Braveheart Cast: Then and Now

It’s been 20 years since ’Braveheart’ swept the Academy Awards, winning five Oscars for director and star Mel Gibson, then the hottest commodity in Hollywood.

Things have changed since then, not just for Mel but the rest of the film’s cast, too…

Mel Gibson – William Wallace

He’s been quiet, has our Mel, which is ironic, seeing as it was prolonged bouts of shouting that prompted his latest career hiatus. Back in 1996, Gibson was named Best Director for ‘Braveheart, winner of Best Picture, and it seemed he was on top of the world. Then come well-documented alcohol problems, a drink-driving arrest tailor made for tabloids and a series of leaked voicemails showcasing his dark side.

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Gibson has attempted many comebacks - his most successful seemed to be as a director, with Mayan thriller 'Apocalypto’ gaining many plaudits – but they always seem to be derailed by his personal problems. A showing at the 'Mad Max: Fury Road’ premiere was his first appearance since 'The Expendables 3’ in 2014, and he has just one confirmed forthcoming movie on his CV, the ridiculously-titled 'Blood Father’. How the mighty have fallen.

Sophie Marceau – Princess Isabelle

A César-winning actress before she was drawn into Hollywood’s orbit, Marceau enjoyed a brief flirtation with American film until she fell out of favour and returned to her native France. As Princess Isabelle she caught McMel’s eye, and her exquisite beauty served her well in movies like 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the 1997 version of 'Anna Karenina’ starring Sean Bean. It was opposite 006’s successor where she next found fame as the female lead in Bond movie 'The World Is Not Enough’ in 1999, but the role of complex heiress Elektra King was to be her last in a major Hollywood film. Things have been quiet on the global stage in terms of work to shout about, but she is on the jury for the main competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Patrick McGoohan – King Edward I aka “The Longshanks”

Plucked from stage obscurity by none other than Orson Welles, McGoohan rose to fame via cult sci-fi TV show 'The Prisoner’, but his steely glare served him well as 'Braveheart’’s 'Hammer of the Scots’ aka the movie’s antagonist, King Edward “The Longshanks”. You probably already forgot he followed Gibson’s Oscar-winner with a role in superhero dud 'The Phantom’, which won zero Oscars, and his only other credits of note before retirement were as Judge Noose in 'A Time To Kill’, a reprisal of the character Number Six in a 'Prisoner’-themed episode of 'The Simpsons’ and Disney’s expensive animated flop 'Treasure Planet’ as Billy Bones. Sadly, McGoohan died in 2009 before a proposed big-budget movie remake of 'The Prisoner’ could come to fruition.

Catherine McCormack – Murron MacClannough

Plucky Braveheart bride Murron MacClannough was not long for this world, but actress Catherine McCormack proved she had staying power. She followed Mel’s Celtic epic with roles in high profile movies like 'Spy Game’ opposite Robert Redford and '28 Weeks Later…’ opposite Robert Carlyle. But despite her talents being in demand, McCormack is careful not to become over-exposed by picking up every script sent her way. “I read very few scripts I’m passionate about…” she says. “Maybe one in every twenty or thirty.” You might have seen her recently in Woody Allen’s little-seen comedy 'Magic In The Moonlight’.

Angus Macfadyen – Robert the Bruce

As Robert the Bruce, King of Scots from 1306 to 1329, he led Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. As Angus Macfadyen, he was once engaged to Catherine Zeta-Jones – an achievement equal in its glory, we’re sure you’ll agree. Some poor decisions post-'Braveheart’ led to some middling movies on his resume – 'Warriors Of Virtue’, anyone? How about 'Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood’? – but his career has remained interesting. He had a taste of success once again with the lead role in 'Saw III’ (spoiler alert: lots of people die) and a role in Christian Bale’s 'Equilibrium’ (see previous spoiler alert) but his biggest project is yet to come: Macfadyen is directing and starring in an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s 'Hamlet’.

Brendan Gleeson – Hamish

As William Wallace’s childhood friend Hamish, Brendan Gleeson gave 'Braveheart’ some much needed levity, and he’s he’s been doing just that in the years since. He’s worked with Steven Spielberg ('A.I. Artificial Intelligence’), Neil Jordan ('Michael Collins’), Martin Scorsese ('Gangs Of New York’), John Woo ('Mission: Impossible II’) and Ridley Scott ('Kings Of New York’), always providing a robust supporting role. Perhaps best known as Mad-Eye Moody in the later 'Harry Potter’ movies, Gleeson has been busy forging belting relationships with director siblings the McDonaghs – Martin in the spectacular 'In Bruges’ and brother John Michael in the brilliant 'Calvary’.

Brian Cox – Argyle Wallace

You see him here, you see him there – there’s Cox everywhere you look. Ubiquity is Brian’s just reward after a stellar career – his Dr. Lecktor in 'Manhunter’ is arguably even better than Anthony Hopkins’ take on Hannibal the Cannibal. His acting credits top 200 and it’s probably fair to say he’s not especially picky about the roles he takes, but Cox is still sought after despite appearing in critically derided movies like 'Red’ and 'Ironclad’. Later this year he’ll star alongside Adam Sandler in videogame movie 'Pixels’, another guaranteed movie that audiences will love but critics will hate. In January this year, he jointed the Scottish National Party so he’s probably feeling pretty good about himself.

Alun Armstrong – Mornay

The nobleman who betrayed William Wallace retreated to television after 'Braveheart’’s success, with a string of successful TV shows to his bow. 'David Copperfield’, 'Oliver Twist’, 'Bleak House’, 'Little Dorrit’, 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood’; these credits speak for Armstrong’s talents at bringing to life the work of Charles Dickens – it seems he’s on a personal crusade to utter every word the man ever wrote. BBC’s procedural thriller 'New Tricks’ has kept the paycheques coming – 80 episodes over 10 years thank you very much – but his movie roles have been unfortunate; 'Van Helsing’ and 'Eragon’ aren’t quite in the same league as Dickens and co.

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Image credits: 20th Century Fox/Rex Features/Getty Images/Press Association