Gary Lewis celebrates his birthday on November 30th so let’s celebrate it by taking a look at his many roles
Outlander fans know Gary Lewis best as the sneaky, intelligent, manipulative, and unmissable Colum MacKenzie, Jamie Fraser’s uncle and laird of the MacKenzie Clan in seasons 1 and 2. The real Gary Lewis, however, is one of the coolest guys. nicest people you will ever meet.
On the Outlander convention circuit, Gary Lewis has a reputation for being the man with the best hugs. He has great stories about his life, his career, and Scotland, and if you’re really lucky you can hear him pick up a guitar and sing Scottish folk songs. He has an excellent memory for fans and will pick up where you left off. In fact, it’s a huge challenge to move him forward if he’s halfway through the conversation.
Gary’s Colum MacKenzie on Outlander lent the show a real gravitas in the first two seasons. He had a menacing presence and displayed a strength of will that belied Colum’s weakened body. The man, however, has great reach as an actor, and he has played many varied and nuanced characters since the start of his career in 1993. Take a look at his IMDb page; the man has 125 actor credits to his name!
Gary Lewis has had an impressive career and played some truly unforgettable characters
One of my favorite Gary roles is Jackie Elliot, the father of the movie. Billy Elliot. His transformation from a macho coal miner who is completely opposed to his son studying ballet to a supportive father is truly heartwarming. The scene with his eldest son after crossing the picket line broke my heart, and his triumphant and joyous run after Billy was accepted into ballet school gave me all tears of happiness.
I also enjoyed him as a father Benny Lockhart in 2013 Not another happy ending. It’s a pretty romantic comedy about a writer, performed by Karen Gillan and her editor, performed by Stanley Weber (aka Count St Germain). Gary’s character reconnects with his daughter after writing a bestselling book, but is hesitant to read it because it is based on their life.
Another of his notable roles is McGloin in New York gangs. He plays an Irishman who was part of the Irish gangs at first but sided with Bill “The Butcher” Cutting for most of the film. One of the highlights is his fight with Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Amsterdam” Vallon. You almost got it, Gary!
If you like fantasy movies and TV shows he played Hrothgar in Eragon, which stars a young Ed Speleers. Hrothgar is a leader of the rebel tribe Varden against the evil King Galbatorix. At HBO Its dark materials, Lewis plays Thorold, Lord Asriel’s assistant.
If you’re in a festive or historic mood, check out Merry Christmas, a trilingual film in German, French and English on the Christmas ceasefire during the First World War. Gary plays Father Palmer, a stretcher bearer in a Scottish regiment in the British Army who joined together to protect two young recruits from his parish. He plays the bagpipes and gives a sermon in Latin to the troops of the three armies.
Gary will also be participating in the Outlandish 12 Days of Caroling event. He will play Scrooge in the live reading of A Christmas Carol.
This is just a sample of Gary’s many roles. This man is a real talent, and they are all worth a watch. Gary Lewis, I wish you a very happy birthday and look forward to our next hug at a convention, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Have you seen Gary Lewis in other roles? Share your appreciation for him in the comments below.
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