Chris Lilley (comedian) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Lilley
Lilley at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards in Sydney
Birth name	Christopher Daniel Lilley
Born	(1974-11-10) 10 November 1974 (age 50) Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia
Medium	Television music podcast
Education	Barker College Macquarie University
Genres	Mockumentary sitcom character comedy

Christopher "Chris" Daniel Lilley (born November 10, 1974) is an Australian comedian, actor, and writer. He is famous for creating and playing many different characters in his TV shows. These shows are often mockumentaries, which are like fake documentaries that are funny.

Lilley is best known for his series We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year, Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, Ja'mie: Private School Girl, Jonah from Tonga, and Lunatics. He has won two Logie Awards for Most Popular Actor for his work.

Early Career

Lilley in 2009

Chris Lilley started his career as a stand-up comedian. In 2003, he appeared on a comedy show called Big Bite. On this show, he played some of his first famous characters, like the over-the-top drama teacher Mr G. This character would later appear in Summer Heights High.

After Big Bite, Lilley appeared in a movie called Ned and in TV commercials. He also made guest appearances on the Hamish & Andy radio show.

Famous Television Shows

We Can Be Heroes

In 2005, Lilley created his first mockumentary series, We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year. The show followed five different people who were nominated for the "Australian of the Year" award. Lilley played all five characters:

• Phil Olivetti, a police officer who is very proud of himself.
• Ricky Wong, a smart university student from Melbourne.
• Pat Mullins, a housewife who wants to roll on her side from Perth to Uluru.
• Daniel Sims, a country boy who gives an eardrum to his deaf twin brother, Nathan.
• Ja'mie King, a bossy private school girl from Sydney.

The show was a big hit. Lilley won several awards, including a Logie Award for Best New Talent.

Summer Heights High

Lilley's next show, Summer Heights High, came out in 2007. It was set in a public high school and became one of his most famous works. In this series, Lilley played three very different people:

• Ja'mie King, the same private school girl from We Can Be Heroes, who is now an exchange student at a public school.
• Mr G, the dramatic and self-centered drama teacher who is determined to create an amazing school musical.
• Jonah Takalua, a rebellious Tongan student who loves to break dance but often gets into trouble.

Summer Heights High was extremely popular in Australia and was also shown in the United Kingdom and the United States. Lilley won another Logie Award for Most Popular Actor for his roles in the show.

Angry Boys

Lilley in 2012

In 2011, Lilley released Angry Boys, a 12-part series where he played six new characters. The show explored the lives of different males. The main characters included:

• Daniel and Nathan Sims, the twin brothers from We Can Be Heroes, living on a farm in South Australia.
• S.mouse!, an American rapper with a hit song.
• Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother who pushes her son to become a skateboarding star.
• Blake Oakfield, a former surfing champion.
• Ruth "Gran" Sims, the twins' grandmother who works as a guard at a center for troubled youth.

For his work on Angry Boys, Lilley won an AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performance.

Ja'mie: Private School Girl

The popular character Ja'mie King returned in her own series in 2013, called Ja'mie: Private School Girl. The show followed Ja'mie during her final year at her fancy private school. It showed her competing for school awards and planning the school formal.

Lilley won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actor again in 2014 for his performance as Ja'mie.

Jonah from Tonga

In 2014, the character Jonah Takalua from Summer Heights High also got his own show, Jonah from Tonga. After being kicked out of Summer Heights High, Jonah is sent to Tonga to live with his uncle. The show follows his adventures as he tries to fit in at a new school while still causing trouble.

The series was first released online on ABC iView in Australia and BBC iPlayer in the UK before it was shown on TV.

Lunatics

In 2019, Lilley created a new series for Netflix called Lunatics. The show is about six eccentric and unusual characters who are all following their dreams. Lilley played all six characters:

• Keith Dick, a fashion store owner who has a crush on a cash register.
• Becky Douglas, a 7-foot-tall university student who has just moved to America.
• Gavin McGregor, a 12-year-old boy who is set to become an English earl.
• Quentin Cook, a strange real estate agent.
• Jana Melhoopen-Jonks, a pet psychic to the stars from South Africa.
• Joyce Jeffries, a former movie star who now lives a quiet life.

Personal Life

Lilley has been a vegetarian since he was five years old. He was in a relationship with Milly Gattegno from the DJ duo The Faders from 2014 to 2016.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

Singles

Podcasts

• Ja'miezing (2021) (as Ja'mie King)
• Jana's Yard (2020) (as Jana Melhoopen-Jonks)
• Mr G's Room (2025) (as Mr. G)

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are given out each year by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) to celebrate Australian music.