Greenock-born Martin Compston is no stranger to Glasgow, having regularly visited the city throughout his childhood. GlasgowWorld sat down to speak to the actor at the beginning of 2024, and he shared fond memories about the city. When asked about his favorite places, Martin enthusiastically mentioned "Celtic Park" before expressing his fondness for Finnieston. "Now, I've filmed a few times in Glasgow and I tend to stay in this area. There's some great eating, and I like the city vibe where there are cafes, and you can have a bit of a wander," he said.
Compston has become quite familiar with various local bars during his time filming, listing some of his favorite spots where fans might even run across him. At The Press Bar, he enjoyed pints with friends and co-stars. He was also spotted at Brechin's Bar during the filming of the drama Mayflies alongside Ashley Jensen and at Partick's Bag O' Nails, where he was seen watching Celtic take on Rangers.
“Vegas is lovely but so is Greenock,” Compston once remarked, noting the balance he tries to maintain between his family life and work commitments. Indeed, it’s been over two decades since he was catapulted from school life in Greenock to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival after starring as the lead in the film Sweet Sixteen. Throughout his career, he has appeared in hit productions like Monarch of the Glen, Red Road, and the critically acclaimed series Line of Duty.
Now 40 and with his own family, he often divides his time between Greenock and Las Vegas. This provides him the advantage of being close to home, as seen with his latest role as architect Martyn in the new Amazon Prime thriller Fear, which let him work from Glasgow. "It's a joy when something like this arrives and you realize it's set here. You always want to make stuff the home squad is proud of," he said of the thrillers setup.
Fear premiered during the Glasgow Film Festival, which marked yet another opportunity for Compston to showcase Scottish talent and scenery. The three-part series, based on the novel by Dirk Kurbjuweit, follows the unsettling turn of events for families relocating to Glasgow from London. Compston pointed out the relatability of neighborly tensions, mentioning how small issues like bin usage can escalate dramatically, adding to the show's gripping narrative.
“The filming was done entirely on location where we explored gorgeous properties, making Glasgow look pretty spectacular,” he narrated, emphasizing the city's beauty, which often goes unnoticed amid projects typically framing it as gritty. Each filming location they scouted, particularly the stunning townhouses within Park Circus, has lent significant character to the series.
“The grand nature of the locations really captivated us, and exploring menial servants' quarters and hidden attic spaces offered more depth to our scenes,” Compston said. His admiration for the local architecture stems from childhood school trips, expressing, “I would wonder who lived up there. It's funny to think about the Celtic and Rangers players who probably walked those same streets.”
Beyond Fear, Compston has starred in multiple productions shot entirely within Scotland, including The Rig and the heartwarming travel series Scottish Fling. He identifies this work as fortunate, allowing him to frequently return home to Greenock and maintain connections with his roots: "A warm Vegas night under the stars is lovely, but the view we have from the couch at home, where you see these massive cruise ships coming and going, is amazing.”
Recent engagements with streaming giants like Amazon Prime have shifted the scenic backdrop of Glasgow to the forefront, launching works like Fear at film festivals right at home, rather than the previous norm of premiering productions elsewhere. “There was once a time when we would have premiered this sort of project in London but seeing it launched here makes it significant for our local audience,” he noted, with pride.
Looking to the horizon, Compston shared his excitement about his upcoming ITV thriller Red Eye. He acknowledges the privilege of leading substantial productions, quipping, “There's quite a bit of running around pretending to be tough.” This approach seems reminiscent of his portrayal of DI Steve Arnott from Line of Duty, which concluded after six gripping seasons back in 2021.
Although the call for another Line of Duty installation remains, Compston, along with co-stars Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, are firmly entrenched with their individual projects. Despite their commitments, he remains hopeful: “We'd love to come back at some point, but it all depends on timing—and of course, we require the right story,” he said. “Jed, our showrunner, only returns when he finds the right angle.”
With his steady connection to Glasgow, recent heavyweight roles, and dedication to both his heritage and community, Compston continues to pave his way with beloved narratives. His flexibility at home stands as living proof of how local pride mingles with global outreach, framing Martin Compston not simply as a successful actor but as influential ambassador of Scottish culture across screens.