The 10 best Iain Glen movies and TV shows

Actor Iain Glen has a distinct gravelly voice and a remarkable range, earning him acclaim in both film and theater. Born on June 24, 1961, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Glen’s earliest projects were primarily in the performing arts. As a seasoned stage actor, he has appeared in various productions, including portraying Shakespearean characters like Hamlet, Macbeth, and Henry V. 

Glen was nominated for three Laurence Olivier Awards for his roles as John Proctor in the 2006 West End revival of The Crucible, in the original production of the musical Martin Guerre, and in the West End production of The Blue Room. Iain Glen has consistently demonstrated his range throughout his career by splitting his time between theater, film, and television. Glen first appeared on screen in Paris by Night (1988), but his performance as Dr. Alexander Isaacs/Tyrant in three Resident Evil films made him a household name. 

The award-winning actor has also been active in television — first appearing on British shows like Glasgow Kiss (2000) and Spooks (2002-2003). But since then, Iain Glen has acted in several critically acclaimed films and television shows, solidifying his place as one of the all-time greats. Here are ten of his best works. 

10. Mountains of the Moon (1990)

Iain Glen plays the British explorer John Hanning Speke in the 1990 film Mountains of the Moon, a historical drama notable for portraying Speke’s journey of East Africa and his claim to have discovered Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile. The film chronicles Speke and his companion Richard Burton’s (Patrick Bergin) journey to East Africa. Their goal will put their friendship, endurance, and sanity to the limit as they face challenges and endure terrible weather.

Glen depicts Speke as a man with a strong desire for success and recognition but also a deep sense of insecurity and a need for reassurance. Speke’s ambition to discover the Nile’s origin causes tension between him and Burton and controversy back in England as the expedition continues. Glen’s performance as an obsessed man driven to the edge is riveting throughout the film. 

9. Jack Taylor (2010-2016)

Iain Glen plays the titular character, a former Garda Síochána (Irish police) officer turned private investigator, in the Irish television drama Jack Taylor. Taylor, based on Ken Bruen’s novels, works in his hometown of Galway after being fired from the Garda for punching a politician he catches speeding. Taylor embodies the stereotype of the hard-drinking, rule-breaking investigator with a strong sense of justice.

Taylor is an unorthodox hero since he struggles with his own issues and has a typically pessimistic attitude toward life. Despite this, he demonstrates compassion and a strong desire to pursue justice for people who have been wronged. Throughout the series, Taylor investigates crimes the Garda won’t, exploring Galway’s seedier side of life.

8. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Manfred Powell, played by Iain Glen in the 2001 action-adventure film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, is the film’s main adversary. Manfred Powell is a high-ranking member of the Illuminati, a shadowy international organization. Despite his legal training, his true motivation is to acquire the two halves of “the Triangle,” a powerful ancient item whose possessor can manipulate time and space. The Illuminati requires this authority to exert global dominance. 

Powell uses the film’s protagonist, Lara Croft, to get to the Triangle by seeming to be on her side. But as the movie goes on, his true intentions become clear. Glen portrays Powell as someone with a calm attitude that masks his cruelty and desire for dominance. He is slick, crafty, and frequently dishonest in pursuing the Triangle. The movie builds a climactic conflict between Glen’s character and Lara, who ultimately outwits him and saves the day. 

7. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

In Ridley Scott’s 2005 epic historical movie Kingdom of Heaven, Iain Glen plays Richard Coeur de Lion, popularly known as Richard the Lionheart, King of England from 1189 to 1199. Richard the Lionheart is well-known for participating in the Crusades and is shown as an intense and persistent commander in the film. His character only appears near the film’s end, when he meets with Balian of Ibelin, played by Orlando Bloom. 

During the meeting, King Richard invites Balian to join him on his march to Jerusalem, but Balian declines. Although brief, Glen’s portrayal of Richard the Lionheart convincingly captures the character’s grandeur and reputation as a mighty warrior monarch. His performance embodies Richard’s charismatic leadership and stubborn will. The debate between Richard and Balian also highlights one of the film’s primary themes: the pointless and destructive cycle of religious battles.

6. Downton Abbey (2010-2015)

In the acclaimed British period drama Downton Abbey, Sir Richard Carlisle, portrayed by Iain Glen, is a newspaper mogul from a more modest social background who proposes to the eldest daughter of the Crawley family, Lady Mary. In the program’s second season, Sir Richard is introduced as ambitious, wealthy, and socially mobile but also vicious and ruthless at times. His romance with Lady Mary is primarily motivated by his ambition to attain social respectability through marriage to an aristocrat. 

