Chris O'Dowd facts for kids

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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Christopher O'Dowd (born 9 October 1979) is an Irish actor and comedian. He is famous for playing Roy Trenneman in the comedy show The IT Crowd. He also starred in popular movies like Bridesmaids, Gulliver's Travels, and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

O'Dowd created and starred in the TV series Moone Boy, which was based on his own childhood. This show earned him several award nominations. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the series State of the Union. In 2014, he acted on Broadway in a play of the book Of Mice and Men, which earned him a Tony Award nomination. In 2020, The Irish Times newspaper named him one of Ireland's greatest film actors.

Early Life and Sports

Chris O'Dowd was born and grew up in Boyle, a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. His father, Seán, was a sign designer, and his mother, Denise, was a counsellor. He is the youngest of five children.

Before he became an actor, O'Dowd was a talented Gaelic football player. He played for his home county, Roscommon, as a goalkeeper. He played on the under-16, minor, and under-21 teams. A big moment in his sports career was the 1997 Connacht Minor Football Championship final against Mayo.

He later went to University College Dublin to study politics and sociology but did not finish his degree. He also attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art to study acting.

Acting Career

O'Dowd in London in 2012

O'Dowd's big break came from the British comedy show The IT Crowd. He also acted in other UK shows like Roman's Empire and Red Cap. In Ireland, he appeared in the TV drama The Clinic.

Success in Movies

O'Dowd has appeared in many movies. In the 2009 film The Boat That Rocked, he played a radio DJ on a pirate radio station. For the movie Gulliver's Travels, he played General Edward Edwardian and even learned to ride a horse for the part.

One of his most famous roles was Officer Rhodes in the 2011 comedy Bridesmaids. He also had a role in the movie This Is 40. In 2012, he starred in the Australian musical movie The Sapphires.

Creating His Own Show

O'Dowd co-wrote a TV show called Moone Boy for Sky 1. The show is based on his own childhood and was filmed in his hometown of Boyle. It was very successful and ran from 2012 to 2015. He also co-wrote several books based on the series.

Stage and Recent Work

In 2014, O'Dowd performed on Broadway in New York City. He starred in a play version of Of Mice and Men with actors James Franco and Leighton Meester. His performance as Lennie Small was so good that he was nominated for a Tony Award.

From 2017 to 2019, he played the main character, Miles Daly, in the TV show Get Shorty. In 2022, he appeared in the Netflix movie Slumberland with Jason Momoa. He also created a new TV series called Small Town, Big Story, which premiered in 2025.

Personal Life

In 2012, O'Dowd married Dawn Porter, a Scottish writer and TV presenter. After they married, she changed her last name to O'Porter. They have two sons, Art and Valentine. The family lives in Los Angeles, London, and Margate, England.

O'Dowd is an antitheist, which means he is against organized religion. He has also helped raise money for charities. In 2014, he helped raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with his Of Mice and Men co-stars.

Selected Works

Here are some of Chris O'Dowd's most well-known movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Chris O'Dowd para niños