Trainspotting is a cult classic of the '90s that gathers a brilliant young cast to tell a harrowing story about characters mixed up in drugs. Set in Edinburgh in the late '80s, the movie revolves around a group of delinquents at the moment they decide to overcome their heroin addiction and find a better future for themselves. Yet, what seems easy in theory turns out to be nearly impossible with the constant allure of friends and a series of tragedies that bring them right back to their hopeless state.
Trainspotting starts off as a comedy and quickly gives way to drama, exploring the perspective of each character in the face of compulsion, death, and despair. The movie's reputation only grew stronger as the years went by, eventually earning a sequel with the original cast 20 years later. Trainspotting is still considered Danny Boyle's best movie, and it introduced his erratic and unpredictable style while also giving rise to a wave of anti-drugs movies that targeted young audiences, such as SLC Punk! and Requiem For A Dream.
Ewan McGregor As Renton
Renton is the protagonist and anti-hero of Trainspotting. It's his thoughts and concerns the audience hears during the movie, which makes him somewhat relatable despite his many questionable actions. Renton hints that the cause of his addiction comes from the traumatizing death of his brother, and spends most of the movie trying to quit heroin. He realizes he will only succeed if he distances himself from his friends and the tragedy of their lives, deciding to double-cross them and run away once and for all.
Renton is played by Ewan McGregor, a renowned Scottish actor whose career skyrocketed after his shameless role in Trainspotting. McGregor is highly praised for his TV roles, earning four Primetime Emmy nominations and winning one for his performance in Halston. However, his most famous roles come from the movies. Fans of Star Wars will be familiar with McGregor as the legendary Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, whose role he reprised years later in his own TV show. He's also the star of Doctor Sleep, which brings Danny Torrance from The Shining back in a new terrifying adventure.
Ewen Bremner As Spud
Spud is a naive, slow-witted, and unpredictable drug addict who turns his small criminal activities into a habit he can't quit. He has the kindest heart in Renton's group of friends, which makes them pity him since he can't take care of himself. Spud isn't bright enough to notice he's being manipulated by his friends in several instances of Trainspotting, which even costs him a reckless arrest. Spud features in many hilarious moments of the '90s British comedy, as he's a hopeless romantic even though he can't make things right. Yet, he's the only character who comes to with his loneliness.
Ewen Bremner, who plays Spud, has appeared in multiple other indie films but only showed up in the mainstream spotlight with his role as Charlie in Wonder Woman, a loyal ally of the hero, and Andrew in Snowpiercer, where he's almost unrecognizable and features in the most horrifying scene of the movie. Before reuniting with the full cast of Trainspotting in the legacy sequel, Bremner worked with McGregor in Jack the Giant Slayer and Perfect Senses.
Jonny Lee Miller As Sick Boy
Simon David "Sick Boy" Williamson is one of Renton's closest friends, even though he seems to be an antagonist at times. He was one of the most reckless addicts in their group until a horrific scene changed everything in Trainspotting — a chilling sequence involving Sick Boy's infant daughter, which affects him deeply. After the incident, Sick Boy becomes a hopeless narcissist who only cares about money.
Jonny Lee Miller, who plays Sick Boy, has an impressive and highly active career. Ever since Trainspotting the actor hasn't taken a break, appearing in Dexter as Jordan Chase, the main antagonist of season 5, the dangerous leader of a group of sadists, and in Elementary, where he delivers s a modern portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. More recently, Miller played the former British prime minister John Major in The Crown, a heavily dramatic role that took him out of his comfort zone.
Kevin McKidd As Tommy
Tommy starts off as one of the best characters in Trainspotting, a self-aware young man who loves to hang out with Renton and his friends but abstains from heroin and drugs, always advising his pals to do the same. Tommy is the only member of the group who seems to have a bright future ahead, and that's precisely why his downfall hits so hard. After his girlfriend dumps him, Tommy becomes extremely depressed and finds comfort in heroin, meeting a devastating fate.
Kevin McKidd, who plays Tommy, is so young in Trainspotting that not everyone recognizes him, but he's one of the stars of Grey's Anatomy, the popular medical drama, in which he plays the charming and charismatic Dr. Owen Hunt. While Hunt is McKidd's most popular role, it's also easy to spot him in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, where he plays Poseidon, the god of the sea and the waters, and in Hannibal Rising, which unfortunately turned out poorly but delivers a rare villainous role by McKidd.
Trainspotting ing Cast & Characters
Robert Carlyle as Begbie - Begbie is an unpredictable acquaintance of Renton and his friends, who believe it's best to keep him close as a friend than have him be an enemy. He's addicted to violence and has terrifying tantrum episodes, which makes him a low-key antagonist. Robert Carlyle, who plays Begbie, is most commonly known for starring in the comedy The Full Monty and in the series Once Upon a Time as Mr. Gold, a.k.a. Rumplestiltskin.
Kelly Macdonald as Diane - Diane is Renton's love interest despite being below the age of consent, threatening to report him to the police if he dumps her. Macdonald is famous for her key role in the Best Picture-winner No Country for Old Men and for Pixar's Brave, where she voices Princess Merida. She also played Helena Ravenclaw in the Harry Potter franchise and Margaret on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.
Shirley Henderson as Gail - Spud's girlfriend, Gail, is played by Shirley Henderson. Trainspotting was one of her first film roles, but she's gone on to a lengthy career appearing in everything from prestige pictures like Marie Antoinette and Anna Karenina to popular franchises. She co-stars as Jude in all the Bridget Jones movies, plays the ghost Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter, and voiced Babu Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Peter Mullan as Mother Superior - The drug dealer known as Mother Superior is played by award-winning character actor and filmmaker Peter Mullan. He appears in such movies as Children of Men, War Horse, Tyrannosaur, and the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in which he plays Corban Yaxley. On the small screen, he had recurring roles on Ozark, Westworld, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Keith Allen as Hugo the Dealer - British television personality Keith Allen has a cameo in the Trainspotting cast as the drug dealer Hugo. There's a fan theory that Allen's character is the same as his role in Shallow Grave, which would make this a prequel to that earlier Danny Boyle thriller.
