Robert Carlyle, OBE, is a Scottish actor born on 14 April 1961. With a career starting from 1990 and persisting until the present, Carlyle has made his mark in both television and cinema. Known for movies like Trainspotting (1996), The Full Monty (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Eragon (2006), and The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015), he also graced TV screens in shows like Hamish Macbeth, Stargate Universe, Once Upon a Time and COBRA. Well-recognized for his acting prowess, Carlyle bagged the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Full Monty and a Gemini Award for Stargate Universe. He also got nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in Human Trafficking (2005).

Born and raised in Maryhill, Glasgow, Carlyle's early life was marked by struggle—the absence of his mother from the age of four, and leaving school at 16 without any formal qualifications. His journey into drama started at the Glasgow Arts Centre when he was 21, later graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Carlyle showed commitment to authenticity in his roles, even altering his lifestyle and physical appearance for a deeper understanding. In 1991, Carlyle and some friends founded a theatre company, Raindog, which began to unravel more on-screen opportunities for him. The actor's personal life, married to Anastasia Shirley since 1997 with three children, also shows his dedication to other endeavors—he's a patron of 'School for Life' in Romania and was appointed an OBE in 1999.