Kevin McKidd

[hillbillylover]

When people think of the Scot Pack, they invariably think of such sons of Connery as Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Gerard Butler and even Jonny Lee Miller (who isn't a Scot but has played so many that he's become an honorary member of the clan).

But until recently, nobody ever talked about strapping, steely-eyed Kevin McKidd, one of the breakthrough stars of HBO's series Rome. Pity that, because at the risk of angering Ewan fan-girls, I think McKidd may very well be the most versatile, charismatic and leading man-ready of the entire bunch.

Although I was initially put off by his very fair Boris Becker-like looks (which in general aren't my cup of tea), I was thoroughly won over by his very impressive acting chops and formidable screen presence.

And boyfriend has got major range. I can't think of any other actor his age who can pull off what he did by successfully playing the sweet, hapless, dim bulb in Trainspotting, a hilariously prissy Victorian age operetta star in Topsy Turvy and the tough-as-nails, morally incorruptible, gods-fearing career military man in HBO's Rome.

Perhaps there are advantages to toiling away in relative obscurity while your contemporaries become richer and more famous than you because when you finally do hit, people almost always want to know, "How did we manage to miss THIS guy!"

Any more Kev fans out there?

[Maddiemoo]

I really liked him in Trainspotting, I thought he had the most interesting storyline.

Wasn't there some rumor that the reason he didn't become as well-known as everyone else in that movie was because he was the only one who didn't get his own poster? Cause that kinda sucks for him.

[hillbillylover]

I've heard two different stories as to why he wasn't on the poster. One said that he had already started working on another film and was unavailable on the day that the photo shoot for the poster took place.

The other was that his scenes were long-finished and he'd gone on a skiing vacation. Supposedly, neither he nor his advisors though it was a big enough deal for him to cut short his holiday for a poster.

Who knows which story is true?

Btw, I hope he does a musical a la Ewan McGregor, sometime in the near future. He has a sterling tenor singing voice. Who knew?

[Deleted]

I'm addicted to Rome and I love, love, love him and his character there. Him and James Purefoy are fantastic. And hot.

[tamaradixon]

Add me to the Kevin McKidd love train. He's a wonderful actor and his chemisty with Ray Stevenson in "Rome" is priceless. I see big things in his future.

[OnyxRose]

Another one to the list of fans. I seriously hope he gets more parts as the years go by.

[dorkgirl]

LOVE him (and all the cast) in Dog Soldiers, despite it not being a film i'd normally go for. The DVD commentary is ace too.

[Deleted]

Woo-hoo! Somebody apart from me knows who Kevin McKidd is!

I first noticed him in Dog Soldiers, and have tried since to see him in his other roles - unfortunately 'Rome' hasn't aired here yet, and other movies he's been in are a bit hard to find.

He is in a Scottish movie called 'One Last Chance', which I recommend. It's not groundbreaking or anything, but it's good enough. He also played Vronski in a BBC production of Anna Karenina. Admittedly, it's been a long time since I read the book, but I'm pretty sure Vronski wasn't Scottish. I didn't actually like Vronski that much so I'm not sure I want to see Kev in the role.

I was also happy to see him with a small role in Kingdom of Heaven, an otherwise crap movie.

I hope he gets some big roles soon. I really think (despite the orange hair) that he has a smouldering look that would suit a romantic lead, in fact I think my legs would give way if he ever turned that gaze on me, but he could also play a pretty convincing villain.

[hillbillylover]

EvilMinion, thanks for the heads up about One Last Chance. I'd never heard of that one.

As for the Rome series, it's a really sturdy vehicle for Kevin. His role is as starry as any you would've seen during Hollywood's golden age. Things like beautifully framed tableux in full Roman battle dress and lots of iconic closeups. The camera loves him.

And according to a recent interview, after nearly 10 years of being ambivalent about stardom, he finally seems ready for his closeup.

[brinksteria]

I really think (despite the orange hair) that he has a smouldering look that would suit a romantic lead, in fact I think my legs would give way if he ever turned that gaze on me,

EvilMinion, yes. Once Rome airs where you're at, prepare to melt. Episode 8, which was just shown here, especially flattered his look. He was all tanned with his hair cropped close - lots of lovely close ups in bright desert light.

McKidd is doing a fabulous job with Rome. Really, I'm loving the entire cast, the men and the women. Therefore, I will be renting Bedrooms and Hallways in the near future. McKidd plays the lead; his love interest is James Purefoy, Rome's own Mark Anthony.