“I loved it so much” - Ewan McGregor shares memories of his time at Guildhall with current Acting students
Acting alumnus Ewan McGregor OBE FGS joined current Guildhall School Acting students for a Q&A session last week, sharing reflections on his time at the School and his experiences working across theatre, television and film.
Ewan left Guildhall in 1992 and enjoyed early career success through his collaborations with filmmaker Danny Boyle, among other roles, most notably as Mark Renton in Boyle’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting. He gained global recognition for his performances as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episodes I-III of the Star Wars franchise, a role he returned to in 2022 in a miniseries for Disney+. Ewan has been nominated for five Golden Globe awards, winning Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series in 2018 for Fargo, and five Primetime Emmy awards, winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series in 2021 for Halston.
During the Q&A, Ewan spoke to Acting students across all three years of Guildhall’s BA (Hons) Acting programme. He charted his journey from high school in Crieff, Scotland, to the nearby Perth Theatre, where he gained a formative introduction to theatre making, both on stage and behind the scenes. He fondly remembered his studies at Guildhall School, where he had successfully auditioned following a year at Kirkcaldy College of Technology, and discussed the transition from student to professional actor in productions including Denis Potter’s Lipstick on Your Collar and Boyle’s Shallow Grave and Trainspotting.
Answering questions put to him by Head of Acting Dr David Linton, as well as students, Ewan gave his thoughts on preparing for roles and bringing characters (and their worlds) to life. He shared many insights and experiences from his varied career, commenting on the challenges facing young actors in a changing industry, and also highlighting the support actors can give one another, especially early in their careers.
Ewan ended the session by inviting students to join him in a warmup exercise he’s currently using to prepare, alongside his fellow cast members, for performances of My Master Builder, which is running at the West End’s Wyndham’s Theatre until mid-July.
Head of Acting, Dr David Linton, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Ewan McGregor back to Guildhall School so that the next generation of talented actors could learn from the experience he’s gained across so many notable performances and productions. Ewan’s varied career has showcased the many tools at his disposal as an actor and the versatility of his craft, and we were very grateful to him for taking the time to speak to us. It was a delight to see the warmth and enthusiasm with which he answered questions, and equally enjoyable to see how much the students gained from the experience.”
Find out more about studying Acting at Guildhall School.
Photography by Joss Ryder
