Gerard James Butler (born 13 November 1969) is a Scottish actor, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. A trained lawyer, Gerard Butler turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in English productions such as the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), which he followed with steady work on television, most notably in the American miniseries Attila (2001). Gerard Butler garnered critical acclaim for his breakthrough work as the lead in Joel Schumacher's 2004 film adaptation of the musical The Phantom of the Opera. In 2007, Gerard Butler gained worldwide recognition through his portrayal of King Leonidas in the film 300. Since then, Gerard Butler has appeared in projects including P.S. I Love You (2007), RocknRolla (2008), The Ugly Truth (2009), Gamer (2009), and The Bounty Hunter (2010).
