The Grand Marshal of the 26th annual New York City (NYC) Tartan Day Parade, will be Emmy Award-winning Scottish actor and Hibs fan, Dougray Scott.
Born in Glenrothes Scott has had an extensive theatre, film and TV career including playing football manager Matt Busby in United which aired on BBC TV and roles in Taggart and Lovejoy.
He starred in the 2001 Michael Apted film Enigma with Kate Winslet which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival that year.
He presents the story of Scotland’s long love affair with football in Dougray Scott: Bringing Football Home which was aired on 11 February 2024 and can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
He is also known for his roles in Ever After with Drew Barrymore, Deep Impact starring opposite Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, and Vanessa Redgrave, and Mission: Impossible 2 with Tom Cruise. He won an Emmy for the Scottish crime drama series Crime in 2021.
The actor will wear a custom made weathered Morrison Tartan 16oz Strome kilt adopting his mother Elma’s tartan which will be woven by Lochcarron Weavers and the kilt designed as ever by Howie Nicolsby of 21st Century Kilts on the Royal Mile.
Dougray said: “I couldn’t be prouder or happier to have been asked to be the 2024 NYC Tartan Day Parade Grand Marshal. And also to be wearing the Morrison tartan, the tartan of my mother’s family. She’ll be looking down from on high with pride in her Scottish heart, God bless her Glaswegian cotton socks! May the chief let his sun shine all the way from Leith to NYC!”
The Provost of Fife, Cllr Jim Leishman, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Dougray has been selected to lead the Tartan Day Parade in New York City this year.
“Dougray is from Glenrothes in the Kingdom of Fife and became an accomplished actor back in the 1990s and has gone from strength to strength. I know his family will be extremely proud of him, just as we Fifers are.
“He is a terrific representative of the contribution played by Scotland in the international arts scene (and I still have high hopes for seeing him play James Bond)!
“Well done Dougray, we’re all behind you.”
Kyle Dawson, President of the National Tartan Day New York Committee said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dougray Scott to our NYC Tartan Week celebrations.
“Dougray is an excellent representative of how Scotland and Scottish people contribute so much to the artistic and cultural landscape of the United States, and we are proud to have him at the helm of this year’s NYC Tartan Day Parade.”
Scott is married to English actor, Claire Forlani and he has three children.
Last year Gail Porter was the Grand Marshal and marched with the young people from Edinburgh based samba drumming band Pulse of the Place.
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