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Gil Birmingham Bodybuilder?

Kayce

Kayce

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Bodybuilding is a sport that requires discipline and commitment; it takes so much to achieve an aesthetically pleasing body. Some bodybuilders have been able to break records in the bodybuilding industry, and some started as bodybuilders but broke records in other industries. On the list of these kinds of people, we have Gil Birmingham. In this article, we'll discuss his life, career, biography, and awards. Continue reading to learn more.

Who is Gil Birmingham?

Gil Birmingham is an actor and bodybuilding enthusiast of Comanche Indian decent. He has been active in the Hollywood scene for more than 30 years. The actor is very talented and can take on any role, as evident in the numerous movies he has featured in. Gil Birmingham delivers excellently, especially in acting Native American men's roles in the industry. He has featured in movies such as the Twilight Saga film series, The Lone Ranger, and Wind River.

Before he delved into acting, he was formerly a bodybuilder. He was successful in his career as a bodybuilder before he switched. He is also interested in music and has performed as a musician and guitarist at some events. He has made numerous contributions to the entertainment industry and won many awards.

Gil Birmingham

Gil Birmingham Early life

Gil Birmingham was born on July 13, 1953, in San Antonio. He is the first child of Gilbert and Rozale (Becky) Birmingham, who had five children. There's not much information about the bodybuilder/actor. However, he revealed that he grew up lonely and sad because his father was in the military, which made them move around a lot. He developed an interest in music and learned how to play the guitar early in life.

Before becoming an actor, he was a member of a band that performed in locations such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development with a bachelor's degree in administration in 1981. Gil Birmingham was a petroleum engineer before getting into bodybuilding. He worked out a lot and competed in several bodybuilding contests. However, there is no record of his winning any of the tournaments.

Despite achieving a well-sculpted body, Gil Birmingham was still consistent in his training. One day while he was hitting it hard in the gym, he was noticed by a talent scout who introduced him to play a role in a music video. He made his first appearance in the entertainment industry in 1982 and was featured in the legendary singer Diana Ross's video 'Muscles.' He displayed his powerful and charming build in the video, which lived up to the song's title.

It was after appearing in the video that Gil made his decision to go full-time into acting. Because of the competition in the industry, he mastered his craft under the tutelage of Larry Moss and Charles Conrad. He made his first appearance in a theme park attraction titled The Adventure of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular, produced by Universal Studios. He featured as the lead actor of Conan the Barbarian in the stage production between 1983 and 1993.

Gil Birmingham Career

In 2001, Gil Birmingham featured Manny Deardmarsh in The Doe Boy and appeared as Sonny Yellow Lodge in the 2002 movie, Skins. Later that same year, he had a recurring role in Body & Soul. Before he became famous for his role in Twilight in 2008, he won over five acting roles, and later in the 2010s, he had a surge in his career and appeared in many movies and TV series.
Some of these films and TV series include:
  • Love Ranch (2010)
  • The Mentalist (2010)
  • Shouting Secrets (2011)
  • Crooked Arrows (2012)
  • Vegas (2012)
  • The Lone Ranger (2013)
  • Banshee (2014)
  • House of Cards (2014)
  • and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-17).
  • In the past years, he has featured as Shaman Neka in Space Between Us (2017)
  • and Chief Sherman in Transformers: The Last Knight (2017).
  • He also featured as Detective Pearce in 10 episodes of Animal Kingdom(2017-19)
  • And Navy Captain Steven Douglas in the season finale of NCIS: Los Angeles.

Gil Birmingham has also worked as a voice actor. He had his first voice-over role in the 1999 animated TV series, The Wild Thornberrys. In that movie, they provided the role of Jim's Dad. Later in 2008, he provided the voice of Nashoba in Turok: Son of Stone and also used his voice in the Night at the Museum as well as the movie Rango.


Gil Birmingham at the Native American Music Awards in 2021

Biography

Gil Birmingham has been in the movie industry for more than 30 years, and over the years, he has gathered over sixty acting credits to his name, and he's still not relenting. Gil Birmingham is one of those celebrities who prefers to keep his life private. Therefore, there's limited information about him. Regarding his love life, some mysteries are yet to be unfolded. However, it is believed that the star has never been married and doesn't have any kids. But in an interview he made in the past, he revealed that he once dated an upcoming actress who relocated from Hawaii to Los Angeles to become a proper actress. He also revealed that she was the one that prompted him to attend acting classes which played a huge role in his acting career. Since there are uncertainties surrounding his relationship status, it is unknown whether he is single, dating, or ready to mingle.

Over the years, he has also been able to gather some wealth. His net worth is roughly estimated to be around $700,000, but his exact net worth remains unknown. However, it is known that he earns enough to live decently and lead a comfortable life.


