James Cosmo gives fathers, commanders and clan elders a convincing physical authority. We value that reliability, while wishing more of his parts asked for something beyond the large, gruff man who expects to be obeyed.
Fi1m perspective
Cosmo does not need much help from a costume to look capable of giving orders. His bulk and voice make authority plausible before the writing has done much work, which explains the succession of warriors, elders and fathers. We value an actor who can establish that much so quickly, especially in a supporting part. The danger is that a production treats the casting as the end of the job and gives him little else to play.
Angus MacLeod in Highlander (1986) brought him wider notice, and Campbell in Braveheart (1995) helped raise his international profile. The latter makes clear both the usefulness and the limits of this casting. Mel Gibson stages the fighting with force and clarity, and Cosmo's imposing presence suits the film. But the characters receive less care than the battles, and a dependable supporting actor cannot repair that on his own. We would recommend it with patience and qualifications, not as the fullest account of what Cosmo offers.
Trainspotting (1996), directed by Danny Boyle, is the stronger recommendation, with Cosmo playing Renton's father. The role offers a change from the warriors and commanders, and a reason not to mistake familiar casting for the whole of an actor's work. We were frightened by Trainspotting because the actors keep its addicts human amid the speed and humour. The editing sometimes rushes past suffering that needs more time, our reservation about a film we otherwise recommend warmly. We would start here when looking beyond his stature, without pretending that this supporting part carries the film.
Television kept finding a use for the same authority: he played Jeor Mormont in Game of Thrones (2011–2013). Returning as Renton's father in T2 Trainspotting (2017) also kept the domestic side of his work in view. The question for another director is how much to ask of an actor whose physical presence already supplies such a clear starting point. Give him the authority, certainly, but also give him something to do when the other characters decline to listen.
Biography
James Cosmo is a Scottish actor. He played David Renton in Trainspotting (1996) and reprised the role in T2 Trainspotting (2017). Other film credits include Campbell in Braveheart (1995), Angus MacLeod in Highlander (1986), Glaucus in Troy (2004), Father Christmas in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), and Field Marshal Haig in Wonder Woman (2017).
On television he is known for Jeor Mormont in Game of Thrones (2011–2013), Father Kellan Ashby in Sons of Anarchy (2010), and roles in Chernobyl (2019) and His Dark Materials (2019). He is the son of actor James Copeland and adopted his mother’s middle name as his professional surname early in his career, which began in the late 1960s.
