Trainspotting is celebrating a momentous anniversary, as the Scottish film, which follows a group of heroin addicts, was released 25 years ago today (February 23).
Director Danny Boyle brought the production to life after taking inspiration from Irvine Welsh’s 1993 novel which explored the drug scene in Scotland’s capital.
In 1996, the cult classic hit screens and gained multiple awards, as well as being voted The Best Scottish Film Of All Time in a public poll in 2004.
With the film being such a huge success across the globe it’s no wonder that some cast members found fame in Hollywood too.
Daily Star has explored what the original cast members are up to now, 25 years on from when the film hit the big time.
From one of the cast members marrying Angelina Jolie in her own blood stained T-shirt, to becoming a Hollywood A-Lister, the cast have certainly been busy in the 25 years since the film was released.
Ewan McGregor – Renton
Ewan almost missed out on the role as he was deemed “too pretty” (Image: © Channel 4/Film Four)
It’s hard to believe all these years on that Ewan McGregor was initially deemed “too pretty” to play the role of Renton.
Producer Andrew MacDonald said that they had almost overlooked the actor at one point.
Talking on BBC Scotland series The Years That Changed Modern Scotland, he explained: “We had Ewan McGregor early on.
“We made that decision which was very controversial because lots of people saw it as it had to be really grungy and they thought Ewan was too handsome, too attractive, too pretty.”
Showing his commitment to the role, McGregor famously dropped two stone in weight and shaved off almost all of his hair to play the heroin addict.
Following his stint on the Scottish phenomenon, McGregor was destined for great things, and he went on to land the role of Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
He has also starred in many other major films, including Moulin Rouge, Black Hawk Down and I Love You Phillip Morris.
The dad-of-four, who is currently living in LA, recently confirmed that he will reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Disney remake.
Robert Carlyle – Begbie
Robert Carlyle played Begbie in Trainspotting (Image: GC Images)
In Trainspotting Robert Carlyle played the foul-mouthed and glass-throwing hardman Begbie.
The 59-year-old was so highly commended for his portrayal in the first film that when T2 Trainspotting was released in 2017, he also joined the cast.
It is believed that Robert frequently keeps in touch with some of his former co-stars via email, including Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller.
Carlyle bagged himself a role on TV shows such as Stargate Universe and Once Upon A Time, which later led to a move to Vancouver, Canada alongside his wife Anastasia Shirley and their three children.
At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Robert showed his support by partnering with visor production charity Vise Up, which aims to provide protective face wear to NHS workers in Scotland.
Ewen Bremner – Spud
Bremner had actually played the main role of Renton on stage with McGregor being cast for the lead in the film instead (Image: Daily Record)
In the 1994 stage version of Trainspotting, Ewen Bremner had actually originally auditioned for the role Mark Renton, ahead of the starring role being given to his co-star Ewen McGregor.
He was eventually cast as Spud.
Much like Carlyle, Bremner also returned for the 2017 sequel T2 Trainspotting reprising the role of Spud.
Bremner and McGregor showed that there were no hard feelings between them over the Trainspotting roles and even joined forces again in 2001 for the movie Black Hawk Down.
He landed further roles in a number of UK films such as Snatch, however he eventually ventured across the pond and now lives in New York, but often returns to Scotland to reunite with his loved ones.
Johnny Lee Miller – Sick Boy
Miller married Angelina Jolie in a very untraditional setting (Image: Getty Images)
After his breakout role as Sick Boy in Trainspotting, Miller starred alongside Angelina Jolie in the 1995 film Hackers, just before the actress landed her breakout role in Tomb Raider.
The pair dated for six months before they decided to tie the knot in a very bizarre and incredibly intimate wedding that included Angelina’s mum and just one of Miller’s friends.
Angelina wasn’t on-board with a traditional white wedding, as she opted to wear rubber trousers and a t-shirt with Miller’s name written on it – in her own blood.
Speaking to The New York Times about the ceremony, Angelina said at the time: “It’s your husband. You’re about to marry him. You can sacrifice a little to make it really special.”
Their romance didn’t last long and the pair later divorced in 1996 with Miller going on to marry actress and model Michelle Hicks in Malibu.
From 2012 to 2019 he starred as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes in crime drama Elementary, which later saw him bag a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor.
Kelly MacDonald – Diane
Kelly is most famously remembered for her steamy sex scene with Renton (Image: Planet Photos)
Kelly MacDonald made her film debut in Trainspotting and was most famously remembered for her steamy sex scene with Renton.
Before she had landed her first role, MacDonald had been working as a barmaid when, by chance, she spotted an advertisement for the role of Diane.
MacDonald now boasts quite an extensive film career, which includes parts in Finding Neverland, Harry Potter and as the voice behind Merida in Disney Pixar’s Brave.
The movie star was married to Travis baseman Dougie Payne for some time, with the pair sharing two children together.
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The family lived in London and New York but they later returned to Scotland, before parting ways in 2017.
MacDonald has recently been cast as Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Davidson for the upcoming season of BBC favourite Line of Duty.
Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio said of her hiring: “We’re honoured that Kelly MacDonald will join Martin, Vicky and Adrian in series six of Line Of Duty.
“DCI Joanne Davidson will prove the most enigmatic adversary AC-12 have ever faced.”
Kevin McKidd – Tommy
Kevin became a huge hit on the US series Grey’s Anatomy (Image: PA)
After his stint as Tommy in the film, Kevin McKidd became a Grey’s Anatomy sensation, as he took on the role of Owen Hunt.
He also teamed up with a former actress from Trainspotting, joining Kelly MacDonald on the film Brave and voicing Lord MacGuffin.
Similar to many of his movie peers, he moved to New York and now lives with his wife Arielle Goldrath after becoming a US citizen in 2015 and welcoming their first daughter together in 2019.
McKidd also has two other children that he shares with his first wife Jane Parker.
The actor hit the headlines recently after he revealed on Instagram that he’d recorded a cover of Snow Patrol track Chasing Cars alongside poet Azure Antoinette “in honour of Breonna Taylor”.
His caption along with a teaser clip read: “In honour of Breonna Taylor and the many continued Black lives lost.”
Shirley Henderson – Gail
Shirley Henderson went on to play Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter (Image: UGC)
While Trainspotting probably isn’t the best film to show kids, plenty of youngsters will still probably recognise Gail actress Shirley Henderson.
That’s because the actress, now 55, played the ghost Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter film franchise, appearing in the Chamber of Secrets and the Goblet of Fire.
Shirley has enjoyed a healthy and varied career since Transpotting in 1996, also landing in some huge movies such as Bridget Jones’s Baby and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
She has had appearances in countless television series including Death in Paradise and Doctor Who.
And Shirley has played Elizabeth Laine in the theatre production of Girl from the North Country between July and October 2017, and December 2017 and March 2018.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
