Chris O'Dowd facts for kids

Chris O'Dowd (born 9 October 1979) is a famous Irish actor and comedian. He became well-known for playing Roy Trenneman in the TV comedy show The IT Crowd. This show was very popular and ran for several years. Chris has also acted in many movies like Bridesmaids, Gulliver's Travels, and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. He also created and starred in his own TV series called Moone Boy, which was based on his childhood.

Since 2017, he has played Miles Daly in the TV series Get Shorty. He also had a role in the comedy-drama series Girls. Chris won an Primetime Emmy Award for his acting in the British TV series State of the Union. In 2014, he performed on Broadway in the play Of Mice and Men, and was nominated for a Tony Award. In 2020, he was named one of Ireland's greatest film actors by The Irish Times.

Quick facts for kids Chris O'Dowd
O'Dowd at the British Comedy Awards in 2013
Born	Christopher O'Dowd (1979-10-09) 9 October 1979 (age 45) Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland
Education	University College Dublin (no degree) London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (no degree)
Occupation	Actor comedian
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	Dawn O'Porter ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	2
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Early Life and Education

Chris O'Dowd was born and grew up in a town called Boyle, in County Roscommon, Ireland, on 9 October 1979. His father, Seán, designed signs, and his mother, Denise, was a counselor. Chris is the youngest of five children.

He was a talented Gaelic football player and represented his home county, Roscommon, at different levels. He even played as a goalkeeper in a big championship final in 1997.

Chris studied politics and sociology at University College Dublin (UCD). He also attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art for 18 months. He left before finishing his degree because he found sociology difficult to enjoy. While at UCD, he was active in drama and debate clubs.

Acting Career

O'Dowd at Lingerie London in 2012

Chris O'Dowd became famous in the United Kingdom for his role in the Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd. He also appeared in other TV shows like BBC Two's Roman's Empire and Red Cap. In Ireland, he acted in the TV drama The Clinic.

He has appeared in many films. In the 2005 movie Festival, he played a stand-up comedian and won a Scottish BAFTA award for his performance. He also had a small role in Vera Drake. Chris appeared in the sci-fi comedy Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel and the 2007 German film Hotel Very Welcome [de].

In 2009, Chris starred in The Boat That Rocked, which was about offshore pirate radio stations. He played Simon, the breakfast DJ. He based his character on real DJs from that time. Chris also appeared alongside Sienna Miller in the film Hippie Hippie Shake.

In April 2009, Chris was cast in a new version of Gulliver's Travels as General Edward Edwardian. He had to learn how to ride a horse for the role, which he found fun. He also appeared in the 2010 film Dinner for Schmucks.

In 2010, Chris wrote and directed a short film for Little Crackers, based on his own childhood Christmases. In 2011, he starred in the BBC show The Crimson Petal and the White and the popular movie Bridesmaids, where he played Officer Nathan Rhodes.

Chris had a supporting role in the movie This Is 40. He played Dave in the 2012 Australian musical film The Sapphires. He also created and wrote Moone Boy, a TV series for Sky 1 based on his childhood. It was filmed in his hometown of Boyle and aired from 2012 to 2015. Chris has also co-written several books based on the Moone Boy series.

From April to July 2014, Chris starred in the Broadway play Of Mice and Men. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance. He also played a Catholic school teacher in the 2014 film St. Vincent with Bill Murray.

From 2017 to 2019, Chris played the main role in the TV show Get Shorty. He was nominated for an award for Best Actor for this role. In 2022, Chris played Philip in the Netflix movie Slumberland alongside Jason Momoa.

Personal Life

Chris O'Dowd married Scottish writer and TV presenter Dawn Porter in 2012. After their wedding, Dawn changed her last name to O'Porter. They have two sons: Art O'Porter, born in 2015, and Valentine, born in 2017. The family lives in Los Angeles, California, and also in London and Margate in the UK.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Books

• Moone Boy: The Blunder Years, Chris O'Dowd and Nick V. Murphy (2014)
• Moone Boy: The Fish Detective, Chris O'Dowd and Nick V. Murphy (2015)
• Moone Boy: The Notion Potion, Chris O'Dowd and Nick V. Murphy (2017)

See also

In Spanish: Chris O'Dowd para niños