Image of Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include the Harry Potter films, Braveheart, Gangs of New York, 28 Days Later, and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty. He won an Emmy award in 2009 for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film Into the Storm. Gleeson was born in Dublin, Ireland and has described himself as having been an avid reader as a child. After leaving school for a short while, he worked for two years in an office with a health board. He then graduated from University College Dublin and went on to Drama School in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Just after completing the 3 Year Acting Drama Course at RADA, Gleeson built a very respectable CV at the Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. Gleeson became known for his tremedous stage presence, particularly while performing in such works of William Shakespeare as King Lear, Richard III, and Hamlet. Gleeson started his film career at the age of 34. He first came to prominence in Ireland for his role as Michael Collins in The Treaty a television film broadcast on RTÉ One, and for which he won a Jacob's Award in 1992. Gleeson has subsequently acted in more than 60 films including Braveheart, I Went Down, Michael Collins, Gangs of New York, Cold Mountain, 28 Days Later, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, Lake Placid, Artificial Intelligence: AI and The Village. He won critical acclaim for his performance as Irish gangster Martin Cahill in John Boorman's 1998 film The General. Gleeson lives in Malahide, County Dublin. He is a talented fiddle player, with an interest in Irish folklore. He can be found from time to time playing at traditional music seisiúins in Hughes' pub in Chancery Street in Dublin 7. His brother, Barry Gleeson, is a well-known singer in An Góilín traditional singers' club, and his son Domhnall is an actor. Gleeson is known for his love of football and recounts tales of attempting to get a clear radio reception so he could listen to how his team, Aston Villa, were faring on a Saturday.


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Born:
Mar 29, 1955 In Dublin, Ireland
Movie/TV Credits:
88
First Appeared:
In the movie Sexual Healing
Latest Project:
Movie Joker: Folie à Deux 2024-10-01
Known For
Filmography
Movie Sexual Healing Freddy Cousaert 2025
Movie Joker: Folie à Deux Jackie Sullivan 2024-10-01
Movie The Banshees of Inisherin Colm Doherty 2022-10-20
Movie The Tragedy of Macbeth Duncan 2021-12-05
Series The Comey Rule Donald Trump 2020-09-27
Series State of the Union Scott 2019-05-06
Movie Frankie Jimmy 2019-08-28
Movie Lost Lives 2019-10-10
Movie The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Irishman (segment "The Mortal Remains") 2018-11-09
Movie Psychic Jeremiah 2018-07-15
Movie Captain Morten and the Spider Queen Captain Vicks (voice) 2018-08-15
Movie Hampstead Donald Horner 2017-06-23
Series Mr. Mercedes Detective Bill Hodges 2017-08-09
Movie Paddington 2 Knuckles McGinty 2017-11-09
Movie Live by Night Thomas Coughlin 2016-12-25
Movie Alone in Berlin Otto Quangel 2016-02-15
Movie Trespass Against Us Colby Culter 2016-10-14
Movie Assassin's Creed Joseph Lynch 2016-12-21
Movie Pursuit Searbhán 2015-07-10
Movie In the Heart of the Sea Old Thomas Nickerson 2015-12-03
Movie Suffragette Arthur Steed 2015-10-16
Movie Calvary Father James Lavelle 2014-04-11
Movie Edge of Tomorrow General Brigham 2014-05-27
Movie Song of the Sea Conor / Mac Lir (voice) 2014-06-23
Movie Stonehearst Asylum The Alienist 2014-10-23
Movie The Grand Seduction Murray French 2014-05-30
Movie The Smurfs 2 Victor Doyle 2013-07-30
Series 1916 Seachtar Dearmadta Glór 2013-11-06
Movie Safe House David Barlow 2012-02-08
Movie The Raven Colonel Hamilton 2012-03-09
Movie So You Want To Be A Pirate! The Pirate With Gout 2012-07-09
Movie The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! Pirate with Gout (voice) 2012-03-12
Movie The Company You Keep Henry Osborne 2012-12-20
Movie The Guard Sergeant Gerry Boyle 2011-07-07
Movie The Cup Dermot Weld 2011-11-13
Movie Albert Nobbs Dr. Holloran 2011-12-21
Movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody 2010-11-17
Movie Green Zone Martin Brown 2010-03-11
Movie Noreen Con Keogh 2010-06-24
Movie The Secret of Kells Abbot Cellach (voice) 2009-02-09
Movie Into the Storm Winston Churchill 2009-05-31
Movie Perrier's Bounty Darren Perrier 2009-09-11
Movie In Bruges Ken Daley 2008-02-08
Movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody 2007-07-08
Movie Black Irish Desmond McKay 2007-10-26
Movie Beowulf Wiglaf 2007-11-05
Movie The Tiger's Tail Liam O'Leary 2006-09-26
Movie The Path to Redemption Self 2006-01-01
Movie Studs Walter Keegan 2006-03-16
Movie Deconstructing 'The Village' Self 2005-01-11
Movie Breakfast on Pluto John Joe Kenny 2005-11-16
Movie Kingdom of Heaven Reynald de Chatillon 2005-05-03
Movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody 2005-11-16
Movie In My Country De Jagar 2004-05-04
Movie Troy Menelaos 2004-05-13
Movie The Village August Nicholson 2004-07-30
Movie Six Shooter Donnelly 2004-10-14
Movie Cold Mountain Stobrod Thewes 2003-12-24
Movie 28 Days Later Frank 2002-10-31
Movie Dark Blue Jack van Meter 2002-12-14
Movie Gangs of New York Walter "Monk" McGinn 2002-12-14
Movie Cáca Milis Paul 2001-03-16
Movie The Tailor of Panama Mickie Abraxas 2001-03-30
Movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence Lord Johnson-Johnson 2001-06-29
Movie Harrison's Flowers Marc Stevenson 2000-09-23
Movie Mission: Impossible II McCloy 2000-05-24
Movie Saltwater Simple Simon 2000-09-29
Movie Wild About Harry Harry McKee 2000-12-31
Movie Sweety Barrett Sweety Barrett 1999-04-16
Movie Lake Placid Sheriff Hank Keough 1999-07-15
Movie My Life So Far Jim Menzies 1999-08-25
Movie This Is My Father Garda Jim 1999-05-07
Movie The General Martin Cahill 1998-05-01
Movie The Butcher Boy Father Bubbles 1998-02-20
Movie I Went Down Bunny Kelly 1997-10-03
Movie A Further Gesture Richard 1997-01-01
Movie Turbulence Stubbs 1997-01-09
Movie Trojan Eddie Ginger 1996-09-09
Movie Spaghetti Slow Frank Ferguson 1996-11-09
Movie Michael Collins Liam Tobin 1996-10-25
Movie Braveheart Hamish Campbell 1995-05-24
Movie The Snapper Lester 1993-08-06
Movie Love Lies Bleeding Thomas Macken 1993-06-14
Movie Far and Away Social Club Policeman 1992-05-22
Movie Into the West Inspector Bolger 1992-10-23
Movie The Treaty Michael Collins 1991-12-05
Movie The Field Quarryman 1990-09-21
Movie Dear Sarah Brendan Dowd 1990-02-07