gods of Egypt and A Family Man, 2017 Geostorm and Den of Thieves, 2018 Hunter Killer, 2021 Copshop, and 2022 Last Seen Alive. He’s also got three unreleased movies either in post-production or recently completed.
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