Internationally-acclaimed Dublin born actor BRENDAN GLEESON's (Priest) latest projects are EDGE OF TOMORROW with Tom Cruise, directed by Doug Liman, THE GRAND SEDUCTION directed by Don McKellar, and THE SMURFS 2 directed by Raja Gosnell.

A former teacher, Brendan left the profession to pursue a career in acting - his first love - and joined the Irish theatre company Passion Machine. His rise to fame began when he appeared in Jim Sheridan's THE FIELD, followed by a number of small roles in such films as FAR AND AWAY and INTO THE WEST.

He landed his first starring role in I WENT DOWN, which was followed by his acclaimed role in John Boorman's THE GENERAL. His performance gained him awards for not only Best Actor at the 1998 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards and Best Actor at the 1998 ALFS, but also awards from the London Film Critics and the Best Actor award at the 1999 Irish Film & Television Awards.

It was his role as Hamish in BRAVEHEART alongside Mel Gibson that brought him to the attention of Hollywood.

In 2009 Brendan was nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for his role in Martin McDonagh's IN BRUGES, in which he starred alongside Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes. In the same year Brendan won an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie and an IFTA for best Actor in a Lead Role in Television for his portrayal of Winston Churchill HBO movie "Into the Storm," directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television and a BAFTA for Leading Actor for his performance. Also in 2009 he appeared on our screens in PERRIER'S BOUNTY, directed by Ian Fitzgibbon for Parallel Films. In March of 2010 Brendan appeared in GREEN ZONE, a Paul Greengrass film with Matt Damon, and also returned to our screens as Prof. Moody in HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Part 1. In 2011 Brendan appeared alongside Don Cheadle in THE GUARD, directed by John McDonagh for Reprisal Films and Element Pictures. 2012 saw the release of SAFE HOUSE directed by Daniel Espinoza, THE RAVEN directed by James McTeigue, and ALBERT NOBBS, directed by Rodrigo Garcia.

Other film credits include the role of August Nicholson in M. Knight Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE, COLD MOUNTAIN directed by Anthony Minghella, Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO directed by Neil Jordan, Wolfgang Peterson's TROY, BLACK IRISH directed by Brad Gann, STUDS directed by Paul Mercier, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE directed by Mike Newell, HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF PHOENIX directed by David Yates, John Boorman's THE TIGER'S TAIL and BEOWULF directed by Robert Zemeckis, John Woo's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, Steven Spielberg's AI, John Boorman's TAILOR OF PANAMA and COUNTRY OF MY SKULL, Danny Boyle's 28 DAYS LATER, and Martin Scorsese's GANGS OF NEW YORK.