Carlisle also assures Mary that he will assist her in keeping quiet about the issue surrounding her and the late Turkish diplomat Mr. Pamuk. Lady Mary may have agreed to marry Sir Richard but has no romantic feelings for him. She dislikes his dictatorial nature and is afraid of his violent outbursts, which are seen on multiple occasions. Mary’s mother, Cora, doesn’t think much of him because of his poor manners.

5. The Iron Lady (2011)

Iain Glen played Alfred Roberts, Margaret Thatcher’s father, in the 2011 biographical drama film The Iron Lady, about the life of the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Alfred Roberts played an essential role in Thatcher’s life. In Grantham, where Thatcher grew up, he was a shopkeeper, preacher, and local politician. His strong work ethic, self-reliance, and political convictions greatly impacted Margaret, influencing her worldview and political approach. 

Glen plays Alfred Roberts with realism and compassion. In doing so, he reflects the influence of the actual Alfred Roberts on his daughter’s character and values by imbuing the character with a sense of moral integrity and principled fortitude. Glen’s supporting part in The Iron Lady is significant for the way he brings Alfred Roberts, Margaret Thatcher’s mentor, to life on screen. The film’s portrayal of Alfred and his daughter, Thatcher, as loving and formative reflects the daughter’s deep respect and admiration for her father.

4. The Rig (2023-Present)

The Rig is a supernatural drama series developed by David Macpherson and produced by Amazon Prime Video in the United Kingdom. Directed by John Strickland, the series is the first Amazon Original to be shot entirely in Scotland. Iain Glen portrays Magnus MacMillan, the oil rig crew’s leader and the offshore installation manager.

MacMillan’s leadership is critical as the team becomes stranded on the rig with a mystery fog blocking their path back to the shore. MacMillan’s growing importance as the crew’s leader in the face of mounting peril and unpredictability contributes to the show’s tense, unsettling vibe. The first episode of the six-part series premiered on January 6, 2023. The second season order was announced in February.

3. Silo (2023)

Based on Hugh Howey’s Wool novel, Silo is a dystopian science fiction television series developed by Graham Yost. Rebecca Ferguson plays Juliette Nichols, an engineer who gets involved in the secrets of the 144-story underground silo where a community lives in the dystopian future.

Dr. Pete Nichols, played by Iain Glen, is Juliette’s father and a key figure in a story that gradually unfolds to reveal more about the mysterious rules and regulations of the silo society, which are meant to safeguard its residents. The series received rave reviews for its production values, plot twists, and acting. A second season of the show was ordered in June of 2023.

2. Resident Evil Franchise (2004-2016)

Iain Glen plays Dr. Alexander Isaacs, one of the franchise’s primary antagonists. His role grows increasingly significant in subsequent installments, especially Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016), after making his debut in Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004). An influential scientist, Dr. Isaacs helped develop the evil pharmaceutical business Umbrella Corporation, which released the T-virus that turned people and animals into zombies. Isaacs is vested in the T-virus’ potential, particularly in obtaining immortality and manufacturing bio-organic weaponry.

Dr. Isaacs’ icy manner, as Iain Glen portrays, indicates his ruthless ambition and lack of humanity. His character is manipulative and dishonest; he is prepared to sacrifice others to succeed. As Resident Evil: Extinction progresses, it becomes clear that Dr. Isaacs has been conducting experiments on clones of Alice, the film’s protagonist. He then becomes infected with the T-virus and becomes an evil bio-organic monster, Tyrant.

1. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

The character of Ser Jorah Mormont, played by Iain Glen in the hit HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, is one of the show’s most recognizable faces and longest-lived ones. Initially, Jorah Mormont is a Northern nobleman exiled to Essos from Westeros. He was the first head of the Stark vassal House Mormont and came from Bear Island. But Eddard Stark banished Jorah because he sold enslaved people to support his wife’s luxurious lifestyle. 

At the start of the series, Jorah enters the court of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled princess of the destroyed Targaryen dynasty, first as a spy for King Robert Baratheon. In exchange for a reprieve from his crimes, he is charged with keeping an eye on Daenerys and her brother Viserys. However, Jorah becomes devoted to Daenerys, becoming her advisor and protector. He eventually falls in love with her; however, his feelings are primarily unrequited throughout the series. Both critics and fans praised Glen’s portrayal of Jorah Mormont. He filled the role with honor, loyalty, and tragic love, making Jorah a genuinely sympathetic character.