Brian Cox never thought he’d direct a film “in a million years” before Glenrothan

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Brian Cox is a well-known actor with a long and successful career in film and television. Although he’s directed plays before, he’s only now, at age 79, making his debut as a screen director.

Glenrothan marks the directorial debut of Brian Cox, a heartfelt drama filmed in Scotland. The story follows two brothers, played by Cox and Alan Cumming, who reconnect after being separated for many years.

Alan Cumming and Brian Cox lead the film. Cox plays Sandy, who owns a whisky distillery and has always lived in their hometown. Cumming is Donal, a man who left for Chicago 35 years ago. After a difficult event, Donal decides it’s time to return to Scotland and try to reconcile with his brother.

Before the film came out, TopMob had a private conversation with Cox to learn what motivated him to take on the project. Surprisingly, directing wasn’t something he’d always dreamed of doing.

He jokingly blamed his agent for a decision he didn’t want to take credit for. ‘It wasn’t my idea,’ he said with a laugh, explaining he’d initially protested taking on the directing role, but his agent insisted he was the one in charge. He still considered the situation an unavoidable circumstance.

He said he truly never imagined he’d be directing a movie. It was the last thing he expected, and something he didn’t think would ever happen – but then the opportunity arose.

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Cox shared that the script was written by David Ashton, a longtime friend and frequent collaborator on the BBC Radio 4 drama, McLevy. Although he was hesitant about directing at first, he was quickly convinced after reading the script.

He shared that he found the story quite beautiful, describing it as simple and compassionate – something particularly needed today. He highlighted its focus on relationships, brotherhood, and family, noting that films with these themes are rare in Scotland.

I was so struck by how delicately he described the film. He really believes in letting a story breathe, and that resonated with me. He said he never wants to manipulate the audience or force a certain interpretation – he wants the film itself to connect with you. It’s actually how he loves to work as a director – creating a space where the actors can truly shine and then supporting their performances with everything around them. It’s a beautiful, trusting approach, and I think it really comes across in the final product.

Cox shared that, considering the film’s story and his strong connection to Scotland, he quickly felt it was a project he was meant to be a part of.

Looking back on my life and my connection to Scotland, I realize how deeply it’s become a part of me. Even though I may not live there now, Scots have always been a people who move and adapt. Coming from such a small country, what we’ve accomplished is incredible – things like television, the telephone, and even modern medicine. We’ve created so much that has impacted the world.

Sometimes we don’t receive the respect we feel we’ve earned. It’s also fantastic that three projects have been successful, including the film starring James McAvoy, ‘California Schemin” and Richard Gadd’s upcoming TV show, ‘Half Man’.

It’s fantastic to see more films being made in Scotland – it’s such a rich and inspiring location for storytelling.

Cox explained that directing a film was different from his stage work mainly because he had to coordinate with a much larger team.

He explained that while a play primarily focuses on the actors and stage management, a film involves everyone. What he found crucial was creating an egalitarian environment where everyone on set felt equal.

I don’t see myself as someone who dictates the overall artistic vision. Perhaps with a different project I could take on that role, but not for this movie.

He emphasized that everyone on his team, including cinematographer Jaime Ackroyd and production designer Laura Donnelly, had done outstanding work.

I’m really proud of the actors I’ve assembled,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for better performers than Alan Cumming or Shirley Henderson, and Alexandra Shipp was a fantastic addition to the team.

We also had Alexandra Wilkie, a young actress from Blantyre, in the cast. She hadn’t previously played an American role, but she completely nailed the accent. She’s truly amazing, and I think she’s the standout performer in the film – she’s just astonishing!

Glenrothan is released in UK cinemas on Friday 17 April.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

As a film critic for TopMob, I’ve been covering the world of cinema – from new releases in theaters to everything hitting streaming services – since October 2019. It’s been a fantastic run! I’ve had the chance to review all sorts of movies and even chat with some pretty big stars along the way. I’m Patrick Cremona, by the way, and I’m the Senior Film Writer here.

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2026-04-14 19:36