Born 14 April 1961, Glasgow, Scotland "It's a corny old line, but I've still got so much to learn"

Robert Carlyle was raised in Maryhill, Glasgow by his father, Joseph, after his mother left him when he was only four. At the age of 21, after reading Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible', he enrolled in acting classes at the Glasgow Arts Centre. In 1991, together with four other actors, Robert founded the Raindog theatre company (named after Tom Waits' album 'Rain Dog', one of Roberts favourites), a company dedicated to innovative work.

Robert Carlyle looks set to become an international star. Even if films such as Trainspotting, Face, The Full Monty or Plunkett and MaCleane don't push him to stardom, he's starring in the next James Bond film The World is Not Enough. With a highly acclaimed body of work, Robert Carlyle has proven himself one of cinema's most consistently impressive actors currently working. Making his debut big screen appearance in David Hayman's 1989 Berlin prize-winner Silent Scream, Carlyle went on to turn in memorable performances in Ken Loach's Riff-Raff (1991), Bird's Priest (1994), Danny Boyle's Trainspotting (as the happily violent Begbie) and Loach's Carla's Song (1996).

But, despite the critical acclaim that's greeted each new performance, Carlyle is far from the precious, self-satisfied actor you could almost forgive him for being. This actor's far too concerned about the work itself to let a little star-tripping get in the way.

Born in Glasgow in 1961, Carlyle had a bohemian upbringing that saw him and his father travel the world after his mother walked out of their lives when he was still only crawling. Such a nomadic upbringing was, Carlyle now realises, an integral part of his choice of profession. He's adamant that his upbringing wasn't "hippy", just alternative.

After launching into an interesting film career, Robert is becoming first class villain material, as you seen in the new Bond flick The World is Not Enough in which he played Renard.

His latest outing sees him appearing in Angela's Ashes, the true story of Frank McCourt's youth in poverty stricken Limerick.