Filmography

Film


Year
Title
Role
Notes

1987
House II: The second story
Featured warrior


1996
Le Jaguar
Bodyguard of Kumare


2001
The Doe Boy
Manny Deadmarsh


2002
Skins
Sonny Yellow Lodge


2005
End of the spear
Moipa
Uncredited

2007
Cosmic Radio
Tribal council leader


2008
Son of Stone
Nashoba (Voice)


2008
No man’s land: The Rise of Reeker
Eaglesmith


2008
Twilight
Billy Black


2009
The Twilight Saga:New moon
Billy Black


2010
The Twilight Saga:Eclipse
Billy Black


2010
Love Ranch
Sherrif Johnny Cortez


2011
Rango
Wounded Bird(voice)


2011
Shouting Secrets
Cal Bishnik


2011
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2
Billy Black


2011
Californian Indian
Charles “Chi” Thomas


2012
Crooked Arrows
Ben Logan


2012
The Twilight Saga:Breaking Dawn-Part 2
Billy Black
Credited only

2013
The lone Ranger
Red Knee



2014
The Boxcar Children
Lonan Browning
Voice Role

2016
Hell or High Water
Alberto Parker


2017
Wind River
Martin Hanson


2017
The Space between us
Shaman Neka


2017
Transformers: The last Knight
Chief Sherman


2018
The Boxcar Children Surprise Island
Lohan Browning
Voice role

2018
Saint Judy
Michael Bowman


TBA
The Marsh King’s Daughter

Post-production

Television


Year
Title
Role
Notes

1986
Riptide
Cop
Episode: “Chapel of glass”

1987
Falcon Crest
Deputy
Episode: “Desperation”

1997
The Legend of Calamity Jane
Additional Voices
13 Episodes

1997
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Peru Man
Episode:”Inca Mummy Girl”

1997
Night Man
Vargas
Episode: “I left my heart in San Fransisco”

1997
Doctor Quinn, Medicine woman
Brave #1
Episode: “safe passage”

1999
The Wild Thornberrys
Jim’s Dad (Voice)
Episode: “Tamper Proof Seal”

2001
Family Law
Bernard
Episode:”Americans”

2001
V.I.P
Roland
Episode:Uncle from V.A.L

2002
Gentle Ben
Pete
Television Film

2002
Body and Soul
OZ
Recurring role, 8 episodes

2003
Gentle Ben 2
Pete
Television Film

2003
The Lone Ranger
One Horn
Unsold television film

2003
Dreamkeeper
Sam
Television Film

2005
Medical Investigation
Walter Shephard
Episode: “Tribe”

2005
Into the West
Older Dogstar
Television miniseries , 4 episodes

2005
Love’s long journey
Sharp Claw
Television film

2006
Charmed
Indian Chief
Episode: Payback’s a witch

2006
Veronica Mars
Leonard Lobo
2 episodes


2006
Nip/Tuck
Shaman
Episode:Budri Sabri

2009
10 Items or Less
John Greene
Episodes: Dances with Groceries

2010
Castle
Cacaw Te
Episode: Wrapped up in death

2010
The mentalist
Markham Willis
Episode: Aingavite Baa

2012
The Lying game
Ben Whitehorse
3 episodes

2012
Wilfred
Red Wolf
Episode: Questions

2012
Vegas
Don Simmons
2 episodes

2014
Banshee
George Hunter
5 episodes

2014
House of Cards
Daniel Lanagin
4 episodes

2015-17
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Virgil
7 episodes

2016
Dr.Del
Crow
Television Film

2017
Animal Kingdom
Pearce
Episode:Betrayal

2018-20
Siren
Sherrif Dale Bishop
14 episodes

2018-Present
Yellowstone
Thomas Rainwater
Series regular

2019
NCIS: Los Angeles
Navy Captain Steven Douglas
season finale

2021
Pieces of Her
Charlie Bass
Recurring role

2022
Under the Banner of Heaven
Bill Taba
main role

Video Games


Year
Title
Role

1999
command and conquer:Tiberian Sun
Ghostalker(voice)



Awards

Gil Birmingham's services to the film industry have been acknowledged not just financially, but also with a number of distinctions. Gil Birmingham has received both national and international recognition. In 2001, he received the Sundance International Filmmaker's Award for outstanding performance in The Doe Boy. In 2002, he got the First Americans in the Arts Award for his film Body and Soul.

Furthermore, in 2005, his remarkable performance in the film Dreamkeeper garnered him the American Indian LA Film and Television Award. Gil Birmingham then won the Red Nation Film Festival's Jury Prize for Outstanding Actor Lead Role in 2017 for his performance in Wind

Conclusion

Although Gil Birmingham started as a bodybuilder, he wasn't recognized as one. He became widely recognized when he started his movie career. However, he wouldn't have made his debut in the entertainment industry if he hadn't prepared for the opportunity. Opportunity may come once or twice, but lack of preparation while waiting for the opportunity may make you miss out on it.
 
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