A Scottish actor, Tommy Flanagan was born on July 3, 1965 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was the middle child of five children, who dealt with their father abandoning the family when Tommy was six. He admitted to getting into trouble as a kid, though his mother, Betty, always kept him in line. Growing up in difficult times, he found work as a painter, a decorator, and a disc jockey. While working as a DJ, he got involved in a mugging incident, which resulted in scars similar in shape to a Glasgow smile. When he recovered, his friends (one of them actor Robert Carlyle) and wife urged him to take up acting. He agreed, and has since then worked in theatre and film. For three years, he became part of the Rain Dog Theatre, until Mel Gibson spotted him. This led to his breakthrough role, playing Morrison in 1995’s Braveheart.
Tommy Flanagan’s earlier career was marked with roles on television, making appearances in Black and Blue, Taggart and Tis’ the Season to be Jolly. After his big break in the industry, he got roles in the series A Mug’s Game and Bad Boys. In 1997, he got the part of Leo in the film Face/Off, starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. That year, Flanagan landed parts in The Detail and The Game, following it up with Plunkett & Macleane and Ratcatcher. In 2000, he was chosen to play Cicero in the blockbuster hit Gladiator. Flanagan was also seen in the series Rebus, as well as the films Sunset Strip, Hidden, Attila, Strictly Sinatra, and Dead Dog’s Lie. After getting a role in All About the Benjamins, Flanagan was cast in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. His next project became Trauma and AVP: Alien vs. Predator. In 2005, he got the part of Brian in Frank Miller’s film, Sin City. Flanagan followed this up with a performance in the war film The Last Drop, and portrayed the stranger in the 2006 thriller, When a Stranger Calls. After appearing on Smokin’ Aces, he joined the cast of the FX series Sons of Anarchy. In 2008, he appeared in Hero Wanted, The Blackening and When Did You Leave Heaven?!
He says he likes the rain and misery of Scotland over the sun of California.
His brother Andrew is also an actor who is based in Glasgow.
Two facial scars, one on each side of his face, known as a 'Glasgow Grin' or a 'Glaswegian Smile'. Result of being attacked by thugs in Scotland