by Kimberly Davis

Created on: January 22, 2012   Last Updated: January 23, 2012

Ewan Gordon McGregor was born on March 31, 1971 in Perth, Scotland to parents James Charles Stewart McGregor and Carole Diane Lawson-McGregor. Ewan’s father worked as a physical education teacher and his mother, also worked in the school system, as an administrator and a teacher. Ewan and his older brother Colin spent their childhoods in the small town of Crieff, where they attended school at the Morrison Academy. After graduation, Ewan went on to study drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

In 1993, just six months before graduation, Ewan landed the lead role in the Dennis Potter series “Lipstick on Your Collar.” As well as his film debut in Bill Forsyth’s “Being Human.” In 1994, McGregor won the Empire Award for his role in the movie thriller “Shallow Grave.” He has starred opposite such beauties as Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Hilary Swank and Jessica Lange and is probably most recognized as young Obi Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars: Episode 1- the Phantom Menace.” McGregor was offered the role of James Bond in the 2006 movie “Casino Royal,” but turned it down for fear of being typecast afterward.

McGregor has also dabbled in theatre work appearing from November 1998 to March 1999 as Malcolm Scrawdykein in “Little Malcolm and His Struggles against Eunuchs” and from June 2005 to April 2007 as Sky Masterson in Donmar Warehouse’s production of “Guys and Dolls.” McGregor won the Lastminute.com award in 2005 for the role as well as being nominated for a Luarence Olivier Award in 2007. From December 2007 to February 2008, Ewan played Lago in Othello, also at the Donmar Warehouse.

In 2004, Ewan, who is an avid motorcycle fan, took a marathon jaunt when he along with friends Charley Boorman and Claudio von Planta travelled from London to New York through Europe, the Ukraine, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia and Canada a trip that took from mid-April to the end of July. The motorcycle adventure sparked a television series as well as bestselling book both titled “Long Way Round.”

Ewan McGregor met Eve Mavrakis, a production designer, while appearing on British television in 1994 and the couple wed on July 22, 1995. The McGregor’s have four daughters, their first Clara Mathilde was born in February 1998, and Esther Rose came next in November of 2001. Jamiyan is from Mongolia and was adopted by the family in April 2006, as well as a fourth daughter whom the couple adopted in January 2011.

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