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IMDbPro

Brendan Gleeson

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 500102
Brendan Gleeson in Safe House (2012)
'The Banshees of Inisherin' brings Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and writer/director Martin McDonagh together again 14 years after making dark comedy cult classic 'In Bruges' (2008). Farrell discusses what it's like to be brought into one of the distinct worlds created by McDonagh, then Gleeson reveals from where he pulled inspiration to play Colm in this story of a friendship gone sour.
Play clip2:28
Colin Farrell Reunites with Brendan Gleeson and Martin McDonagh
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
Brendan Gleeson was born in Dublin, Ireland, to Pat and Frank Gleeson. From a very young age, he loved to learn, especially reading classical text in and outside the classroom. He took great attention to Irish play writers such as Samuel Beckett, which eventually led to him performing in his high school play production of "Waiting for Godot", and paying great attention to detail in his high school drama classes. Upon finishing 12th grade, he spent a couple of years with the Dublin Shakespeare Festival, and under the advice of a director there, headed across to London and auditioned for drama schools. Soon to follow, he was invited to audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon, and spent a couple of seasons back in England on the stage. He then, at the age of thirty five, decided to audition for films in the UK and began to build a very respectable resume playing many different diverse characters.

He made his debut as a quarryman in The Field (1990). He had several small roles in major Hollywood movies based in Ireland, such as Far and Away (1992) and Into the West (1992). Memorably played historical Irish figure "Michael Collins" in The Treaty (1991). Made his breakthrough in Scottish themed Braveheart (1995), which was largely filmed in Ireland, opposite Mel Gibson. He played Gibson's right-hand man "Hamish". Since then, he has appeared in numerous major films such as Mission: Impossible II (2000), Lake Placid (1999), Turbulence (1997). He has made a name for himself taking the titular role in The General (1998), based on the life of Irish criminal "Martin Cahill", for which he won the Boston Society of Film Critics Award. He appears in director John Boorman's film The Tailor of Panama (2001) as well as Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York (2002) and Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001).

Ever since, he has continued to bring his huge stage presence to the screen, always delivering the character in full development to his audience. He is married to his lovely wife, Mary, since 1982. They have four sons.
BornMarch 29, 1955
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMarch 29, 1955
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 500102
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar

Photos274

Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Hession, and Martin McDonagh in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Jon Kenny, and Pat Shortt in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Jonathan Hession in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Jonathan Hession in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Known for

Brendan Gleeson in Calvary (2014)
Calvary
7.4
  • Father James
  • 2014
Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson in The Guard (2011)
The Guard
7.3
  • Gerry Boyle
  • 2011
Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges (2008)
In Bruges
7.9
  • Ken
  • 2008
Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
The Banshees of Inisherin
7.8
  • Colm Doherty
  • 2022

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Joker: Folie à Deux
    • In Production
  • A Greyhound of a Girl
    • In Production
  • Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
    The Banshees of Inisherin
  • State of the Union (2019)
    State of the Union
  • The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
    The Tragedy of Macbeth
  • Pierce Brosnan in Riverdance: The Animated Adventure (2021)
    Riverdance: The Animated Adventure
    • (voice)
  • Domhnall Gleeson and Brian Gleeson in Frank of Ireland (2021)
    Frank of Ireland
  • Jeff Daniels and Brendan Gleeson in The Comey Rule (2020)
    The Comey Rule
  • Brendan Gleeson in Mr. Mercedes (2017)
    Mr. Mercedes
  • Ghost in the Graveyard (2019)
    Ghost in the Graveyard
  • Marisa Tomei, Isabelle Huppert, Greg Kinnear, and Brendan Gleeson in Frankie (2019)
    Frankie
  • The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
    The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
  • Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian Gleeson, and Pilar Valencia in Psychic (2018)
    Psychic
  • Captain Morten and the Spider Queen (2018)
    Captain Morten and the Spider Queen
    • (voice)
  • Paddington 2 (2017)
    Paddington 2
  • Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson in Hampstead (2017)
    Hampstead
  • Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller, and Elle Fanning in Live by Night (2016)
    Live by Night

Director

  • Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian Gleeson, and Pilar Valencia in Psychic (2018)
    Psychic

Producer

  • Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian Gleeson, and Pilar Valencia in Psychic (2018)
    Psychic

2023 Oscar Nominees In and Out of Character

2023 Oscar Nominees In and Out of Character

Check out our gallery of the 2023 Oscar nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life.
See the full gallery
[object Object]
Photos

Videos110

Colin Farrell Reunites with Brendan Gleeson and Martin McDonagh
Clip 2:28
Colin Farrell Reunites with Brendan Gleeson and Martin McDonagh
"Business"
Clip 1:07
"Business"
"Drop Your Wands"
Clip 1:22
"Drop Your Wands"
"Cafe Attack"
Clip 1:07
"Cafe Attack"
"This Is My Forest" from The Secret of Kells
Clip 1:42
"This Is My Forest" from The Secret of Kells
"Pangur Ban" from The Secret of Kells
Clip 2:32
"Pangur Ban" from The Secret of Kells
"Giant Snake" from The Secret of Kells
Clip 1:46
"Giant Snake" from The Secret of Kells
"Barbarians Attack" from The Secret of Kells
Clip 1:05
"Barbarians Attack" from The Secret of Kells
Assassin's Creed
Clip 0:50
Assassin's Creed
The Grand Seduction
Clip 1:38
The Grand Seduction
The Grand Seduction
Clip 1:21
The Grand Seduction
Calvary
Clip 0:55
Calvary

Personal details

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    • March 29, 1955
    • Dublin, Ireland
    • 1982 - present (4 children)
    • Fergus Gleeson
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Interviews
    • 2 Articles

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    He was a teacher for 10 years before becoming an actor.
  • Quotes
    [on In Bruges (2008)] A real test of our acting ability.
    • Frequently works with fellow Irish actor Liam Neeson
    • The Village
      (2004)
      $1,500,000

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