Kim Coates
A character actor with a fearsome intensity who found his signature role as the loyal, volatile biker Tig Trager after decades of playing tough guys.
Born 1958 (age 68)·Canadian-American actor·Birthday: February 21·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kim Coates didn't just play tough; he had the athletic pedigree to back it up. A champion sprinter from Saskatchewan, he initially pursued a track scholarship before the stage called him to the National Theatre School of Canada. For years, he was a working actor's actor, building a formidable resume playing cops, criminals, and soldiers in films like 'The Last Boy Scout' and 'Black Hawk Down,' and on TV shows like 'Prison Break.' His raw, unpredictable energy made him a memorable presence, but it was the role of Alexander 'Tig' Trager on 'Sons of Anarchy' that transformed him. As the fiercely loyal, psychologically scarred, and often terrifying sergeant-at-arms of the SAMCRO motorcycle club, Coates brought shocking vulnerability to the violence, creating one of television's most complex antiheroes. The role made him a fan favorite and proved his leading man chops, leading to starring roles in series like 'Bad Blood.' Whether on a Shakespearean stage or a gritty crime drama, Coates operates with a physical and emotional commitment that is impossible to ignore.
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.
Kim was born in 1958, 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 Kim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Kim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
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
1974Could drive
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
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
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
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Alexander 'Tig' Trager for all seven seasons of the hit FX series 'Sons of Anarchy,' a role that defined his career.
- Starred as real-life Montreal mob boss Declan Gardiner in the Canadian television drama 'Bad Blood.'
- Has a prolific film career spanning over 100 credits, including roles in major films like 'Black Hawk Down' and 'Pearl Harbor.'
- Maintains a strong connection to theater, having performed in numerous stage productions, including Shakespeare's 'Macbeth.'
Did You Know?
He was a champion sprinter in Canada, holding junior records in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.
He is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.
He played the villain in the music video for Aerosmith's 'Livin' on the Edge.'
He is a dedicated fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders CFL team.
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