He is one of Scotland’s most treasured actors having starring in a number of British – and Hollywood – hits over his decades long career.
Born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Carlyle has carved out a career some actors could only dream of since first appearing on the big screen back in the early 1990s.
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Starring in the likes of Trainspotting, Angela’s Ashes, 28 Weeks Later and The Beach, Carlyle has shared the screen with some of the biggest names in showbusiness such as Leonardo Di Caprio while he also acted alongside some of Scottish greatest ever actors such as Robbie Coltrane.
A funny, intelligent and interesting man, the 62-year-old has loads of interesting quotes – so we picked out his best 10 lines to celebrate his 62nd birthday.
5. On playing Scottish characters...
"I often have scripts sent to me with allegedly Scottish characters where I end up telling them, 'You're going to have to rethink this whole thing!'" Photo: MAX NASH
6. On going to the gym...
"Guys, particularly in the West, go to the gym and train for hours and hours to pick up something that is heavier than them. Why would you want to do that?" Photo: Getty Images
7. On acting...
"Acting is probably the greatest therapy in the world. You can get a lot stuff out of you on the set so you don't have to take it home with you at night. It's the stuff between the lines, the empty space between those lines which is interesting." Photo: Getty Images
8. On finance in film...
"People in Scotland appreciate homegrown talent, but it's getting harder and harder to get films made in Britain." Photo: Frederick M. Brown