Iain Glen
A Scottish actor of formidable presence, equally convincing as a noble knight in exile or a chilling corporate villain.
Born 1961 (age 65)·Scottish actor·Birthday: June 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Iain Glen possesses a voice that seems hewn from Scottish granite and a bearing that commands any scene he enters. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he built a formidable career on British stage and screen, winning a Silver Bear at Berlin for his very first film role. While he excelled in period dramas and literary adaptations, his role as the fiercely loyal, lovelorn knight Ser Jorah Mormont in 'Game of Thrones' introduced him to a global audience, earning him deep affection. He has never been pinned to a single type, moving seamlessly from the heroic vulnerability of Jorah to the cold menace of the 'Resident Evil' films' Dr. Isaacs. Whether in the titular role of Irish TV's 'Jack Taylor' or on the London stage, Glen brings a grounded, intelligent intensity that makes every character compelling.
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.
Iain was born in 1961, 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 Iain Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Iain's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival for his debut film role in 'Silent Scream.'
- Played Ser Jorah Mormont across all eight seasons of HBO's landmark series 'Game of Thrones.'
- Portrayed the title character in the Irish television film series 'Jack Taylor,' based on Ken Bruen's novels.
- Has had a distinguished stage career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in London's West End.
Did You Know?
He is a trained pianist and initially considered a career in music before turning to acting.
He provided the voice for the character of Brother Numpty in the children's animated series 'The Adventures of Portland Bill.'
He and his 'Game of Thrones' co-star Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) later starred together in the play 'The Seagull' in London's West End.
He played the role of King Richard the Lionheart in the 2010 film 'Ironclad.'
“The text is a map, but the performance is the territory we discover.”
