Mike Myers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Myers
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Myers at the 2017 Invictus Games
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Michael John Myers
May 25, 1963 Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
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| Years active | 1973–present |
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Robin Ruzan
(m. 1993; div. 2006)Kelly Tisdale
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Paul Myers (brother) |
| Comedy career | |
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Michael John Myers, also known as Mike Myers, is a famous Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He was born on May 25, 1963. Mike Myers has won many awards, including seven MTV Movie & TV Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2002, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was also honored in 2017 as an Officer of the Order of Canada. This award recognized his amazing work as an actor, writer, and producer in comedy.
Mike Myers became well-known for his six years on the TV show Saturday Night Live from 1989 to 1995. He won an Emmy Award for his writing on the show. Later, he became famous for playing lead roles in popular movies. These include the Wayne's World films (1992–1993) and the Austin Powers movies (1997–2002). He also voiced Shrek in the Shrek animated movies (2001–present). The Shrek series is one of the highest-grossing animated film franchises ever. Myers also played the main character in the 2003 live-action movie The Cat in the Hat.
In recent years, Myers has taken on fewer acting roles. He had supporting parts in movies like Terminal and Bohemian Rhapsody, both released in 2018. He also directed a documentary called Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon in 2013. In 2022, he created and starred in the Netflix original series, The Pentaverate. He also appeared in the comedy thriller Amsterdam.
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Early Life and Family Background
Michael John Myers was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. His birthday is May 25, 1963. His parents, Alice and Eric Myers, were from Liverpool, England. Both of his parents were veterans of World War II. His mother served in the Women's Royal Air Force, and his father was in the Royal Engineers.
Mike Myers has two older brothers. One brother, Paul, is a musician. Mike grew up in Scarborough and North York, where he went to high school. A neighbor and schoolmate of his was Maurice LaMarche, who became a famous voice actor.
Mike Myers' Career Journey
Starting Out in Entertainment
Mike Myers began acting in commercials when he was only two years old. At age 10, he appeared in a commercial with Gilda Radner. When he was 12, he had a guest role on the TV series King of Kensington. At 16, he had a small part in an episode of The Littlest Hobo.
After high school, Myers joined The Second City Canadian touring company. In 1985, he helped start The Comedy Store Players in London, an improv group. He also starred in a British children's TV show called Wide Awake Club. He created a funny segment called "Sound Asleep Club" for the show.
Myers returned to Toronto in 1986 to perform with The Second City again. In 1988, he moved to Chicago to train and perform at the Improv Olympic. He often appeared on Toronto's Citytv in the early 1980s. He played his character Wayne Campbell on the show City Limits. Wayne Campbell also appeared in a music video for a Canadian song.
Becoming a Saturday Night Live Star
Mike Myers joined Saturday Night Live (SNL) on January 21, 1989. He quickly became very popular on the show. He was known for creating funny and unique characters. His characters often had memorable catchphrases.
Some of his most famous SNL characters include:
- Dieter – the host of Sprockets
- Linda Richman – the host of Coffee Talk
- Simon – a young British boy who draws in his bathtub
- Wayne Campbell – from the "Wayne's World" sketches
- Lothar – of the Hill People
- Ed Miles – the Middle-Aged Man
Myers's last episode as a regular cast member was on January 21, 1995. He returned to host the show in 1997. He also made guest appearances as his movie character Dr. Evil in 2014. In March 2025, Myers appeared in two sketches, playing Elon Musk. He also appeared as Linda Richman for the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special.
Mike Myers' Movie Roles
Mike Myers made his first movie, Wayne's World, in 1992. He co-wrote and starred in it with Dana Carvey. The movie was a big hit. A sequel, Wayne's World 2, came out in 1993. Myers also starred in So I Married an Axe Murderer that same year.
After leaving SNL, Myers took a break from acting. He returned with the movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery in 1997. This movie was very successful and led to two sequels: Austin Powers: The Spy Who... Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). In these films, Myers played multiple characters. He was the hero, Austin Powers, and the villain, Dr. Evil. He also played other characters like Fat Bastard and Goldmember.
In 1998, Myers took on a serious role in the movie 54. He played Steve Rubell, who owned the famous Studio 54 nightclub.
In 2001, Myers became the voice of Shrek in the animated movie Shrek. He took over the role after the original voice actor, Chris Farley, passed away. Myers continued to voice Shrek in many other projects. These include Shrek 4-D (2003), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). He also voiced Shrek in Christmas and Halloween TV specials.
In 2003, Myers starred as the main character in The Cat in the Hat. This movie was based on the popular Dr. Seuss book.
Myers received the MTV Generation Award in 2007. This award honors actors who have made a big impact on film.
In 2008, Myers co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in The Love Guru. In 2009, he had a small role in Quentin Tarantino's movie Inglourious Basterds.
