James Cosmo

Biography

James Cosmo is a Scottish actor whose career has centered on character work and supporting parts in film and television. He was born in Clydebank and took Cosmo, his mother's middle name, as a stage surname early on. He is best known for playing Angus MacLeod in Highlander (1986), Campbell in Braveheart (1995), and Father Christmas in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). His other films include Trainspotting (1996), The Last Legion (2007), and Ben-Hur (2016), and he appeared in Troy alongside Sean Bean and Julian Glover. On television he played Father Kellan Ashby in the third season of Sons of Anarchy, a role in Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2013, Farder Coram in His Dark Materials, and Luka Gocharov in the third season of Jack Ryan. In 2017 he was a Celebrity Big Brother contestant, finishing fourth.

78years old

Turns 79 on May 24in 223 days

Born May 24, 1948Clydebank
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
James Ronald Gordon Copeland (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 49
Career span: 53 years1972 to 2025

Genres

Drama41%, 20 films
Action29%, 14 films
Adventure29%, 14 films
Comedy29%, 14 films
Horror20%, 10 films

First and latest

Photos

James Cosmo movies on Netflix

Salvable2025IMDb rating 5.8as Welly
El mal con el que vivo2024IMDb rating 4.3as Waylon
The Last Redemption2024IMDb rating 6.1as Lord Goran
My Sailor, My Love2022IMDb rating 7.1as Howard
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol2022IMDb rating 6.2as Mr. Fezziwig (voice)
The Kindred2021IMDb rating 4.7as Frank Menzies
Skylines2020IMDb rating 4.8as Grant
Get Duked!2019IMDb rating 6.2as Farmer
The Hole in the Ground2019IMDb rating 5.7as Des Brady
Ashes in the Snow2018IMDb rating 6.6as Mr. Stakas
In Darkness2018IMDb rating 5.8as Niall
Malevolent2018IMDb rating 4.9as Grandpa
Outlaw King2018IMDb rating 6.9as Robert Bruce Senior
London Heist2017IMDb rating 5.1as Ray
T2 Trainspotting2017IMDb rating 7.1as Renton's Father
Ben-Hur2016IMDb rating 5.7as Quintus Arius
Dark Signal2016IMDb rating 4.4as Alan
Eliminators2016IMDb rating 5.6as Cooper
Project 12: The Bunker2016IMDb rating 3.4as Brian Balanowsky
Whisky Galore2016IMDb rating 5.9as Macalister the Minister
Moonwalkers2015IMDb rating 6.1as Dawson
The Legend of Barney Thomson2015IMDb rating 6.3as James Henderson
We Still Kill the Old Way2014IMDb rating 6.0as Arthur
Hammer of the Gods2013IMDb rating 4.5as King Bagsecg
Justin and the Knights of Valour2013IMDb rating 6.0as Blucher (voice)
The Christmas Candle2013IMDb rating 6.3as Herbert Hopewell
Citadel2012IMDb rating 5.5as Priest
Outcast2010IMDb rating 5.3as Laird
The Last Legion2007IMDb rating 5.4as Hrothgar
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising2007IMDb rating 4.8as Dawson
Free Jimmy2006IMDb rating 5.9as HudMaSpecs
Half Light2006IMDb rating 6.0as Finlay Murray
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2005IMDb rating 6.9as Father Christmas
One Last Chance2004IMDb rating 5.8as Big John
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands2002IMDb rating 6.2as Billy
The Four Feathers2002IMDb rating 6.5as Col. Sutch
All the Queen's Men2001IMDb rating 4.8as Archie
To End All Wars2001IMDb rating 6.9as Lt. Col. Stuart McLean
The Match1999IMDb rating 6.2as Billy Bailey
Babe: Pig in the City1998IMDb rating 5.9as Thelonius (voice)
Emma1996IMDb rating 6.6as Mr Weston
Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1as Mr. Renton
Braveheart1995IMDb rating 8.3as Campbell
Treasure Island1990IMDb rating 7.0as Redruth
Stormy Monday1988IMDb rating 6.2as Tony
Biggles: Adventures in Time1986IMDb rating 5.6as German Soldier
Highlander1986IMDb rating 7.0as Angus MacLeod
The Stone Tape1972IMDb rating 6.3as Cliff Dow
Young Winston1972IMDb rating 6.7as Officer on Train

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Braveheart1995 Biography, Drama, Historyas Campbell
IMDb rating 8.31.2M votes
Trainspotting1996 Dramaas Mr. Renton
IMDb rating 8.1775K votes
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2005as Father Christmas
IMDb rating 6.9462K votes
The Hole in the Ground2019as Des Brady
IMDb rating 5.725K votes
Outlaw King2018as Robert Bruce Senior
IMDb rating 6.989K votes
T2 Trainspotting2017as Renton's Father
IMDb rating 7.1143K votes
The Last Redemption2024as Lord Goran
IMDb rating 6.17.9K votes
Citadel2012as Priest
IMDb rating 5.57.6K votes

