One of Tommy Flanagan‘s onscreen appearances was in 1995’s Braveheart. He had his scars then, and his character probably wouldn’t have been as effective without them. Still, from there on, Flanagan scars became part of his entire look.
Needless to say, his body of work is proof that you don’t need the most flawless face to be successful in Hollywood. As a matter of fact, Flanagan’s appeal goes way beyond that. In one of his famous roles on television as Telford (“Chibs”) in Sons of Anarchy, he had a look that was the perfect bad-boy appeal. Sure, his scar has done wonders for his career, but here’s all there is to know about it.
Here Is How Tommy Flanagan Got His Scar
Lots of people have wondered how Flanagan got the facial scars that he bears today. Perhaps, if he wasn’t famous, it’d probably be a little uncomfortable looking at his face. However, over the years, his scars have become his staple and sell. As appealing as his look may be for his job today, the way Flanagan got his scars isn’t exactly the best story to tell (or probably relive, for that matter).
The Scottish actor was born in Easterhouse, Glasgow, and that wasn’t the best neighborhood in the city. As the story goes, Flanagan was out at a pub one night, having a normal time. But as he was leaving the pub, a group of people attacked him and tried to rob him. Flanagan probably put up a fight, but there were just too many attackers for him to contend with. They ended up slashing his face from ear to ear, leaving him with an injury that was to scar him for the rest of his life. His scar is popularly known as the Glasgow Grin or the Glaswegian Smile.
This scar is also Flanagan’s most recognizable feature. How he recovered from the horrific experience is nothing short of commendable. But it’s all a sentiment as to the kind of a person he truly is and how much he is willing to push the boundaries for his passion for acting and performing. Soon enough, he landed his role in Braveheart; the rest was history.
What Are Some Of His Most Popular Movies?
Some of Flanagan’s most prominent movie roles besides Morrison from Braveheart include Scarface from The Saint (1997) and Leo from Face/Off (1997). However, that’s a mere cross-section of his filmography as a whole. The actor was also Cicero from Gladiator (2000), Mark Verheiden from Alien vs. Predator (2004), and most recently Tullk Ul-Zyn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).
On television, his most recent guest roles in shows since he’s been in shows like Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014), Revenge (2015), Peaky Blinders (2013), and Gotham (2015). Flanagan never once let his scars slow him down, and he’s not slowing down any time soon. The star has at least 9 projects currently in production or just completed.
