- Born
- Height5′ 8¼″ (1.73 m)
- Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Ewen Bremner has worked with many of the most respected directors in world cinema, including Danny Boyle, Mike Leigh, Ridley Scott, Joon-Ho Bong, Werner Herzog and Woody Allen. Ewen has established himself by creating unique characters in critically acclaimed films, as well as going toe to toe with many of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Bremner had worked widely in theatre, television, and film for years before being cast in his breakout role in Trainspotting (1996), by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle. Having originated the role of Mark Renton in Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre production, Bremner then made waves opposite Ewan McGregor playing Spud Murphy and earned screen immortality with his character's infamous "speed fueled" job interview scene.
Prior to Trainspotting, Bremner gave a striking performance in Mike Leigh's Naked, starring opposite David Thewlis. In 1999, Bremner received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a schizophrenic man living with his dysfunctional family in Harmony Korine's Julien Donkey-Boy. Filmed strictly in accordance with the ultra-realist tenants of Lars Von Trier's Dogma 95 movement and starring opposite Werner Herzog, Bremner played Julien its eponymous hero, requiring him to assume an American accent. He then worked with director Michael Bay in his high-profile 2001 war film Pearl Harbor (2001), proving his versatility once again by portraying the role of a wholeheartedly patriotic American soldier fighting in WWII. The following year, he stepped back into fatigues for a supporting role in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down (2001), while rounding out the next several years with roles in high-profile Hollywood releases such as The Rundown (2003), Disney's Around the World in 80 Days (2004), Alien vs. Predator (2004) Woody Allen's Match Point (2005), the comedy Death at a Funeral (2007) directed by Frank Oz, and Fool's Gold (2005) starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson.
This past year proved to be a busy one when Bremner was invited to join the DC Universe in the Zack Snyder-produced feature Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins, co-starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, and set for release by Warner Bros. in the summer of 2017. Ewen would also reprise his unforgettable role as "Spud" in the highly-anticipated sequel to Danny Boyle's cult classic, T2: Trainspotting, for Sony due out early 2017. He rounded out the year with the feature The Lake, produced by Luc Besson.
Currently (2017), Bremner is filming the TNT Drama Series Will with Shekhar Kapur, produced by Craig Pearce, whose writing credits include the feature films The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom. The series will tell the story of the lost years of young William Shakespeare after his arrival to London in 1589.
Other notable film credits include Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, David Mackenzie's Perfect Sense starring again alongside Ewan McGregor, Great Expectations directed by Mike Newell, Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer, and Snowpiercer directed by Bong Joon-Ho and starring opposite Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton. Further credits include Exodus: Gods and Kings, Wide Open Spaces, Mojo, Mediator, Faintheart, Hallam Foe, Sixteen Years of Alcohol, and Snatch.
In television, Ewen has worked on many acclaimed productions including David Hare's Worriker trilogy starring Bill Nighy for BBC, Jimmy McGovern's Moving On and also his Australian mini-series Banished, Strike Back for Sky TV, Dominic Savage's Dive, the Dylan Thomas biopic, A Poet In New York and the adaptation of Day of the Triffids for the BBC. Other noteworthy series appearances include portraying legendary surrealist Salvador Dali in the U.K. television drama Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dali, and a guest spot on the successful NBC series, My Name is Earl.
Ewen has worked extensively in theatre and his credits include God of Hell (Donmar Warehouse), Damascus (Traverse), Trainspotting (Citizens/Traverse/Bush Theatres), The Present (Bush Theatre), Gormenghast (Lyric Hammersmith), Bright Light Shinning (Bush Theatre) and Conquest of the South Pole (Traverse/Royal Court) among others.
He currently spends his time between Scotland and New York.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
- Children
- After working with Harmony Korine on Julien Donkey-Boy (1999), Ewen returned home and named his new-born daughter "Harmony" (Harmony Rose Bremner).
- Frequently plays characters who are physically assaulted in some way. His hand was cut in Trainspotting (1996), he was dragged by his head in a moving car in Snatch (2000), he became deafened by gunfire from a light machine gun in Black Hawk Down (2001), he was viciously beaten numerous times in Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and his arm was broken into pieces after being frozen in Snowpiercer (2013).
- Denmark connection: he has acted in "Prince of Jutland" and "Skagerrak" directed and produced by Danes, he has had a minor role in "Langt fra Las Vegas" the most successful sitcom in Denmark, and even starred in "Julien Donkey-Boy" which was made by the Danish concept "Dogma 95". Besides that he has appeared alongside several Danish actors in films as Alien vs. Predator, Black Hawk Down, Skagerrak and Prince of Jutland!.
- He was romantically involved with his Skin (1995) co-star Marcia Rose, and they had a child, Harmony Rose Bremner who later became an actress.
- Whatever I do, it's crucial to me that I give it 100 per cent. It doesn't matter if it's a short film, stage, theatre, TV or blockbuster. It doesn't matter what level of budget or prestige it is.
- If I'm not working, I have home time with my family, and if I spend that stressing what's going to happen next, then it's a waste. I have a lot to be thankful for.
- I turned down plenty of films which proved to be hugely successful. And, of course, I've also had plenty of experiences where everyone thought we were doing brilliant work and it ended up pretty horrific. Same as any actor, really.
- Basically, movies come down to economics, and they're always too expensive. From a producer's point of view, an actor is either going to make him money or save him money.
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