Back in 1996, a film was released that has since become synonymous with Edinburgh and a cult classic all over the world - Trainspotting.
Since then, some of the stars have gone on to become huge names such as Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle. They were ‘up-and-comers’ at the time, though Trainspotting catapulted them right into the spotlight.
Though what become of the ‘lesser known’ actors who featured in the film - from Spud’s girlfriend or Renton’s mother to evil drug lords, where are they now?
READ MORE - Edinburgh’s hidden gem city centre 50-seat cinema you walk past without noticing
Shirley Henderson
Starring as Gail in the movie, Shirley played the girlfriend of Spud though she’s probably most well known as Moaning Myrtle - the ghostly girl who terrorised the toilets at Hogwarts in the first and fourth Harry Potter films.
Since 1996 she’s had roles in Casualty, all three Bridget Jones films and the 2008 teen movie Wild Child. Just last year, she starred in Channel 5’s psychological thriller The House Across The Street.
James Cosmo
With roles in Braveheart, Troy, Wonder Woman and Game of Thrones - to name a few, James Cosmo played Mr Renton in Trainspotting.
Driven mad by his son's drug use, Mr Renton and his wife spent much of their time in the film attempting to get him on the straight and narrow - with no luck. In real life, James was third runner up in the 19th series of Celebrity Big Brother.
Recently, he featured in the 2021 thriller The Kindred and starred as Mr Fezziwig in the 2022 adaptation of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.
Susan Vidler
After attending high school in East Lothian, Susan went on to star as Sick Boy’s girlfriend Allison in a theatre production of Trainspotting.
She reprised her role in the film adaptation, and featured in a storyline which many will remember. Allison’s negligence, due to her drug addiction, leads to the death of her baby.
In recent years, she played a very different Alison in 2019, appearing in popular BBC drama Line of Duty as DSU Alison Powell alongside fellow Scot Martin Compston.
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Eileen Nicholas
Renton’s mother was played by Eileen Nicholas, who much like Renton’s father spent much of the film trying to wean him off heroin.
The Glasgow born actress is now in her late ‘70s, and her most recent credits include Trainspotting 2 (2017) and The Wee Man (2013).
Peter Mullan
Playing the villain of the movie, Peter starred as ‘Mother Superior’ - a top drug lord who gets Renton to take his first hit of heroin.
Peter has also appeared in Braveheart, Riff-Raff and the last two Harry Potter films. He featured in Sunshine on Leith as Robert Henshaw, where we got a glimpse of his singing abilities.
He currently features as King Durin III in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power which is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Kevin McKidd
Kevin filled the role of Tommy, a friend of Renton’s who tested positive for HIV after sharing dirty needles with other addicts.
Gaming fans may recognise his voice, as he provides the voice-over for John ‘Soap’ MacTavish in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and 3. He also played the role of Dr Owen Hunt in the massively popular TV series Grey’s Anatomy, and starred as Poseidon in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lighting Thief.
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Edinburgh’s hidden gem city centre 50-seat cinema you walk past without noticing
