Ewan McGregor in Beginners
Ewan McGregor has enjoyed a career that has spanned almost twenty years and in that time he has never stayed in one genre.
He has moved for British cult movies such as Trainspotting to the musical with Moulin Rouge and from blockbusters such as Star Wars to the war movie with Black Hawk Down.
To celebrate the release of his new movie Beginners we take a look back over his career.
- Trainspotting (1996)
McGregor may have kicked his career off in 1993 but it was 1996 and Trainspotting, which was directed by Danny Boyle, that really kicked off his career.
Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.
The movie was a critical hit and has since become a cult hit and one of the most influential British movies of all time
- Brassed Off (1996)
That same year he teamed up with filmmaker Mark Herman for Brassed Off, which also starred Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Stephen Tomkinson.
A coaliery brass band tries to win a national competition while their local coal mine faces the prospect of a shutdown.
- Star Wars: Episode I - the Phantom Menace (1999)
The big budget blockbuster beckoned in 1999 as he took on the role of Obi-Wan-Kenobi, a role made famous by Alec Guinness.
It was the first Star Wars movie in over twenty years, but was a prequel to the eighties movies, and the excitement surrounding the movie reached fever pitch.
While reviews of the movie were mixed fans of the franchise flocked to cinemas in their droves and the movie made in excess of $924 million.
It remains the biggest grossing movie of the franchise.
- Moulin Rouge (2001)
In 2001 McGregor teamed up with Nicole Kidman to tackle the musical as he took on the role of Christian in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.
The movie showed off McGregor’s singing talent as well as his acting and the great partnership with Kidman made this a well loved movie.
The movie went on to be nominated for Best Picture but picked up the Golden Globe for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy.
- Big Fish (2003)
Now Tim Burton has made many a good movie over the year but Big Fish has to be my personal favourite as McGregor teamed up with the maverick filmmaker for the first time.
The movie was based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and follows the life of Edward Bloom, played both my McGregor and Albert Finney.
A son tries to learn more about his dying father by reliving stories and myths he told about his life.
The movie was a rip-roaring success both critically and commercially and featured on many award shortlists that year.
- Angels & Demons (2009)
Angels & Demons saw Dan Brown’s popular novel adapted for the big screen as Ron Howard returned to the director’s chair - after directing The Da Vinci Code.
Tom Hanks reprised the role of Robert Langdon while McGregor took on the part of Camerlengo Patrick McKenna.
While the movie received mixed reviews from the critics it was a hit at the box office opening at #1 in America - the movie went on to gross over $485 million worldwide.
- Beginners (2011)
Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna only months after his father Hal has passed away.
This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who -- following 44 years of marriage -- came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life.
The upheavals of Hal's new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they'd ever been able to be.
Now Oliver endeavours to love Anna with all the bravery, humour, and hope that his father taught him.
Beginners is out 22nd July
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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