Gerard James Butler (born November 13, 1969) is a Scottish actor.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland to Margaret and Edward Butler (both having mainly Irish ancestry), Gerard is the youngest of three children. He spent the first few years of his life in Montreal before returning to Paisley, Scotland after his parents’ separation. He grew up with his mother, who remarried a few years later. He had no contact with his father until he was age 16. He studied law at Glasgow University, where he served as President of the school’s Law Society, and worked as a solicitor after graduation. He spent the majority of his time as a lawyer feeling depressed and drinking. After being fired from his job he began acting. He has since sobered up and has not touched a drop of alcohol for over 8 years.

His early film roles included Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), with his first major role being the title character in Dracula 2000 (2000). His breakthrough came when he played the title role in the U.S. mini-series Attila the Hun. He also appeared in the U.K. miniseries The Jury.

Luckily, he already knew a bit about singing before signing on for the title role in Joel Schumacher’s film rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. While working as a lawyer, he sang with a rock band called Speed. But he began taking formal singing lessons before he was even cast as the Phantom, training for hours a day from January of 2003 to June of 2004.

While filming the movie Mrs. Brown in Scotland with Dame Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, he was enjoying a picnic with his mother near the River Tay when they heard the shouts of a young boy who had been swimming with a friend who was in trouble. Butler jumped into the river and consequently saved the young boy from drowning. He received a “Certificate of Bravery” from the Royal Humane Society. He felt he only did what anyone in the situation would have done.

He prefers to be called “Gerry” rather than “Gerard,” (pronounced as GER-ard (rhymes with “Jerad”); not Ger-ARD) Gerry’s home base is in London, although he does spend time in Los Angeles and New York City.

Among Butler’s film credits are Mrs. Brown, The Cherry Orchard, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Timeline, Reign of Fire, and The Phantom of the Opera, in which he sings the title role. He played the eponymous character in 2001 telemovie Attila. Recent roles include Dear Frankie, The Game of Their Lives and Beowulf & Grendel. Beowulf & Grendel will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Fesitval on September 14, 2005.

Butler recently completed filming “300,” an adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel based on the heroism of 300 elite Spartan warriors at the ancient battle of Thermopylae in Greece where he portrays Spartan King Leonidis. Filming began took place from October 2005 – January 2006 in Montreal.

He is currently filming Butterfly on a Wheel, co-starring alongside Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Scottish hunk star Gerard Butler, best known as King Leonidas in the movie 300, is on the cover of Men’s Health magazine’s October 2008 issue.

Ewan McGregor (born 31 March 1971 in Crieff, Perthshire to James McGregor and Carol Lawson) is a Scottish film actor who has had significant success in both mainstream and “art house” movies. He became popular in 1996 through the award-winning film “Trainspotting.” McGregor has also been featured as the male romantic lead in such Hollywood films as Moulin Rouge and Down With Love.

Joni Anwar, born August 30, 1981, is an Indonesian-Scott recording artist who was born in Thailand and who became popular in Thailand. Joni is also known as Joni Raptor, from his defunct music duo RAPTOR which was a sensation in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos in the 90′s.

Joni Anwar photos courtesy of Bisean.

Jesse Arthur McCartney (born April 9, 1987 in New York City) is an American pop singer and actor of Scottish, Irish, and English ancestry. He has recorded with Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records on various projects. A performer since childhood, McCartney first tasted success with the boy band Dream Street (2000 to 2002), which he joined at the age of twelve. He also landed roles on Broadway and on the television soap opera All My Children (1998 to 2001), for which he was nominated in 2001 and 2002 for a Daytime Emmy in the category Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series for his role as J.R. Chandler. In 2004 and 2005, McCartney played the role of Bradin Westerly on the WB series Summerland. He released his solo debut album, Beautiful Soul, in 2004. The album featured a hit single, the title-track “Beautiful Soul”.