Spotlight On: Iain Glen

Lights off, spotlight on! Time to see which series Iain Glen also has on his resume. This Scottish actor has a career that is worthy of recognition'. Who? We are of course talking about Iain Glen. Active in the world of film and television since the 80s and lately it seems that things are still looking very good. Glen plays in a large number of well-received series and also moves in productions that he himself finds worthwhile.

Glen starts his series career with the Scottish Taggart and a guest role in Screen Two. A little later follows the miniseries The Fear (UK) after which he shifts his attention to the big screen. Although he also appears briefly in the successor to Screen Two - Screen One - it takes until almost the turn of the century before Glen chooses roles for the small screen again.

He plays these roles in Trial and Retribution, Wives and Daughters and Glasgow Kiss, after which almost a decade of film work follows. Glen is also increasingly looking beyond the Scottish borders. We see him in blockbuster films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and The Last Legion.

At the end of the zeroes, he returns to the small screen again. Glen takes on a role in the miniseries City of Vice, a historical drama with some criminal edges. Shortly after, he takes on a role in the international film adaptation - as a miniseries - of The Diary of Anne Frank, which is of course well-known in the Netherlands. Glen plays the role of Anne's father, Otto Frank.

Roles in Law & Order: UK and Eader-Chluich follow. Things quickly take off soon after. Guest appearances in Doctor Who, Spooks and Jack Taylor follow before an international breakthrough in the worldwide phenomenon Game of Thrones. Although Glen does not play a leading role, he is seen as a very relevant side character in 53 episodes alongside Daenerys Targaryen. His Jorah 'The Bear' Mormont is a pleasant presence to watch, relatively loyal in a world full of intrigue and shifting interests.

That Game of Thrones has not swallowed up all of Glen's time is evident from the large number of supporting and guest roles he has played in other series during that period. Imagine starting with Strike Back and Downton Abbey, followed by The Hollow Crown and Haven. Then there is Ripper Street, Borgia and Poirot, as well as a recurring role in Prisoners Wives.

De film Kick-Ass 2 volgt even tussendoor, waarna Glen vrolijk doorgaat met Breathless en Autopsy: The Last Hours Of..., Mystery! en The Red Tent. Iets rustiger jaren volgen - we zijn dan halverwege Game of Thrones - als hij weer wat meer voor filmwerk kiest. Glen is in zes films te zien, waaronder een terugkeer in de Resident Evil reeks, dit keer in The Final Chapter.

At the same time, he plays a more permanent role in two other series. These are Cleverman, a dystopian science fiction series in which mythical creatures have to live together with humans in the near future. And that last group is not exactly waiting for that. At the same time, there is Delicious, a drama series about food, love and infidelity in Cornwall. Finally, the Game of Thrones are almost coming to an end, we also see Glen briefly in the miniseries Mrs Wilson.

After George RR Martin's epic, you can imagine as an actor that it's nice to pause for a moment. A number of the actors who have played leading roles did so as well. Glen has not been one to sit still. After Game of Thrones, Titans (2018) immediately followed, a teenage drama from HBO. Glen does not play a leading role here either, but a much-repeated role is reserved for him.

In recent years, Glen has alternated between films and series a lot. He still has a recurring role in the thriller Reyka, of which a second season will air in early 2024. He can also be heard in the animated series Castlevania: Nocturne and has a leading role in The Rig. In 2024, he will also play in The Last Days of the Space Age, while he has also joined the cast of the highly rated Silo.

So if you're in the mood for something in a completely different genre after all the Christmas dinners, New Year's drinks and the accompanying sweet films, take a look at Reyka, Silo or - despite the criticism, a second season will follow earlier this year - The Rig. You can't miss Glen on your screen in 2025!

Are you a fan? Look here for more (guest) roles played by Iain Glen.

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