The Scottish stud turns 48 years old today, and I thought it would be nice to take a closer look at the rise of this 8-packed enigma.
OK, enigma might not exactly be the right word - in fact, he might be quite the opposite - but that's what makes Gerry so lovable. (He prefers the nickname to Gerard, you see, as his name is not at all pronounced how you think it is. YouTube search it.)
Anyways, let's begin. See, Gerry didn't initially set out to be an actor. In fact, he trained to be a lawyer. It was only when he was approached by another actor at random (and, er, got fired) that he gave the theatric profession a whirl, which is just so very Gerard Butler of him.
And prior to his epic role as the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, Gerry had only sang in a band - he had no other traditional vocal training, which is pretty crazy when you consider that the show is an opera. Like I said, he's just that kind of dude. Though most folks say 300 made him famous, I think it was Phantom - though I also watch a disproportionate number of musicals. So, you know. Take that with a grain of salt.
The year of 300 (AKA, 2007) was also the year of P.S. I Love You, which is what truly showcased his Celtic charm. For this reason, I call 2007 the Gerising.
It turns out that Gerry knows exactly what makes guys from the UK so compelling, too:
It's that deep voice, the intensity, the gravitas. You just hear the Scottish voice and you can hear a man with a set of heavy feet that are connected to the ground. When they smile, they really smile. When they stare, they really stare. There is just something burning about them.
I mean, yeah, exactly. Shortly after, he starred in Law Abiding Citizen as a brilliant psycho out for revenge, along with Gamer, which I've never seen but have admired the butt stills from.
He entered prime Rom Com territory with the likes of The Ugly Truth alongside a now-scorned Katherine Heigland The Bounty Hunterwith the ubiquitous Jennifer Aniston. Gerry starred in Geostorm recently, and according to reviews, he was the No. 2reason to see it. (No. 1, of course, would be the too-attractive-for-his-hairpiece Jim Sturgess's wig.)
The gravel-voiced, effortlessly funny guy has many large roles ahead of him now that's he's a household name, and we're certainly glad, today and all days. Aren't you glad you're not a lawyer, Gerry?
