Brendan Gleeson was born in Dublin, Ireland, to Pat and Frank Gleeson. From a very young age, he loved to learn, especially reading classical text in and outside the classroom. He took great attention to Irish play writers such as 'Samuel Beckett' . Ever since, he has continued to bring his huge stage presence to the screen, always delivering the character in full development to his audience. He is married to his lovely wife, Mary, since 1982. They have four sons.
He is a fine fiddle player and can be seen playing it in Michael Collins and also in Cold Mountain .
He has four sons from his marriage to Mary Gleeson: Domhnall Gleeson , Fergus Gleeson , Brian Gleeson and Rory Gleeson. Appeared with all his sons in the Irish television special Immaturity for Charity .
He was a teacher for 10 years before becoming an actor.
Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford Upon Avon, England, in the late eighties for two seasons where his credits included King Lear and King Richard II.
Participated in the Dublin Shakespeare Theatre Festival the during mid-eighties.
Plays a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . This makes him the first, and to date, only actor to play a Hogwarts professor who has himself been employed as a teacher.
He started acting at the age of 34.
Taught Maths at St. Josephs Secondary school in Fairview, Dublin.
He played Irish leader Michael Collins in The Treaty . He later had a supporting role in the biopic Michael Collins .
He taught English, Irish & Physical Education at Belcamp College Secondary School in Dublin.
He has starred in feature films with two of his sons: Studs and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 with his eldest son Domhnall Gleeson , and The Tigers Tail with his second youngest, Brian Gleeson.
Played British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in Into the Storm . In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , he appears with Timothy Spall and Robert Hardy , both of whom have also played Churchill.
He worked with the three actors before they were cast as the Doctor in "Doctor Who" before they were cast in the role. He was worked with Christopher Eccleston in 28 Days Later... , with David Tennant in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and with Matt Smith in In Bruges .
He is the only actor from the "Harry Potter" films to have co-starred with Daniel Radcliffe in his feature debut The Tailor of Panama .
He has worked 8 directors who have won an Oscar for Best Director: Ron Howard , Mel Gibson , Steven Spielberg , Martin Scorsese , Danny Boyle , Anthony Minghella , Robert Zemeckis , and Robert Redford.
[on In Bruges (2008) ] A real test of our acting ability.
The horror of a death without dignity has so much implications for the,people who are left behind.
I loved teaching. And I always used to say that acting was just,something I did purely on my own terms, and that if I had to make a,living from it there would be too much pressure.
I started hitching about the country when I was 16 or 17 years old. I,found the music that was played around the country - Irish music - had,a particular resonance.
You can channel a lot within a comic framework, and I think,The Guard (2011) had a lot going on outside of the comedy, which,is satisfying.
It has been a love of mine since I was 17 maybe.
