Richard Rankin

Richard Rankin was born as Richard Harris on 4 January 1983 in Rutherglen, Scotland, and spent part of his childhood in the East End of Glasgow. He moved to King's Park when he was ten, eventually attending Stonelaw High School. One of four boys born to a father on the police force and a mother in the hotel industry, he originally planned a career in the sciences or Information Technology.

Rankin initially attended Glasgow Caledonian University as an IT major, but changed course after a chance encounter at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during a holiday in Los Angeles. A local film producer told the then 22-year-old that he had the look of an actor, and upon his return to Glasgow, Rankin auditioned for Langside College with his brother Colin Harris. Both graduated and went on to a career in acting, but when Rankin, who was then known by his birth name of Richard Harris, applied for his Equity card he began using his mother's maiden name (Rankin) to prevent confusion with Irish actor Richard Harris.