Gerard Butler (Gerard James Butler)
Photos with Gerard Butler
Biography
Paisley, Scotland, UK
Gerard Butler was born in Paisley, Scotland, to Margaret and Edward Butler, a bookmaker. His family is of Irish origin. Gerard spent some of his youth in Canada, but was mostly raised, along with his older brother and sister, in his hometown of Paisley. His parents divorced when he was a child, and he and his siblings were raised primarily by their mother, who later remarried. He had no contact with his father between the ages of two and 16 years old, after which time they became close. His father passed away when Gerard was in his early 20s. Read more... to attend Glasgow University, where he studied to be a lawyer/solicitor. He was president of the school's law society thanks to his outgoing personality and great social skills.
His acting career began when he was approached in a London coffee shop by actor Steven Berkoff, who later appeared alongside Butler in Attila (2001), who gave him a role in a stage production of "Coriolanus". After that, Butler decided to give up law for acting. He was cast as Ewan McGregor's character "Renton" in the stage adaptation of Trainspotting. His film debut was as Billy Connolly's younger brother in Mrs Brown (1997). While filming the movie in Scotland, he was enjoying a picnic with his mother near the River Tay when they heard the shouts of a young boy, who had been swimming with a friend, who was in some trouble. Butler jumped in and saved the young boy from drowning. He received a Certificate of Bravery from the Royal Humane Society. He felt he only did what anyone in the situation would have done.
His film career continued with small roles, first in the "James Bond" movie, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and then Russell Mulcahy's Tale of the Mummy (1998). In 2000, Butler was cast in two breakthrough roles, the first being "Attila the Hun" in the USA Network mini-series, Attila (2001). The film's producers wanted a known actor to play the part but kept coming back to Butler's screen tests and decided he was their man. He had to lose the thick Scottish accent, but managed well. Around the time "Attila" was being filmed, casting was in progress for Wes Craven's new take on the "Dracula" legacy. Also wanting a known name, Butler wasn't much of a consideration, but his unending tenacity drove him to hounding the producers. Eventually, he sent them a clip of his portrayal of "Attila". Evidently, they saw something because Dracula 2000 (2000) was cast in the form of Butler. Attila's producers, thinking that his big-screen role might help with their own film's ratings, finished shooting a little early so he could get to work on Dracula 2000 (2000). Following these two roles, Butler developed quite a fan base, an Internet site and began appearing on lists everywhere.
Since then, he has appeared in Reign of Fire (2002) as "Creedy" and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) as "Terry Sheridan", alongside Angelina Jolie. The role that garnered him the most attention from both moviegoers and movie makers, alike, was that of "Andre Marek" in the big-screen adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel, Timeline (2003). Butler played an archaeologist who was sent back in time with a team of students to rescue a colleague. Last year, he appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, The Phantom of the Opera (2004), playing the title character in the successful adaptation of the stage musical. It was a role that brought him much international attention. Other projects include Dear Frankie (2004), The Game of Their Lives (2005) and Beowulf & Grendel (2005).
In 2007, he starred as Spartan "King Leonidas" in the Warner Bros. production 300 (2006), based on the Frank Miller graphic novel, and Shattered (2007), co-starring Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello, which aired on network TV under the title, "Shattered". He most recently starred in P.S. I Love You (2007), with Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank.
In 2007, he appeared in Nim's Island (2008) and RocknRolla (2008), and completed the new Mark Neveldine / Brian Taylor film, Gamer (2009). His next films included The Ugly Truth (2009), co-starring Katherine Heigl, which began filming in April 2008, The Bounty Hunter (2010), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Chasing Mavericks (2012) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013). Butler is also a relative of rising animator and film director Mark Flood.
His acting career began when he was approached in a London coffee shop by actor Steven Berkoff, who later appeared alongside Butler in Attila (2001), who gave him a role in a stage production of "Coriolanus". After that, Butler decided to give up law for acting. He was cast as Ewan McGregor's character "Renton" in the stage adaptation of Trainspotting. His film debut was as Billy Connolly's younger brother in Mrs Brown (1997). While filming the movie in Scotland, he was enjoying a picnic with his mother near the River Tay when they heard the shouts of a young boy, who had been swimming with a friend, who was in some trouble. Butler jumped in and saved the young boy from drowning. He received a Certificate of Bravery from the Royal Humane Society. He felt he only did what anyone in the situation would have done.
His film career continued with small roles, first in the "James Bond" movie, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and then Russell Mulcahy's Tale of the Mummy (1998). In 2000, Butler was cast in two breakthrough roles, the first being "Attila the Hun" in the USA Network mini-series, Attila (2001). The film's producers wanted a known actor to play the part but kept coming back to Butler's screen tests and decided he was their man. He had to lose the thick Scottish accent, but managed well. Around the time "Attila" was being filmed, casting was in progress for Wes Craven's new take on the "Dracula" legacy. Also wanting a known name, Butler wasn't much of a consideration, but his unending tenacity drove him to hounding the producers. Eventually, he sent them a clip of his portrayal of "Attila". Evidently, they saw something because Dracula 2000 (2000) was cast in the form of Butler. Attila's producers, thinking that his big-screen role might help with their own film's ratings, finished shooting a little early so he could get to work on Dracula 2000 (2000). Following these two roles, Butler developed quite a fan base, an Internet site and began appearing on lists everywhere.
Since then, he has appeared in Reign of Fire (2002) as "Creedy" and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) as "Terry Sheridan", alongside Angelina Jolie. The role that garnered him the most attention from both moviegoers and movie makers, alike, was that of "Andre Marek" in the big-screen adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel, Timeline (2003). Butler played an archaeologist who was sent back in time with a team of students to rescue a colleague. Last year, he appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, The Phantom of the Opera (2004), playing the title character in the successful adaptation of the stage musical. It was a role that brought him much international attention. Other projects include Dear Frankie (2004), The Game of Their Lives (2005) and Beowulf & Grendel (2005).
In 2007, he starred as Spartan "King Leonidas" in the Warner Bros. production 300 (2006), based on the Frank Miller graphic novel, and Shattered (2007), co-starring Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello, which aired on network TV under the title, "Shattered". He most recently starred in P.S. I Love You (2007), with Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank.
In 2007, he appeared in Nim's Island (2008) and RocknRolla (2008), and completed the new Mark Neveldine / Brian Taylor film, Gamer (2009). His next films included The Ugly Truth (2009), co-starring Katherine Heigl, which began filming in April 2008, The Bounty Hunter (2010), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Chasing Mavericks (2012) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013). Butler is also a relative of rising animator and film director Mark Flood.
Actor

