James Cosmo on new drama Nightsleeper, why actors must ‘learn to be tough’ and his verdict on Scotland’s screen industry

Actor James Cosmo landed his first role in 1965 – and has gone from strength to strength since

He has enjoyed an acting career that can be traced back nearly 60 years, across more than 130 film and TV productions.

James Cosmo's CV ranges from Scottish cinematic classics like Braveheart, Highlander and Trainspotting to blockbuster series like Games of Thrones, His Dark Materials and Jack Ryan. His recent track record would suggest the 76-year-old is more in demand than ever before.

Clydebank-born Cosmo admits he has been astonished by the transformation of the industry thanks to the arrival of streaming platforms and the recent TV drama boom. But he has words of warning for anyone considering a career in the industry – due to the “fierce” competition for major roles and the likelihood of losing out on parts.

Actor James Cosmo. Picture: John Phillips

Speaking ahead of an in-conversation event with Cosmo at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on February 10, he told how he believes aspiring actors will have to “learn to be tough” to survive the modern-day business.

After making a romantic drama, an animated Christmas movie, horror films, crime thrillers and a fly-on-the-wall documentary on Highland police officers, Cosmo has stressed his willingness to be as versatile as possible as his career continues to evolve.

It is an approach that can perhaps be traced back to his earliest days as an actor, when he worked on London building sites as a labourer when he was not in front of a camera.

His upbringing also ensured he had an insight into the reality of his profession while growing up as his father, James Copeland, was a TV and film actor.

Actor James Cosmo. Picture: VisitScotland

Cosmo recalled: “He was very ambiguous about me following him. He didn’t actively encourage me at all. I knew that life as an actor was by no means glamorous.

“But I was basically useless at everything else. I didn’t want to work in the shipyards. I worked for a while for a shipbreaker, which was definitely no fun.

"I got my first job on Dr Finlay’s Casebook and went on from there. I really enjoyed it, they were all lovely people and they were so nice to me. I just thought ‘this will do me until I get found out’. I’m still waiting.”

It took just four years for Cosmo to break into the film industry. In 1969, he secured a part in the war-time epic Battle of Britain, which starred Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Robert Shaw and Christopher Plummer. Other early roles include the science fiction horror Doomwatch, comedy The Virgin Soldiers, police thriller Assault and naval drama Warship.

James Cosmo starred in the romantic drama My Sailor My Love. Picture: Signature Entertainment

Recalling the early years of his career, Cosmo said: “It was a bit feast or famine. One minute you're in a big movie like Battle of Britain and the next minute you’re broke, but that’s always been the nature of the business.

“I never had any acting training. I suppose it held me back from the more classical side of things, but that wasn’t something I was particularly interested in.

“I started off in television and moved into film, and I’ve always enjoyed working on films more than anything.

“Braveheart was obviously the one that made an enormous difference for me. I just had one meeting with Mel Gibson and a few months later he phoned me up and asked me to be in the movie. It came completely out of the blue.

James Cosmo launched a new VisitScotland guilde to film locations across Scotland.

“I think we all knew when we were making it that it was going to be successful, but nobody could imagine exactly how big it was going to be.”

Cosmo’s next major screen appearance is expected to be in one of the BBC’s most eagerly-awaited new dramas, Nightsleeper, which will see efforts to foil hackers and prevent a major rail disaster.

He said: “It’s all set on a night train coming down between Glasgow and London. Some very strange things start happening on it. I play a retired engine driver, who is needed to help deal with the jeopardy that’s going on.

“It’s set in real-time, so I really think it’s something that people should binge-watch. I really like the idea that you can sit down and spend a whole evening watching something now.”

More than a decade on from his starring role as Jeor Mormont in Game of Thrones, Cosmo’s most recent TV appearances have include Chernobyl, The Name of the Rose, His Dark Materials, The Bay, Jack Ryan and Six Four.

He said: "TV and film production have actually become very similar now. You can really see the impact the streaming platforms have had with the increase in the number of studios.

Kevin McKidd and James Cosmo recently starred in the ITV drama Six Four. Picture: Press Association

“It’s extraordinary how much work is being created and it’s become a very hungry beast. It’s been a great thing for our industry. Huge films are still being made and are doing really well. The communal experience in cinemas is still really important.”

Despite his own enduring success, Cosmo is cautious about recommending a career in acting.

He said: “I think the competition for work is much more fierce now. More young people want to go into the industry because it has become more accessible.

“It’s a wonderful profession to be in. It’s really fulfilling, but you have to learn to be tough. You have to realise it’s not a bed of roses, it’s hard work and it can be soul-destroying when you don’t get the part that you wanted. You have to go in with that knowledge.

"You’re not going to be on the red carpet anytime soon unless you’re incredibly lucky, but with hard work you stand a chance of getting there. You’ve got to love it.”

Although new studio facilities have opened in Cumbernauld, Bathgate, Leith and Glasgow, Cosmo insists Scotland is still lagging well behind where it should be as a base for TV and film productions.

He said: "I wish I could say that there has been a big improvement in the industry in Scotland, but I don’t think there has been. I think there’s still a lack of tax incentives and proper studio space. I was filming in Belfast recently – they have incredible facilities there.”