Byrne was the first of six children, born in Dublin, Ireland. His father was a cooper and his mother a hospital worker. He was raised Catholic and educated by the Irish Christian Brothers. He spent five years of his childhood in a seminary training to be a Catholic priest. He later said, "I spent five years in the seminary and I suppose it was assumed that you had a vocation. I have realized subsequently that I didn't have one at all. I don't believe in God. But I did believe at the time in this notion that you were being called." He attended University College Dublin, where he studied archeology and linguistics, and became proficient in Irish. He played football . In his return to theater in 2008, he appeared as King Arthur in Lerner and Loewe's Camelot with the New York Philharmonic which was featured in a PBS broadcast in the Live From Lincoln Center series in May of 2008. Byrne did not visit America until he was 37. In 1988, Byrne married actress Ellen Barkin with whom he has two children. The couple separated amicably in 1993 and divorced in 1999. Byrne resides in Brooklyn, New York. In November 2004, Byrne was appointed a UNICEF Ireland Ambassador. In 2007 Byrne was presented with the first of the newly created Volta awards at the 5th Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. This was for lifetime achievement in acting. He also received the Honorary Patronage of the University Philosophical Society, of Trinity College, Dublin on February 20, 2007. He was awarded an honorary degree in late 2007 by the National University of Ireland, Galway, in recognition of Byrne's "outstanding contribution to Irish and international film".
Has a son, Jack Daniel, born 1989; and a daughter, Romy Marion, born 1992.
Started acting at the age of 29 and he went to America for the first time when he was 37.
Before becoming an actor, he was an archaelogist, a schoolteacher, a short-order cook, and a bullfighter.
In a November 1999 interview with the New York Post, he claimed to have been molested by his Latin teacher while at an English seminary preparing for priesthood.
He went from a priest in Stigmata to Satan in End of Days .
Educated by the Christian Brothers in Dublin.
Autobiography titled "Pictures in My Head"
Was nominated for Broadways 2000 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for a revival of Eugene ONeill s "A Moon for the Misbegotten."
Although he separated from Ellen Barkin in 1993, he did not file for divorce until May 1999.
Has appeared in 3 roles romantically opposite Laura Linney, "A Simple Twist of Fate," "P.S." and "Jindabyne.".
Older brother of Donal, Thomas, Breda, Margaret and Marian (deceased).
Son of Dan Byrne and Eileen Gannon.
He has Irish citizenship and resident alien status in the United States.
Hes a patron of The West of Ireland Cardiology Foundation, Croi, since 1997.
He was a football played with the Stella Maris Football Club in Drumcondra, Dublin.
Speaks English and Gaeilge (Irish Gaelic).
Learned to speak Gaelic in college and still speaks it fluently.
Cites Federico Fellini s Amarcord as one of his all-time favorite movies.
In "Live from Lincoln Center" {Camelot (#33.3)} Gabriel Byrne plays King Arthur. In Excalibur he plays Arthurs father, Uther Pendragon.
Didnt start acting until he was twenty-nine years old.
Not a relation of Rose Byrne.
He has acted in films with all three actors who played Supermans arch enemy Lex Luthor in live-action films: Gene Hackman in Enemy Of The State , Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects and Jesse Eisenberg in Louder Than Bombs.
[on dealing with depression] - A single negative thought begins in your,head. That single negative thought interacts with another negative,thought and becomes a reality. And the world seems like the darkest,bleakest, blackest place that you can possibly be. And it has nothing,to do with logic, it has nothing to do with reality.
[on being beaten in school, specifically in math class] - I feared being,beaten, and I was beaten very regularly. It did affect my sense of,myself.
