By Sondra Barr
Gerard Butler is a name that has become synonymous with Hollywood stardom. With his rugged good looks, natural charisma, and talent for acting, he has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. However, few people know that before he was a household name, Butler had a successful career as a lawyer. So how did this Scottish-born legal professional leap to becoming one of the most sought-after actors in the industry?
Growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, Butler was always interested in law. He went on to study law at the University of Glasgow, and after graduation, he worked as a trainee solicitor at a law firm.
“I wasn’t going to be an actor. I was going to be a lawyer,” explained Butler to Esquire’s Cal Fussman. “I came from a family just above working class, just below middle class, a great family of wonderful values. The idea of me having a chance for a law degree was enticing. Enticing to me but also very enticing to my family. ‘Wow, one of our own is studying law at university!’”
However, as much as he enjoyed his job, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. It was then that he realized that his true passion was acting.
“I’ve always kind of had the luck of the devil, even in law school. I kind of blagged my way into the position of president of the Law Society. I’m not the most academic of guys. Considering the amount of work that I put in, it’s amazing that I got through law school. And with an honors degree,” he said.
“I loved my job as a lawyer, but I always felt like there was something missing in my life. I have always been interested in acting and storytelling, and I felt like it was time for me to pursue my dream.”
So, in the late 1990s, Butler made the difficult decision to leave his job and pursue a career in acting. He enrolled in the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and began training to become an actor. It was a challenging time for Butler, who was starting over in a new field, but he was determined to make it work.
“It was a big risk for me to leave my job and pursue acting, but I knew that it was something that I had to do. I was scared, but I was also excited to see where this new journey would take me,” the 53-year-old actor recalled.
Butler’s dedication and hard work paid off, and he quickly made a name for himself in the acting world. He started with small roles in various television shows and movies including Mrs. Brown (1987), the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and Tale of the Mummy (1998). He also appeared in Reign of Fire with Christian Bale (2002) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life with Angelina Jolie (2003) before being cast as The Phantom in Joel Schumacher’s 2004 film adaption of the musical The Phantom of the Opera. Yes, this Scottish lad can sing!
From there, it wasn’t long before he landed his big break. In 2006, Butler starred in the epic action movie 300. His portrayal of King Leonidas earned him critical acclaim and widespread recognition, propelling him to the forefront of the Hollywood scene. He earned nominations for an Empire Award for Best Actor and a Saturn Award for Best Actor, and a win for MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for his role.
“I feel a lot of my acting skills came when I was training as a lawyer because every day was a performance to me. I was pretending to be a type of character in the office that really wasn’t myself, as if I was somebody of that ilk who was interested and curious and passionate. In truth, I wasn’t really. It had its moments, but so does a root canal,” Butler explained to Jetset Magazine in 2018.
In the ensuing years, Butler has become one of the most sought-after actors in the industry, appearing in several critically acclaimed films and blockbuster hits. He has demonstrated his versatility as an actor, taking on a wide range of roles, from action heroes to romantic leads. He has been praised for his natural charisma, ability to bring depth and nuance to his characters, and unwavering commitment to his craft.
When asked about his journey from lawyer to leading man, Butler is humble and grateful. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to pursue my passion for acting. It has been a long and challenging journey, but it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” he said.
Butler is also known for his humanitarian efforts. He has been involved with various charities and causes, including Mary’s Meals, a Scottish-based international charity that runs feeding programs for children in schools across the globe. The actor even traveled to Liberia in 2013 and Haiti in 2018 to visit schools and spread the word about the charity.
He told the Daily Record, “First and foremost, we should be finding peace in ourselves and then finding somewhere, some place to be of service. Once you start doing that, you realize the value and the soulfulness in that because it’s really kind of find that passion where you can make a difference or where you can just contribute.”
The actor has also been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, speaking out about his struggles with depression after a series of health problems that left him doubting his career.
“During this last three years, I’ve had a bunch of stuff going on health-wise, that at one point made me reconsider my whole career,” Butler told News.com in 2020. Among those issues included a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles in 2017 that left him hospitalized and being treated for diverticultitis – a digestive condition that causes small bulges to develop in the large intestine lining – that he was treated for in 2018 at a hospital in the Dominican Republic.
He also had a “surgery that went wrong,” which turned into “seven surgeries,” he explained to News.com. “I thought, ‘Am I only going to leave my movies behind?’” he questioned.
Yet, the near-death experience imparted on Butler a fresh outlook on life. “It made me really appreciate how precious life is because I could have landed any number of ways that would have taken me out,” he said to Entertainment Tonight.
Butler’s journey from lawyer to leading man to philanthropist is an inspiration to many people to make a change in their lives. He proves that it is never too late to follow your dreams and that with hard work anything is possible.
Looking to the future, Butler has no plans of slowing down, regardless of the risks. Currently, you can see him in the action film Plane. In the movie, Butler plays widowed pilot Brodie Torrance, who must save passengers from dangerous rebels on a war-torn island, with the help of an accused murderer. He also has several exciting projects on the horizon, including the highly anticipated action movie Kandahar, set for a May 26, Memorial Day weekend release.
