Monday April 20th 2026
Alexandra Wilkie with Brian Cox and his wife Nicole (l) and Alexandra Shipp, who plays Amy, Alex’s mum in the movie
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Scottish acting legend Brian Cox has praised rising star Alexandra Wilkie for her “amazing” performance in the movie Glenrothan, his directorial debut.
The comedy-drama, which is released in the UK and Ireland on Friday, 17 April, stars Cox and Hollywood star Alan Cumming, and focuses on themes of family, reconciliation and conflict as well as Scotch whisky.
Hamilton College pupil Alexandra, 11, plays Sasha, the American granddaughter of Donal (Cumming) who is returning to his family’s whisky distillery in the Highlands after 40 years in the USA to reunite with his brother Sandy (Cox).
The talented Blantyre youngster was initially spotted in 2023 while performing in a pantomime in Giffnock’s Eastwood Theatre and was later brought to Cox’s attention by a casting agent.
The rising star worked with a dialect coach to perfect her Chicago accent for the film which had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Hailing her performance in the movie, Cox, who won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Logan Roy in HBO’s smash hit Succession, said: “The wonderful Alexandra Wilkie – our little star. This girl is truly amazing.
“I want to do another film with Alexandra Wilkie because she is astounding. Everyone thinks she’s American but she’s actually a farmer’s daughter from Blantyre. She has a perfect American accent. You would absolutely never know she wasn’t a natural-born Yank!
“She is truly gifted and a joy to work with.”
It’s been a whirlwind few months for the youngster and her family.
As well as attending the glittering red carpet ceremony in Canada, Alexandra and her mum Kimberley jetted back across the Atlantic earlier this year for a special screening at the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival, with Alexandra interviewed on stage in front of 600 people. She also attended the unveiling of Cumming’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“It has been an amazing experience,” said Alexandra, who can also be seen in the remake of the BBC’s popular children’s series Balamory as Bonnie, the daughter of new vet Dr Ollie.
“To be honest I hadn’t heard of Brian Cox before this! But he was so welcoming and kind and so easy to talk to which was really helpful.
“Travelling to exciting places such as the film festivals in Toronto and Palm Springs was great and being in Hollywood was a dream come true. It’s the first time I had been to Los Angeles. I love to see new places and it’s even cooler when you get to go to a movie premiere there as well!
“I could never imagine I would ever get to go on a red carpet! I thought it was going to be quite scary but I had a lady helping me through all the photos and interviews. People were so kind to me and that helped me to relax and enjoy it.”
It’s a whole new world, too, for mum Kimberley, who was full of praise for the care shown to both her and Alexandra by the Hollywood celebrities.
“Alan and Brian have been very caring and kind to Alexandra, and very accommodating to me,” she said. “It’s a brand-new industry for me but they have been great with us.
“I am so proud of how she has handled everything. She was treated like an A-list celebrity on set and had lots of people around her all the time, from make-up to sound technicians and a chaperone.
“There was also a tutor provided to make sure she didn’t fall behind with her school work and she had to do a minimum of four hours on a one-to-one basis if she was to be on set all day.
“While we were at Palm Springs, Alan Cumming happened to be getting his star on Hollywood Boulevard so we took the opportunity to go along – that was another pinch me moment!”
School is now the priority with Alexandra completing her Transitus Year Programme at Hamilton College before moving into the Senior School after the summer but she is hoping there are more exciting times ahead away from the classroom.
“Hamilton College is a great school and I’m so glad they have helped me and supported me through all of this,” said the youngster, who has been a member of the Spotlight Musical Theatre in Hamilton and the Karen Bordon Dance Academy in Burnbank since the age of 5.
“If I was getting behind on schoolwork and homework the teachers would help until I was back on the same level as everyone else. My friends and classmates have also been so supportive.
“I will hopefully get to do more movies and TV shows in the future but I would also like to carry on performing on stage as I really enjoy singing, dancing and acting. I have always loved to dance and through dance I got to do pantomime and it was the best thing ever. I’d love to try modelling, too, but I don’t know if I would be very good at it!”
Hamilton College headteacher Richard Charman said: “Alexandra’s success is a wonderful reflection of her talent and dedication. At Hamilton College, we are proud to support pupils in pursuing their passions alongside their education, and it has been a privilege to see Alex thrive both in the classroom and on such an exciting international stage.”
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