Character:
Stoick
How to Train Your Dragon 2 2014
26

Character:
King Leonidas
300 2006
52

Character:
Leprechaun 1 & 2
Movie 43 2013
19

Character:
Mike Banning
Olympus Has Fallen 2013
24

Character:
Himself
Global Citizen Festival 2013
0

Character:
Himself
The 42 Annual Juno Awards 2013
1

Character:
George
Playing for Keeps 2012
11

Character:
Frosty Hesson
Chasing Mavericks 2012
23

Character:
Himself
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2012
0

Character:
Sam Childers
Machine Gun Preacher 2011
34

Character:
Tullus Aufidius
Coriolanus 2011
39

Character:
Stoick
How to Train Your Dragon 2010
26

Character:
Clyde Shelton
Law Abiding Citizen 2009
23

Character:
Kable
Gamer 2009
27

Character:
Mike
The Ugly Truth 2009
47

Character:
Himself - Presenter
The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2009
0

Character:
Himself
MTV Video Music Awards 2009 2009
1

Character:
Himself
The 2009 Whitney Museum Gala 2009
0

Character:
One Two
RocknRolla 2008
35

Character:
Jack Rusoe / Alex Rover
Nim's Island 2008
18

Character:
Gerry
P.S. I Love You 2007
47

Character:
Peter
Guilty Hearts 2006
0

Character:
Beowulf
Beowulf & Grendel 2005
0

Character:
Frank Borghi
The Game of Their Lives 2005
11

Character:
The Phantom
The Phantom of the Opera 2004
85

Character:
The Stranger
Dear Frankie 2004
27

Character:
Terry Sheridan
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life 2003
35

