Gerard Butler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gerard Butler
Butler in 2016
Born	Gerard James Butler (1969-11-13) 13 November 1969 (age 55) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Alma mater	University of Glasgow Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Occupation	Actor film producer
Years active	1992–present
Works	Full list

Gerard James Butler (born 13 November 1969) is a Scottish actor and movie producer. He is famous for playing powerful heroes and tough characters in many popular films.

First, he studied to be a lawyer. Then, he decided to become an actor in the mid-1990s. He started with small parts in movies like Mrs Brown (1997) and the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). He later starred as the famous vampire in Dracula 2000.

Butler became very well-known for playing the brave King Leonidas in the action movie 300 (2007). Many people also know him as the voice of Stoick the Vast, Hiccup's father, in the animated movie series How to Train Your Dragon. He has also starred as Secret Service agent Mike Banning in the Has Fallen action movies.

Early Life and Education

Gerard James Butler was born in Paisley, Scotland, on 13 November 1969. He is the youngest of three children. His family is of Irish heritage. When he was a baby, his family moved to Montreal, Canada. A year later, his mother returned to Scotland with him.

Butler was a great student and became the head boy at St Mirin's & St Margaret's High School. He was so smart that he earned a spot at the University of Glasgow School of Law. As a teenager, he also loved acting and joined the Scottish Youth Theatre.

Before his last year of law school, Butler took a year off and lived in California. After that, he returned to Scotland to finish his law degree. As a child, he had surgery on his ear. Because of this, he has hearing loss in his right ear.

From Law to the Big Screen

Starting a New Path

After graduating from law school, Butler worked as a trainee lawyer in Edinburgh. But he dreamed of becoming an actor. At age 25, he moved to London to follow his dream of acting.

At first, it was hard to find acting jobs. He worked as a waiter and a toy demonstrator to support himself. He eventually got his first professional acting role in a play called Coriolanus. The director was impressed by his energy and passion. Less than a year later, he acted in a stage version of Trainspotting. At age 30, he moved to Los Angeles to find roles in movies.

Becoming a Movie Star

Butler at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival

Butler's movie career began with small parts. He was in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). In 2000, he landed two big roles. He played Attila the Hun in a TV miniseries and starred as the main character in Dracula 2000.

He then appeared in action movies like Reign of Fire (2002) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003) with Angelina Jolie. He also starred in the science fiction film Timeline (2003), where he played an archaeologist who travels back in time.

A major role came in 2004 when director Joel Schumacher cast him as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. Butler had never had professional singing lessons before, but he worked hard with a voice coach. His performance earned him a nomination for a Satellite Award for Best Actor.

Famous Movie Roles

The King of Sparta in 300

In 2006, Butler's career soared when he played Spartan King Leonidas in the movie 300. This is often called his breakthrough role. To get ready for the part, Butler trained hard for four months to look like a powerful warrior king. The movie was a huge success and made him a global star.

Action, Comedy, and Animation

Butler in 2013

After 300, Butler starred in many different kinds of movies. He was in the romantic comedy P.S. I Love You (2007) and the adventure film Nim's Island (2008). In 2010, he voiced the character Stoick the Vast in the hit animated movie How to Train Your Dragon. He returned to voice Stoick in the sequels, How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019).

In 2013, Butler began playing Secret Service agent Mike Banning in the action movie Olympus Has Fallen. He played the character again in the sequels London Has Fallen (2016) and Angel Has Fallen (2019). He has also starred in other action films like Hunter Killer (2018), Greenland (2020), and Plane (2023).

It was announced that Butler will play Stoick again in the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, which was released in 2025.

Personal Life and Interests

Gerard Butler splits his time between Los Angeles and Glasgow, Scotland. In 2011, while filming Chasing Mavericks, he had a surfing accident and was taken to the hospital. He recovered and was released a few days later.

Butler is a big fan of the Celtic F.C. football club, which he has supported since he was a boy. In 2011, he played in a charity soccer match for the team. He also supports the Scotland rugby team.

He is involved in charity work and has supported an organization called Mary's Meals since 2010. This charity helps feed children in poor countries. In 2018, his home in California was destroyed in a large wildfire, but he was safe.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Gerard Butler para niños