After an eight-year break from feature films, Myers appeared in Terminal and Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018. As of July 2024, it was announced that Myers will voice Shrek again in Shrek 5, which is planned for release in December 2026.
Other Creative Projects
Mike Myers has also appeared in music videos. He was in Britney Spears' music video "Boys" as Austin Powers. Britney Spears also had a cameo in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
Myers is part of a band called Ming Tea. The band includes The Bangles' guitarist Susanna Hoffs and musician Matthew Sweet. They performed songs for the Austin Powers movies. In 2011, Myers returned to The Comedy Store in London for a special performance with The Comedy Store Players.
In 2013, Myers directed his first documentary film. It was called Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon. The film was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.
From 2017 to 2018, Myers hosted a new version of The Gong Show. He appeared in heavy makeup as a fictional British host named Tommy Maitland. His identity was kept a secret until the second season.
Myers is a big fan of the Monty Python comedy group. In 2014, he appeared on stage at their live show, Monty Python Live (Mostly). He also appeared in a documentary about them.
In 2019, it was announced that Myers would star in and produce a comedy series for Netflix. The series, called The Pentaverate, was released in 2022. It is a spin-off of his movie So I Married an Axe Murderer.
Mike Myers' Personal Life
Family and Home Life
Mike Myers started dating actress Robin Ruzan in the late 1980s. They met at an ice hockey game in Chicago. They got married on May 22, 1993. Myers often called Ruzan "his muse." They divorced in December 2005.
In 2006, Kelly Tisdale confirmed that she and Myers were dating. Myers and Tisdale got married in a private ceremony in New York City in late 2010. Kelly Tisdale is an artist who works in the entertainment industry. They have three children: a son and two daughters. The family lives in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City.
Hobbies and Interests
Mike Myers enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons. He participated in the Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day in 2006. He is a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey team. He even named characters in his first Austin Powers movie after former Maple Leafs players. He also supports Liverpool FC, his parents' hometown football team.
Myers has played for Hollywood United FC, a celebrity soccer team. He played in the 2010 Soccer Aid charity football match for UNICEF UK. In June 2018, he mentioned on a TV show that he supports Britain in soccer games because of his parents and his British citizenship.
In 2016, Myers published a book called Canada. It is a memoir that also shares his thoughts on Canada's history and culture.
Views on Politics
Mike Myers has sometimes used his platform to share his political views. In 2015, he appeared on the show Last Week Tonight to talk about the Canadian federal election. He encouraged Canadians not to vote for Stephen Harper.
During a trade disagreement between Canada and the United States in 2025, Myers appeared on Saturday Night Live. He wore a T-shirt that said "Canada is not for sale." He also made an "elbows up" gesture, which is a hockey phrase used to show readiness to stand up for Canada. This gesture became a symbol of Canadian pride. He later appeared in a campaign ad for the Liberal Party of Canada with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Film and Television Appearances
Mike Myers has had many roles in films and television shows. Here are some of his most notable works:
Film Roles
- 1992: Wayne's World – Wayne Campbell
- 1993: So I Married an Axe Murderer – Charlie McKenzie / Stuart McKenzie
- 1993: Wayne's World 2 – Wayne Campbell
- 1997: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery – Austin Powers / Dr. Evil
- 1999: Austin Powers: The Spy Who... Me – Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Fat Bastard
- 2001: Shrek – Shrek (voice)
- 2002: Austin Powers in Goldmember – Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Fat Bastard / Goldmember
- 2003: The Cat in the Hat – The Cat in the Hat
- 2004: Shrek 2 – Shrek (voice)
- 2007: Shrek the Third – Shrek (voice)
- 2010: Shrek Forever After – Shrek (voice)
- 2013: Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon – Himself (also director)
- 2018: Bohemian Rhapsody – Ray Foster
- 2022: Amsterdam – Paul Canterbury
- 2026: Shrek 5 – Shrek (voice)
Television Roles
- 1989–1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2025: Saturday Night Live – Various roles (also writer)
- 2007: Shrek the Halls – Shrek (voice)
- 2010: Scared Shrekless – Shrek (voice)
- 2017–2018: The Gong Show – Tommy Maitland (host)
- 2022: The Pentaverate – Various roles (also creator, writer, and executive producer)
Awards and Special Recognitions
Honours and Achievements
- In 2002, Mike Myers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7042 Hollywood Boulevard.
- Also in 2002, a street in his hometown of Scarborough, Toronto, was named "Mike Myers Drive" in his honor.
- In 2003, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
- In 2014, his face was featured on a stamp by Canada Post.
- In 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. This high honor recognized his amazing comedic work as an actor, writer, and producer.
See also
In Spanish: Mike Myers para niños
