7 best Ewan McGregor films and shows to watch ahead of A Gentleman in Moscow
The upcoming Paramount+ with Showtime historical drama, A Gentleman in Moscow, featuring Ewan McGregor, has excited fans worldwide as the series is set to premiere on March 29, 2024. The show is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Amor Towles.
McGregor replaced Kenneth Branagh to take on the role of Count Alexander Rostov. The trailer gives viewers a glimpse into Russia, following the October Revolution, when Rostov was exiled to a hotel attic by Bolshevik authorities. While fans wait for McGregor's portrayal of Rostov in A Gentleman in Moscow, they can take a look at some of the films and shows featuring the Emmy winner, which are worth a watch.
Seven best Ewan McGregor films and shows to watch
1) Beginners (2010)
The 2010 Mike Mills American romantic comedy-drama sees Ewan McGregor on-screen as Oliver Fields - a graphic artist based out of Los Angeles. Fields meets Anna Wallace (Mélanie Laurent), a French actor with laryngitis, and falls in love with her. The official synopsis of the movie reads,
"Oliver, a graphic designer, is attracted to a free-spirited and unpredictable Anna. Memories of his father encourage him to open himself up to the potential of a true and long-lasting relationship."
Beginners additionally features Christopher Plummer as Fields' father, Hal, who comes out as gay, following the death of his wife. This role earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
2) Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
With an 82% Tomatometer rating, the Deborah Cho adaptation of Star Wars features McGregor as the titular character in the continuation of the saga as a television series. The show was released in 2022 on Disney+ and revolves around Obi-Wan Kenobi, who lives as Ben on Tatooine, having survived Order 66. The synopsis of the show reads,
"The Jedi Master contends with the consequences of his greatest defeat -- the downfall and corruption of his one-time friend and apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader."
Ewan McGregor had previously played the Jedi Master in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
3) Trainspotting (1996)
The 1996 British cult-favorite black comedy-drama Trainspotting features Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, and Kelly Macdonald in lead roles. Based on the 1993 Irvine Welsh novel of the same name, the movie was a breakthrough for McGregor, for which he won Best Actor at the BAFTA Scotland Awards and Empire Awards.
"Renton is profoundly immersed in the narcotic circuit in Edinburgh. He endeavors to purify himself and quit consuming drugs notwithstanding the allure of the drugs and the potent influence of pals."
Ewan plays the role of Mark "Rent Boy" Renton, who has been dealing with his heroin addiction when his parents force him to go cold turkey, thereby leading to a slew of misadventures in Edinburgh.
4) Long Way Down (2007)
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman (The Serpent's Kiss) came together to embark on a motorcycle journey through eighteen countries in 2007, as a follow-up to their 2004 trip, wherein the pair traveled from London to New York via Eurasia.
The duo made the documentary, Long Way Down, with clips from their journey, and the show was produced by David Alexanian and Big Earth's Russ Malkin. The official synopsis reads,
"Three years after "Long Way Round," Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off on a 15,000-mile journey from the northernmost tip of Scotland to the southernmost tip of South Africa, mixing their love of motorcycles with the lure of far-flung roads."
McGregor and Boorman went on the journey with the same technical team as for Long Way Round (2004), who helped break down their adventures into six episodes later broadcast on BBC Two.
5) Fargo (2017)
The third season of Fargo taps into Ewan McGregor's talent to fulfill the double role of brothers Emmit and Raymond "Ray" Stussy. The American dark comedy by FX comes with a whopping 93% Tomatometer rating, and all seasons are worth a watch. However, the synopsis of the season featuring McGregor reads,
"A disparate set of characters deal with a plethora of crimes in different time periods. The only thing they share in common is their connection to the Midwest, USA."
Created by Noah Hawley, the plot follows Ray Stussy and Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who make an unsuccessful robbery attempt at Emmit's house and then end up tangled in a double murder case.
6) The Ghost Writer (2010)
Ewan McGregor's performance as the Ghost Writer won him the European Film Award for Best Actor in 2010. The Roman Polanski neo-noir political thriller adapted from the 2007 Robert Harris novel, titled The Ghost, presents McGregor in the titular and unnamed role of a ghostwriter hired to complete the autobiography of the former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan).
The official synopsis reads,
"A ghostwriter is hired to work on the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang. While Lang gets embroiled in a huge scandal, the writer uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy."
The endeavor leads to the unearthing of dark secrets about Lang. The movie was released as The Ghost in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
7) T2 Trainspotting (2017)
The sequel to Danny Boyle's 1996 film, T2 Trainspotting has Ewan McGregor reprise his role as Mark "Rent Boy" Renton. The movie takes characters from the Irvine Welsh novel and uses ideas from the 2002 novel Porno.
While most found the movie to be slow and nostalgic, the plot picks up 20 years later just as the official synopsis describes,
"After 20 years, Mark Renton returns to Edinburgh to reunite with his old friends. However, things do not go as planned when he joins his best friend, Simon, and his lover to start a brothel."
The movie won the BAFTA Scotland Awards for Best Feature Film in 2017.
Watch the first episode of A Gentleman in Moscow, A Master of Circumstance, as it airs on March 29, 2024, on Showtime.