Most often with

Danny Boyle directed two of these films, David L. Cunningham two. Robert Carlyle appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Robert Carlyle

Ewan McGregor

Eddie Izzard

Shirley Henderson

Kevin McKidd

Brian Pettifer

Danny BoyleDirector, 2 films David L. CunninghamDirector, 2 films

Films together

Robert Carlyle5 films together, 1996 to 2017
Robert Carlyle's page
- T2 Trainspotting2017IMDb rating 7.1Cosmo as Renton's FatherCarlyle as Begbie / Begbie's Father
- The Legend of Barney Thomson2015IMDb rating 6.3Cosmo as James HendersonCarlyle as Barney Thomson
- Once Upon a Time in the Midlands2002IMDb rating 6.2Cosmo as BillyCarlyle as Jimmy
- To End All Wars2001IMDb rating 6.9Cosmo as Lt. Col. Stuart McLeanCarlyle as Maj. Ian Campbell
- Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1Cosmo as Mr. RentonCarlyle as Begbie
Ewan McGregor3 films together, 1996 to 2017
Ewan McGregor's page
- T2 Trainspotting2017IMDb rating 7.1Cosmo as Renton's FatherMcGregor as Renton
- Emma1996IMDb rating 6.6Cosmo as Mr WestonMcGregor as Frank Churchill
- Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1Cosmo as Mr. RentonMcGregor as Renton
Eddie Izzard3 films together, 2001 to 2019
Eddie Izzard's page
- Get Duked!2019IMDb rating 6.2Cosmo as FarmerIzzard as The Duke
- Whisky Galore2016IMDb rating 5.9Cosmo as Macalister the MinisterIzzard as Captain Wagget
- All the Queen's Men2001IMDb rating 4.8Cosmo as ArchieIzzard as Tony
Shirley Henderson3 films together, 1996 to 2017
Shirley Henderson's page
- T2 Trainspotting2017IMDb rating 7.1Cosmo as Renton's FatherHenderson as Gail
- Once Upon a Time in the Midlands2002IMDb rating 6.2Cosmo as BillyHenderson as Shirley
- Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1Cosmo as Mr. RentonHenderson as Gail
Kevin McKidd3 films together, 1996 to 2007
Kevin McKidd's page
- The Last Legion2007IMDb rating 5.4Cosmo as HrothgarMcKidd as Wulfila
- One Last Chance2004IMDb rating 5.8Cosmo as Big JohnMcKidd as Seany
- Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1Cosmo as Mr. RentonMcKidd as Tommy
Brian Pettifer3 films together, 2015 to 2019
Brian Pettifer's page
- Get Duked!2019IMDb rating 6.2Cosmo as FarmerPettifer as PC Dougie
- Whisky Galore2016IMDb rating 5.9Cosmo as Macalister the MinisterPettifer as Angus
- The Legend of Barney Thomson2015IMDb rating 6.3Cosmo as James HendersonPettifer as Charlie Taylor
Danny BoyleDirector, 2 films, 1996 to 2017
All films by Danny Boyle
- T2 Trainspotting2017IMDb rating 7.1Cosmo as Renton's Father
- Trainspotting1996IMDb rating 8.1Cosmo as Mr. Renton
David L. CunninghamDirector, 2 films, 2001 to 2007
All films by David L. Cunningham
- The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising2007IMDb rating 4.8Cosmo as Dawson
- To End All Wars2001IMDb rating 6.9Cosmo as Lt. Col. Stuart McLean
Also three films together2 more actors
- Kevin GuthrieGet Duked! (2019), Whisky Galore (2016) and The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015)
- Iain RobertsonWhisky Galore (2016), One Last Chance (2004) and The Match (1999)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What James Cosmo's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$1.4 billion

24 of the 49 films have a worldwide figure.

24Worldwide figure
3US gross only
5Never in cinemas
2Streaming, short cinema run
15Figure not found

Top grosser

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2005Father Christmas$745 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 93% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2005as Father Christmas
$745M53.7% of the total
2
Braveheart1995as Campbell
$213M15.4% of the total
3
Ben-Hur2016as Quintus Arius
$94M6.8% of the total
4
Trainspotting1996as Mr. Renton
$72M5.2% of the total
5
Babe: Pig in the City1998as Thelonius (voice)
$69M5.0% of the total
6
T2 Trainspotting2017as Renton's Father
$42M3.0% of the total
7
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising2007as Dawson
$32M2.3% of the total
8
The Four Feathers2002as Col. Sutch
$30M2.2% of the total