Gerard Butler Facts
Every verified fact about Gerard Butler in one place: full name, date and place of birth, education, career timeline, production company, awards, franchise roles and charity work. Maintained as the reference record for the actor and producer behind 300, the Has Fallen series, How to Train Your Dragon and Greenland.
1969
Year of birth40+
Feature films4
Major franchises1992
Active sinceKey facts
| Full name | Gerard James Butler |
| Born | 13 November 1969 · Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish (British) |
| Occupations | Actor · film producer |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Debut film | Mrs Brown (1997) |
| Breakthrough role | King Leonidas in 300 (2006) |
| Education | University of Glasgow (law) · Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Production company | G-BASE Film Production, co-founded 2008 with Alan Siegel |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), widely reported |
| Signature roles | Leonidas, Mike Banning, Stoick the Vast, The Phantom, Clyde Shelton, Big Nick O'Brien, John Garrity |
| Feature films in this archive | 32 with dedicated pages; 40+ across the full career |
| Charity | Global Ambassador for Mary's Meals; supporter of Direct Relief |
From Glasgow law to Hollywood
- 1992–1996 — Studies law at the University of Glasgow and trains at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; works briefly in a Glasgow law firm.
- 1997 — Screen debut in Mrs Brown, followed by the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.
- 2000–2001 — Leads as Count Dracula in Dracula 2000 and Attila the Hun in the miniseries Attila.
- 2004 — Plays Erik in Joel Schumacher's The Phantom of the Opera.
- 2006 — 300 makes him a global star; wins the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight in 2007.
- 2010 — Begins voicing Stoick the Vast in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
- 2013–2019 — Plays Secret Service agent Mike Banning across Olympus, London and Angel Has Fallen.
- 2018 — Launches the Den of Thieves franchise as Big Nick O'Brien.
- 2020–2023 — Leads Greenland, Copshop, Last Seen Alive, Plane and Kandahar.
- 2025 — Reprises Stoick in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, returns in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, appears in In the Hand of Dante.
- 2026 — Returns as John Garrity in Greenland 2: Migration (released 9 January 2026), which he also produced.
Awards & nominations
| Year | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | MTV Movie Award for Best Fight | 300 — Leonidas vs. the Uber-Immortal | Won |
| 2007 | Taurus World Stunt Award, Action Movie Star of the Year | 300 | Won |
| 2007 | Empire Award for Best Actor | 300 | Nominated |
| 2016 | Golden Camera, Best International Actor | Career achievement (Germany) | Won |
Continue the record
Frequently asked questions about Gerard Butler
How old is Gerard Butler?
Gerard Butler was born on 13 November 1969 in Paisley, Scotland, which makes him 56 years old as of October 2026.
What is Gerard Butler's full name?
His full name is Gerard James Butler. He is the youngest of three children born to Margaret and Edward Butler.
Where was Gerard Butler born?
He was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and grew up in Paisley before his family moved to Montreal, Canada, for a period in his teens.
What was Gerard Butler's first film?
His screen debut was in Mrs Brown (1997), followed that year by a small role in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.
What is Gerard Butler best known for?
He is best known for 300 (2006), the Has Fallen trilogy, the How to Train Your Dragon films, The Phantom of the Opera (2004), Law Abiding Citizen, Den of Thieves and Greenland.
Did Gerard Butler study law?
Yes. He studied law at the University of Glasgow and served as president of its law society before training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and turning to acting full time.
Is Gerard Butler married?
Gerard Butler is not married and has no publicly known children. He has consistently kept his private life out of the press.
What production company does Gerard Butler own?
He co-founded G-BASE Film Production in 2008 with his manager Alan Siegel. Its credits include Law Abiding Citizen, Olympus Has Fallen, Greenland, Plane and Greenland 2: Migration.
How tall is Gerard Butler?
Gerard Butler is widely reported to be 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall.
What charity does Gerard Butler support?
He is a long-standing Global Ambassador for Mary's Meals, the Scottish charity that provides school meals to more than 2.4 million children, and he supports disaster relief through Direct Relief.