Manflesh Mondays - My Ultimate Scottish Manflesh....Craig McGinlay!!

So anyone who follows me on....well....anything, haha, will know that I absolutely 110% adore former rugby player turned strength and conditioning specialist/model/actor, Craig McGinlay.  (Picture above taken by Matt at Wee Rebel hair salon in Glasgow.  THANK YOU Matt...this is LUSH!!)

Having worked with Craig on a couple of projects now, and just having watched him blossom as both an actor, and a model over the past year...it really is quite fascinating watching him evolve into this total star!    

Visually, Craig has it all.  He is Hollywood superhero gorgeous, insanely cool  (he is an ambassador for super cool brand Finlay and Co.) and has the body to match.  I would be lying through my teeth if I said I didn't totally spend half my time in a daze at how hot he is, haha.  My partner in oogling/mischief crime, Jess Cant Bowman, who has also worked with both of us on different projects....she totally agrees to the maximus that yes...he is HAWT!!!!  That is quite clear.  ;)  We love him SOOOO much, we smeared his "blood" on our cheeks in hearts.  We are sooo not weird....honest!! ;)

Looks will only get you so far though, and there are plenty of hot guys out there....but from a Morley point of view, if you don't have a personality to match, then I would get bored very quickly.  I am most definitely NOT bored of Craig.  Haha.  I don't just smear any guy's blood on my cheeks yo!! :) 

What makes Craig, or Super Pecs as I've lovingly renamed him, so destined to succeed; is that he has a wonderful sense of ambition and drive...he wants to try out lots of different stuff to help him evolve as an actor.  And most importantly from my standpoint, he is just a genuinely nice fucking guy who knows how to have a laugh.  And he's a TOTAL dork!! :)  

Since working with Craig throughout June on the feature film The Fairy Flag, I have seen him become the face of Irn Bru...which, as a Scottish person, is one of the highest honours, haha.  July also saw him work with and train people for the Commonwealth Games through his EP Sports Consultancy, based in Glasgow.  He then went on to join Guy Ritchie (yes....MADONNA's ex-husband.....*insert insanely large squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*....I have touched someone, who has touched someone that used to fornicate with Madonna!!!!!!!!  LOL!!)  and David Beckham in the Haig Club whisky commercial.  For someone who is first and foremost sports orientated, working with Beckham was sweet for Craig.  And as a superhero nerd....I know for a fact that he would have been nerdy as hell at working with the guy that has also worked with freakin' IRON MAN!!!!  Haha.  That shit is just oh so cool! :) 

Following this extended advert, James Bond writer William Boyd obviously saw how sexy Super Pecs made Land Rover look, and cast him all the way from La La Land to star in the Land Rover commissioned online docu-drama in an original story created for the brand, The Vanishing Game.  A unique and innovative move for brand advertising for sure.  This was a HUGE coop for Craig, and big kudos goes to Victoria FL Steven (vscasting.com), his casting agent, formerly of Clann Wallace Casting,  (pictured below with Craig) for going the extra mile to make sure that Craig succeeds.  (Edited to add that now I'm her publicist too!  Girl power yo!) :)  

Having Craig come through to shoot Blood Loss  in Arbroath was a total blast.  It was also a testament to Craig as a person, that there isn't a single air of pretension about him, and he has been doing all these various projects, and yet got on board the debut project from my boys at IronStar Films just purely due to totally digging the role. As a long-time friend of writer/director Graeme Carr, I have to admit, it was a total kick to see the two of them working together.  Absolutely brilliant.  I love Graeme to bits.  Always have done.  So to see my fellow film nerd just doing his thing...it was pretty damn cool!  

Standing back and watching Craig as an actor, and how he has progressed in such a short time...he is REALLY fucking good!!  It was sweet because Craig had worked with co-star Alan Cuthbert before, so they already had this rapport.  I was very impressed with Arbroath boy Chris O'Mara (pictured in the middle below), and Dundonian Tom Ingram (pictured left below, and on the right in black and white picture)...these were the newbies to the group, and they all just clicked....and it just worked.  

Watching them absolutely NAIL their first scene in one take...it was really quite awe inspiring.  One thing I noticed as well...and all my Yankee Doodle friends will love this....when he's acting, his Scottish accent comes out even more.  I'm not sure why, but he was just brilliant!  :)  

(Advance capture from Blood Loss pictured above - non-colour corrected/graded yet)

As if all of this wasn't enough, Craig has landed a whole shit load of new modelling assignments, including the new Barbour campaign, Selfridges, Finlay and Co., amongst many more, as well as having just been signed to Major Models Milan...Craig is most definitely one to look out for in both the world of fashion, and the world of film.  He has fight trained with George Johnston who has trained the likes of Christian Bale for Batman, Daniel Craig for James Bond, and Matt Damon for the Bourne films, as well as Seoras Wallace, who trained Mel Gibson for Braveheart, and Russell Crowe for Gladiator, so not only can he act, and look good....he’s a damn good fighter as well!

‘Without doubt Craig McGinlay’s fighting skills must rank as one of the best I have seen in over twenty years filming and that has been with some of the best guys in the world. You inspired all the combat crews to new heights. Amazing professionalism and delivery. An honour to have trained with yie. Slainte ae Seoras’

Seoras Wallace, Expert Film Fight Choreographer 

With kudos and praise coming from every angle, from sports, to fashion to film....Craig McGinlay is a name that you most certainly will be hearing a lot in the very near future....I am certain of it.  Just know....he was mine first!!  BWAH!!  ;)

Be sure to LIKE Craig on Facebook at his Official Page, and check out his EP Sports Consultancy website too, and the Facebook page.  Be sure to check out all the links in this blog, and keep an eye out for this talented, sexy manflesh....everywhere!!  And if you're on Instagram or Twitter, just search @CraigMcGinla Mwahahaha.  Also be sure to check out The Vanishing Game too. :)