Robbie Coltrane Could Have Had An Automotive Career If He Hadn’t Pursued Acting

Before he was famous, Coltrane was still involved in the world of acting and may have even had close contact with some major stars of the time. But he wouldn’t have been sharing a stage or a screen with those big names. He would have been in a car with them. One of Coltrane’s pre-acting job involved working as a chauffeur for the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), which is held annually in the capital of his native Scotland. On its website, the EIFF says the role of “guest driver” involves providing “a friendly, efficient and professional service to Edinburgh International Film Festival guests and delegates; collecting them on arrival in Edinburgh, transporting them between venues and events while strictly adhering to schedules.”

The job listing also notes that the job doesn’t just involve driving in Edinburgh but can involve trips to Glasgow and “other U.K. cities” too. The festival also claims the drivers are “part chauffeur, part EIFF ambassador and often the first and last face the guests see during their visit,” so it’s safe to say the charisma Coltrane displayed throughout his career also served him well in jobs like this.

Focusing on his acting career didn’t mean Coltrane had left his professional driving days behind. The budding actor would go on to “reprise his role” as an EIFF chauffeur in 1986’s “Hooray for Holyrood,” which was a film about the 40th Edinburgh International Film Festival.