ewan lahir di rumah bersalin perth royal, dibesarkan di kota kecil bernama crieff di skotlandia, dan bersekolah di morrisons academy.
ibunya, carol diane, adalah seorang guru dan pegawai administrasi sekolah.
ayahnya, james cahrles stuart mcgregor, adalah seorang guru pendidikan olahraga.
ibunya adalah saudara kandung aktor denis lawson, saudari ipar dari aktris sheila gish, dan bibi dari lou gish.
ewan masuk guildhall school of music and drama pada tahun 1988 untuk belajar drama.
enam bulan sebelum lulus ia mendapatkan peran utama dalam serial (enam episode) "lipstick on your collar" karya dennis potter yang diproduksi oleh bbc (british broadcasting corporation).
semenjak itulah dunia peran menjadi pekerjaan permanennya.
debut film pertamanya adalah film "being human" karya bill forsyth pada tahun 1993.
tahun berikutnya ia memperoleh pujian yang luas dari komunitas perfilman dan memenangkan sebuah empire award untuk penampilannya dalam film thriller "shallow grave".
film tersebut merupakan kolaborasi pertama dari beberapa proyek berikutnya dengan sutradara danny boyle.
karier perfilmannya menerobos dunia internasional menyusul kemudian lewat perannya sebagai mark renton, seorang pecandu heroin, dalam film danny boyle yang mengadaptasi novel irvine welsh berjudul trainspotting pada tahun 1996.
empire award for best british actor
bafta scotland award for best actor in a leading roleempire award for best british actorlondon film critics circle award for british actor of the yearnominated  mtv movie award for best breakthrough performance
the pillow book
the serpent's kiss
a life less ordinary
empire award for best british actornominated  mtv movie award for best dance sequence (shared with cameron diaz)
nominated  screen actors guild award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
star wars episode i: the phantom menace
nominated  blockbuster entertainment award for favorite actornominated  blockbuster entertainment award for action/science fictionnominated  mtv movie award for best fight (shared with liam neeson and ray park)nominated  saturn award for best supporting actor
eye of the beholder
nominated  irish film and television award for best actor
empire award for best british actorlondon critics circle film award for british actor of the yearmtv movie award for best musical sequence (shared with nicole kidman)satellite award for best actor - motion picture musical or comedynominated  australian film institute award for best actor in a leading rolenominated  film critics circle of australia award for best actornominated  golden globe award for best actor - motion picture musical or comedynominated  if award for best actornominated  mtv movie award for best kiss (shared with nicole kidman)nominated  screen actors guild award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
black hawk down spc john grimes nominated  phoenix film critics society award for best cast
star wars episode ii: attack of the clones
down with love
bafta scotland award for best actor in a leading rolenominated  british independent film award for best actornominated  empire award for best british actor
young edward bloom
star wars episode iii: revenge of the sith
nominated  mtv movie award for best fight (shared with hayden christensen)nominated  mtv movie award for best hero
lincoln six echo/tom lincoln
scenes of a sexual nature
i love you phillip morris
camerlengo patrick mckenna
the men who stare at goats
the last word
jackboots on whitehall