Character:
Andre Marek
Timeline 2003
41

Character:
Creedy
Reign of Fire 2002
18

Character:
Jackie Junior
Shooters 2002
0

Character:
Attila the Hun
Attila 2001
0

Character:
Dracula
Dracula 2000 2000
23

Character:
Sam
One More Kiss 1999
11

Character:
Yasha
The Cherry Orchard 1999
1

Character:
Jacko
Fast Food 1999
18

Character:
Leading Seaman - HMS Devonshire
Tomorrow Never Dies 1997
6

Character:
Archie Brown
Mrs Brown 1997
0

Character:
Milo Boyd
The Bounty Hunter 2010
35

Character:
Himself - Presenter: Best Screenplay
The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2010
0

Character:
Himself
Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief 2010
19

Character:
Neil Randall
Butterfly on a Wheel 2007
1

Character:
King Leonidas
Guys Choice 2007
0

Character:
Burke
Tale of the Mummy 1998
0

Character:
Peter
Little White Lies 1998
12

Character:
Chris Kumac, photojournalist
Harrison's Flowers 2000
15

Character:
Himself - Interviewee
Eigo de shabera-night 2001
0

Character:
Himself
Hollywood Film Awards 2014
0

Character:
Narrator
NAYA: Legend of the Golden Dolphin 2015
0
0

Character:
The Sea Captain
Tales of the Black Freighter 2009
1

Character:
Captain Charles Belamy
Jewel of the Sahara 2001
0

Character:
Himself - Host / Various
Gerard Butler/Shakira 2009
3

Character:
Himself - Presenter: Best Visual Effects
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards 2010
3

Character:
Voice of James Ashcroft
Shadow Company 2006
16

Character:
Himself
Canada A.M. 1972
0

Character:
Mike Banning
London Has Fallen 2016
24

Character:
Himself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2012
0

Character:
Peter
Please! 2001
0

Character:
Set
Gods of Egypt 2016
26

Character:
Himself
Gerard Butler/Jenny Slate/The 1975 0
0

Character:
Himself
Gerard Butler/Tony Shalhoub/Myq Kaplan 0
0

Character:
King Leonidas
Remakes 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.133 0
1

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Himself
Episode #4.177 0
0

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Himself
The Monaco Grand Prix 0
4

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Himself
Episode #1.29 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.65 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.167 0
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Himself
Episode #1.19 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.52 0
1

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Himself
Episode #1.122 0
6

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Himself
Episode #1.124 0
2

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Himself
Episode #1.129 0
3

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Himself - Guest
Episode #1.51 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #4.17 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #5.193 0
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Himself - Guest
Episode #6.25 0
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Himself - Guest
Episode #8.19 0
0

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Himself
Episode #5.4 0
0

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Himself
Episode #7.1 0
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Himself
Episode #8.6 0
0

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Himself
Episode #8.11 0
0

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Himself
Episode #8.22 0
0

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Himself
Episode #9.33 0
0
0

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Himself
Central Intelligence/Finding Dory 0
0

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Himself
Episode #8.8 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #8.115 0
0

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Himself - Guest
After the Oscars 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #10.338 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #10.352 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Gerard Butler/Meagan Good/Matisyahu/Game Night #3 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Tom Verica/One Direction/Jessie J & 2 Chainz 0
1

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Himself
Episode #10.7 0
4

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Himself
Episode #5.152 0
0

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Himself
Episode #6.32 0
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Himself
Episode #6.34 0
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Himself
Episode #6.49 0
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Himself
Episode #6.50 0
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Himself
Episode #6.51 0
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Himself - Guest
Gerard Butler/Gail Simmons 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.4 0
0

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Himself
Episode #1.96 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Gerard Butler/Karen Gillan/Martin Freeman/Noel Gallagher/Uggie 0
1

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Himself
Compilation 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Tom Cruise/Olga Kurylenko/Gerard Butler/Paramore 0
0

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Himself
Compilation 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #6.186 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #6.198 0
0

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Himself - Guest
Episode #7.43 0
0

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Himself
Episode #7.49 0
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Himself - Guest
Live Finale 0
3

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Himself
Episode #2.240 0
0

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Himself
Episode #3.225 0
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Himself
Episode #3.226 0
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Himself
Episode #4.50 0
0

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Himself
Episode #4.62 0
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Himself
Episode #4.126 0
0

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Himself
Episode #4.130 0
0

Character:
Himself - Guest
Episode #17.11 0
0

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Himself
Will Forte/Gerard Butler/M. Ward 0
0

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Himself
Episode #2.8 0
0

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Himself
The leading information resource for the entertainment industry 0
0

Character:
Capt. Joe Glass
Hunter Killer 2017
0