Brendan Gleeson
A towering, bear-like presence in cinema who brings profound humanity and craggy authenticity to every role, from troubled cops to historical titans.
Born 1955 (age 71)·Irish actor and director·Birthday: March 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Brendan Gleeson didn't set out to be an actor. Born in Dublin in 1955, he spent a decade as a secondary school teacher, a grounding that perhaps informs the deep empathy he brings to his characters. His screen career began in earnest in his late thirties, but he quickly became an indispensable fixture, his formidable physicality and soulful eyes conveying unspoken depths. Whether as the principled, volatile policeman in 'In Bruges', the gruff yet tender warrior in 'Braveheart', or a raw, vulnerable Michael Collins, Gleeson commands the screen with a rare blend of power and subtlety. He has forged a path entirely on his own terms, avoiding Hollywood typecasting to instead become a global ambassador for Irish storytelling, all while raising a family of actors, including his son Domhnall.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brendan was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brendan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Brendan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the television film 'Into the Storm'.
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Martin McDonagh's 'The Banshees of Inisherin'.
- Earned the César Award, France's highest film honor, for his performance in the French-language film 'The Tiger Brigades'.
- Headlined the acclaimed crime drama series 'Mr. Mercedes', bringing Stephen King's complex detective Bill Hodges to life.
Did You Know?
He is a fluent Irish speaker and taught the subject for ten years before pursuing acting full-time.
A skilled fiddle player, he performed his own parts in the film 'The Grand Seduction'.
He turned down a role in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' due to scheduling conflicts with his stage work.
He and his son Domhnall both appeared in the 'Harry Potter' film series, though they never shared a scene.
““The great thing about getting older is you can play the parts that have a bit of meat on them.””
