Brendan Gleeson has come a long way since he burst onto the entertainment scene in the 1980s. In his budding days, he appeared in several small roles before establishing himself as a leading actor in the 1990s. Gleeson has worked with Oscar-winning industry greats like Steven Spielberg, Mel Gibson, Ron Howard, and Robert Redford on projects that put his name on the global map. He is also a longtime collaborator of Liam Neeson.
With over 100 credits across diverse niches in film and television, Brendan Gleeson is considered among the most influential and greatest Irish actors. His myriad of awards and career achievements lend credence to his status as an acting legend. Beyond the cinematic realm, Gleeson carved a career as a teacher before becoming an actor. Keep reading for a rundown of his celebrated career and legacy.
Brendan Gleeson Worked as a Teacher For 10 Years
Before focusing on acting as a full-time career, Brendan Gleeson worked as a teacher. Born on March 29, 1955, in Dublin, Ireland, Gleeson was an avid reader as a child and attended St Joseph’s CBS in Fairview, Dublin where he joined the drama club. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Irish at University College Dublin and trained as a teacher afterward.
For several years, Gleeson taught English and Irish at Catholic Belcamp College, a secondary school in North County Dublin. The school was closed in 2004. While working as a teacher, Gleeson continued to hone his acting skills by appearing in theater productions and playing small roles on television. In 1991, he left his teaching job to focus on acting.
His Early Acting Career Days Were Spent in the Theater
While working as a teacher, Brendan Gleeson performed in semi-professional and professional productions in his hometown of Dublin and other areas. He joined the Passion Machine Theatre Company in Dublin around the 1980s and appeared in several plays with the group. His theater credits include Wasters (1985), Brownhead (1987), Home (1988), and War (1989). Gleeson also wrote and directed The Birdtable (1987) and Breaking Up (1988) for the company.
Brendan Gleeson Made His Screen Debut In 1989
Before he became an internationally recognized actor, Brendan Gleeson began his acting career in small roles. His first screen appearance was in a 1989 television film titled Dear Sarah where he portrayed Brendan Dowd. He made his film debut in 1990, appearing as a quarryman in The Field. After playing minor roles in 1990s films like Far and Away and Into the West, Gleeson gained major fame for his role in Braveheart (1995) opposite Gibson.
Subsequently, Gleeson’s career picked up steam with appearances in late 1990s films such as Michael Collins (1996), Turbulence (1997), The General (1998), and Lake Placid (1999). He played John C. McCloy in Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) and appeared in Harrison’s Flowers, Saltwater, and Wild About Harry the same year. Gleeson’s other notable credits include The Tailor of Panama (2001), Gangs of New York (2002), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and Assassin’s Creed (2016).
Gleeson has also garnered voice credits in films such as The Secret of Kells, Riverdance: The Animated Adventure, Captain Morten and the Spider Queen, and A Greyhound of a Girl. Gleeson is part of the cast of Todd Phillips‘s 2024 Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Joker (2019). Gleeson has appeared in a few television projects, notably playing Donald Trump in The Comey Rule, Bill Hodges in Mr. Mercedes, and Scott in State of the Union.
Awards and Nominations
Brendan Gleeson’s illustrious career has scored over 120 award nominations and wins. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role as Winston Churchill in the HBO film Into the Storm (2009). He received the British Independent Film Awards for Best Actor Award in 2014 and Best Supporting Actor in 2015 for his depiction of Father James Lavelle in Calvary (2014) and Arthur Steed in Suffragette (2015) respectively.
Gleeson has also received nominations for other prestigious awards, including three BAFTA Awards, one Academy Award, five Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. His most nominated works include The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Calvary, Mr. Mercedes, and Into the Storm. He has won three out of nine nominations for The Banshees of Inisherin.
Brendan Gleeson’s Legacy Continues Through His Sons
Gleeson has secured his legacy in the movie industry through his sons Domhnall, Brian, Rory, and Fergus Gleeson. Domhnall and Brian are renowned Irish actors with numerous memorable collaborations with Gleeson. The legendary actor has appeared in several films with Domhnall, including Six Shooter (2004), Studs (2006), Perrier’s Bounty (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), Calvary (2014) and Psychic (2018).
Brendan Gleeson‘s movie collaborations with his second son Brian are The Tiger’s Tail (2006), Noreen (2010), Assassin’s Creed (2016), and Psychic (2018). His third son Rory is also carving a career in entertainment as a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. Fergus, on the other hand, is a composer. Read details about his son Domhnall joining The Office reboot.
Follow Us
