Photo: Jujubunicorn / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Birmingham is one of the most quietly authoritative character actors working, and Hell or High Water is the film where it all clicked for me. His banter with Jeff Bridges' aging Ranger carried real weariness and affection, and that role deserved far more awards attention than it got. On Yellowstone, his Chairman Rainwater is the smartest strategist on a show full of schemers, playing the long game while everyone else swings hammers. He brings a dignity to Native characters in an industry that has historically flattened them, and he does it without ever telegraphing the effort. Twilight introduced him to millions, but his best work is the grown-up stuff.
Overview
Gil Birmingham (born July 13, 1953) is an American actor of Comanche descent from San Antonio, Texas. He is widely known for playing Billy Black in The Twilight Saga and Thomas Rainwater in the television series Yellowstone. His acclaimed film work includes Hell or High Water, where he played Texas Ranger Alberto Parker opposite Jeff Bridges. He studied at the University of Southern California and has built a long career across film, television, and voice work.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Gil Birmingham
- Name (Japanese)
- ギル・バーミンガム
- Reading
- ぎる・ばーみんがむ
- Born
- July 13, 1953 (age 72)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Snake
- Origin
- San Antonio, Texas, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- Actor / Voice actor / Television actor / Film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Southern California
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Actor — see all → · Voice actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.