His roles in Trainspotting and Grey’s Anatomy have earned him a plethora of plaudits and awards.
But Scottish actor Kevin McKidd said it was the cast and crew of Grey’s Anatomy who deserved the most praise last week after revealing they ‘rallied around’ him following the death of his father.
The Elgin-born star co-directed Season 21, Episode 8 of the hit show, which premiered on November 21 – less than one month after losing his father Neil on October 24.
And McKidd, 51, said the themes of ‘grief, love, acceptance and kindness’ throughout the episode helped him cope with his emotions as he dealt with his grief.
Taking to social media to praise his colleagues, the 51-year-old said: ‘Words cannot express my love for these fine, bright, talented, passionate, giving and above all, kind people.
‘They truly helped me going through shooting tonight’s episode.
‘The entire cast and crew rallied around me at this time of my life, held me up and made it possible to carry on.’
He also thanked other members of staff for allowing him to travel back to Scotland to be with his family and his acting colleagues for continuing to shoot scenes without him.
McKidd shot to fame in Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting alongside fellow Scots Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Kelly MacDonald almost 30 years ago.
His performance as Tommy MacKenzie – who quickly descended from a fit and healthy young man to a severely troubled heroin addict – is seen as one of the most shocking aspects of the film which won various awards such as the BAFTA for Best Screenplay in 1997.
McKidd has since made a name for himself Stateside, with his role as Dr Owen Hunt in the Grey’s Anatomy his biggest success after taking the job in 2008.
Now living in Los Angeles, his partner Danielle Savre has also featured in the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff show, Station 19, and on the main series.
Most of McKidd’s family still live in and around Elgin, with the actor having previously said he believes it is important for his children to visit their ancestral home despite being American citizens.
In a post written on his blog, McKidd had said: ‘Although I enjoy life in America, I go back to Elgin as much as possible,
‘We usually spend a bit of the summer and Christmas here with my family.
‘Elgin is what I know and what is most familiar to me. Coming back is like putting on an old pair of jeans.
‘When I go to the pub, I hear a lot of the people complaining that nothing has changed, but I take comfort from that.’
McKidd’s parents, Kathleen and Neil, raised him on a council estate in Elgin before he left to study drama at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University.
In a separate social media post following the death of his father last month, he thanked his Dad for making his mum ‘so happy’ during their 56 years together.