Peter Mullan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Mullan
Mullan in 2005
Born	(1959-11-02) 2 November 1959 (age 65) Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Occupation	Actor filmmaker
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Ann Swan ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2006)​
Children	4

Peter Mullan (born 1959) is a Scottish actor and filmmaker. He is known for playing a wide variety of characters in movies and television shows. You might recognize him as the Death Eater Corban Yaxley in the Harry Potter films or as the Dwarf King Durin III in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Mullan has also appeared in many other famous films. These include Braveheart (1995), Trainspotting (1996), War Horse (2011), and Hostiles (2017). He has also directed his own award-winning movies, such as The Magdalene Sisters (2002).

Early Life and Education

Peter Mullan was born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on November 2, 1959. He was the seventh of eight children. His mother, Patricia, was a nurse, and his father, Charles, was a lab technician at the University of Glasgow. His family was working-class and later moved to Mosspark, a neighborhood in Glasgow.

Mullan had a difficult childhood. His father had health problems and died when Mullan was 17. As a teenager, Mullan sometimes got into trouble. Despite these challenges, he focused on his education. He went to the University of Glasgow to study economic history and drama. It was at university that he discovered his passion for acting on stage.

Career

After graduating from university, Peter Mullan continued to act in plays. Soon, he began getting roles in movies, often working with other famous Scottish actors.

Acting in Film and Television

Mullan's early film roles included parts in Riff-Raff (1991) and Shallow Grave (1994). He also appeared in the hit movie Trainspotting (1996). A major breakthrough came in 1998 with the film My Name Is Joe. His performance earned him the Best Actor Award at the famous 1998 Cannes Film Festival.

Mullan is well-known for his roles in major movie franchises. He played Corban Yaxley, one of Lord Voldemort's followers, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. He also played Ted Narracott in the Steven Spielberg film War Horse (2011).

He has also had a successful career in television. He starred in the TV series The Fixer and played a key role in the mystery series Top of the Lake. For his work in Top of the Lake, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. More recently, he appeared in popular shows like Ozark and Westworld.

In 2022, Mullan joined the cast of the Amazon Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. He plays King Durin III, the ruler of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm.

Directing Films

Besides acting, Peter Mullan is also a talented filmmaker. He writes and directs his own movies, which are often serious and thought-provoking. His first film as a director was Orphans, which won several awards.

In 2002, he directed The Magdalene Sisters. The film tells a powerful story about young women in Ireland. It was a huge success and won the Golden Lion, the top prize at the 59th Venice International Film Festival.

Another one of his successful films is Neds (2010). This movie also won a major award, the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Mullan is one of the few people to have won top awards at major European film festivals for both his acting and his directing.

Personal Life and Activism

Peter Mullan has four children. He was married to Ann Swan from 1989 to 2006. He is currently in a relationship with New Zealand actress Robyn Malcolm, whom he met while filming Top of the Lake.

Mullan is known for his strong political beliefs. He describes himself as a Marxist and supports socialist causes. This means he believes in a society where resources are shared more equally among people. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was part of a theater movement in Scotland that used plays to talk about social issues.

He has often spoken out on political topics. He was a supporter of the Yes Scotland campaign, which wanted Scotland to become an independent country in 2014. He has also criticized news organizations like the BBC for what he saw as unfair reporting on the campaign.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Peter Mullan para niños