Andrew Scott has played two of British Television’s most fascinating characters and has become a pop culture staple. The ‘Hot Priest’ of Fleabag gained notoriety for his role as James Moriarty in BBC’s Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Since then, he has appeared in a number of prominent roles.
The Ripley star is extremely private about his personal life, although he has spoken about his childhood and sexuality. The Irish national is openly gay and has been a vocal advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights. On the occasion of his 48th birthday, here are a few facts about Scott that fans might now know about him.
1. Andrew Scott Began Acting To Get Over A Speech Impediment
Andrew Scott began his career on the stage and went on to appear in independent Irish films. He reportedly began acting as a child, joining the Speech and Drama class. In an interview with BBC’s This Cultural Life, Scott admitted that he initially joined the class to help with a lisp he had. He said,
The reason I started Speech and Drama was more for the speech element. I had a real lisp when I was a kid and I had to go to these elocution lessons… Eventually, that disappeared, as it does for a lot of children, but then I really got into the drama element.
Scott also mentioned that acting really helped him while he was struggling during his teenage years.
2. Andrew Scott Had A Small Role In Saving Private Ryan
Fans have seen Andrew Scott as the disgruntled soldier in 1917, but he apparently played a really small part in one of the best war films of all time. Scott revealed that he was one of the soldiers who got killed at the opening of Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, where the American soldiers storm the beaches of Normandy.
Scott mentioned that he even had a line. However, his work with Spielberg did not end there as he went on to appear in the series Band of Brothers, which was produced by him. The Sherlock star mentioned that working on the show and the film made him realize that he was not a ‘fighter’ (via BBC).
3. Andrew Scott Hated The Initial Response To Sherlock
Tumblr users in the early 2010s remember that the decade was dominated by BBC’s Sherlock, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as a contemporary version of Sherlock Holmes. The actor was aptly opposed by Andrew Scott’s James Moriarty, his arch-nemesis. Beginning with the final episode of series one, Scott won the BAFTA for his role.
However, Scott was reportedly saddened by some criticisms that he had received when the episode first aired and even called co-creator Mark Gatiss to apologize. He said to BBC,
Some people thought it was great and were really celebrating it, but some people absolutely hated it. I was devastated by that. And embarrassed. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve completely humiliated myself’… I remember calling Mark Gatiss and saying, ‘I’m really sorry.’ Because of course, all you remember is the negative stuff. He said, ‘Oh god, I meant to say, never go online’.
The actor reportedly went on to have a healthier attitude towards criticism.
4. The 1917 Star First Commented On His Sexuality In 2013
Andrew Scott has been vocal about his sexuality and has come out as gay. He has since spoken about LGBTQIA+ rights and what representation in the media does to people who are going through similar struggles. Though he is extremely private, he first spoke about his sexuality in an interview with The Independent. He said,
Mercifully, these days people don’t see being gay as a character flaw. But nor is it a virtue, like kindness. Or a talent, like playing the banjo. It’s just a fact. Of course, it’s part of my make-up, but I don’t want to trade on it. I am a private person; I think that’s important if you’re an actor.
According to GQ, the actor was reportedly encouraged to keep his sexuality a secret during the initial stages of his career.
5. Andrew Scott Initially Wanted To Be An Artist
While everyone is delighted that Andrew Scott picked acting and performed in brilliant roles, the Ripley star reportedly dreamed of being an artist as a child. He said to BBC that he was planning on following in his mother’s footsteps as she was an art teacher. He said,
When I was six or seven, I knew I was really interested in painting and drawing. I was really obsessed with it growing up. On a fateful day, when I was 17, I had to choose between these two things,” he says. “I’m left with a sense of guilt… because [painting] was such a huge part of my life growing up, and it’s not as much a part of my life now.
Scott had almost chosen the path and had reportedly won a grant to study painting, but chose acting as he was offered a role in the Irish drama Korea on the same day.
