Public Figure Profiles

Ian Charleson

Ian Charleson (11 August 1949 – 6 January 1990) was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell, in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire. He is also well known for his portrayal of Rev. Charlie Andrews in the 1982 Oscar-winning film Gandhi.

Charleson was a noted actor on the British stage as well, with critically acclaimed leads in Guys and Dolls, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Fool for Love, and Hamlet, among many others. He performed numerous Shakespearean roles, and in 1991 the annual Ian Charleson Awards were established, particularly in honour of his final Hamlet. The awards reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by actors aged under 30.

The Houghton Mifflin Dictionary of Biography describes Charleson as "a leading player of charm and power" and "one of the finest British actors of his generation". Alan Bates wrote that Charleson was "definitely among the top ten actors of his age group". Ian McKellen said Charleson was "the most unmannered and unactorish of actors: always truthful, always honest".Charleson was diagnosed with HIV in 1986, and died in 1990 at the age of 40. He requested that it be announced after his death that he had died of AIDS, in order to publicise the condition. This was the first celebrity death in the United Kingdom openly attributed to AIDS, and the announcement helped to promote awareness and acceptance of the disease.

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Some of their strengths

Ian Charleson has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Confident, Energetic, Optimistic, Extroverted, Organized, Brave, and Analytical.

Bold and Confident

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Ian Charleson is someone who is a bold, confident, energetic, and optimistic person, who is able to combine personal warmth and charisma with intelligence. A person who is a bit of a "lone wolf".

Soulful and Intuitive

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Ian Charleson well know them as someone who can be graceful, romantic, and reserved, like gentle rain.

Independent and Organized

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Ian Charleson as someone who is independent, organized, inventive, and generous.

A person who is curious and a loves learning, who seems to always know what to say, who has an optimism that can overcome any difficult situation, and who seems to be able to master almost any skill.

Inquisitive and Progressive

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Ian Charleson is someone who is an eternal student who is always interested in learning new things, and who has a desire to shake things up and change things.

They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.

Creative and Leadership-oriented

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Ian Charleson tends to be someone who is a natural leader, with determination, motivational powers, and who takes obligations seriously. Who has charisma, a sense of humor, and who tends to attract attention.

Some of Ian Charleson's challenges

While Ian Charleson has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Ian Charleson can be Arrogant, Status-seeking, Indecisive, Unrealistic, Difficult, Perfectionist, and Domineering.

Arrogant and Status-seeking

One of Ian Charleson's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as arrogant and status-seeking.

Domineering and Impatient

Ian Charleson is someone who can be demanding, egotistical, and controlling, can have a lack of judgment regarding personal finances, be argumentative and stubborn, and who can have a tendency to be withdrawn and spend time in self-imposed isolation.

Domineering and Stubborn

Finally, Ian Charleson also can be too rebellious, not respond to criticism well, and be too emotional and extreme about things.

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