A Few Famous Faces from Edinburgh

Although more commonly known for its castle and cobbled streets, Edinburgh is also famous for the notable celebrities that have been born and raised there. From authors to prime ministers, Edinburgh has been the birthplace of some of the most notable names of the 20th and 21st century.

One of the most famous of these is children's book writer J. K. Rowling. Famed for her Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling is considered to be one of the most successful writers of recent times. In fact, J.K. Rowling has sold a very large proportion of copies of the Harry Potter series and is considered to be one of the richest women in Britain.

Of even more significant prestige is Tony Blair, the former British prime minister. Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh in Scotland in 1953 and spent the first few years of his life mainly living in the Willowbrae district of Edinburgh.

Most famous for his role as British prime minister between 1997 and 2007, Blair is also remembered for his role in modernising the Labour Party. Since stepping down as prime minister in 2007, Tony Blair has been teaching at Yale University, as well as working as a public speaker for prestigious events.

Sir Sean Connery is another name to come from Edinburgh that has become well-known around the world. Born in Fountainbridge in Edinburgh, Connery is most famous for his cinema role as James Bond.

While working as a bodybuilder, Connery gained a part in the stage show South Pacific, eventually leading him on to play James Bond in the film Dr. No in 1962. Since then Connery has starred in seven Bond films, as well as countless other award winning movies throughout his career. In recognition of his contributions to modern cinema, Sean Connery was knighted in July 2000.

Irvine Welsh is another highly successful author to come from Edinburgh. Born in Leith, Irvine Welsh has become internationally famous for his fiction writing, particularly his Trainspotting novel which later became a successful film. Since the publication of Trainspotting, Welsh has written six more novels and while none have become as internationally successful as Trainspotting, they have all received literary prestige from reviewers.

From writers to actors, Edinburgh has produced many famous celebrities. An ever-growing number of flights to Edinburgh make it a popular destination for fans looking to explore the city that moulded such famous names.