Ricky Gervais facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ricky Gervais |
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Gervais in 2021
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| Birth name | Ricky Dene Gervais |
| Born | 25 June 1961 Reading, Berkshire, England |
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| Alma mater | University College London (BA) |
| Years active | 1982–present |
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Ricky Dene Gervais (born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He is famous for creating and starring in popular TV shows. He often works with his friend and fellow writer, Stephen Merchant.
Gervais and Merchant co-created the British sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life's Too Short (2011–2013). He also created and starred in the shows Derek (2012–2014) and After Life (2019–2022).
Over his career, Gervais has won many awards. These include seven BAFTA Awards, two Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Before comedy, Gervais was in the music industry. In the 1980s, he was the singer for a new-wave band called Seona Dancing. He later became famous for his unique and sometimes controversial style of comedy. He has also written the popular Flanimals book series for children.
Early life
Ricky Gervais was born on 25 June 1961, in Reading, Berkshire, England. His father, Lawrence, was a French-Canadian who moved to the UK during World War II. His mother, Eva, was English. Ricky was the youngest of four children. His siblings, Larry, Marsha, and Bob, were much older than him.
Gervais has said his family had a great sense of humor. He remembers that he and his brother Bob spent most of their mother's funeral "crying with laughter" over funny memories. He says this appreciation for finding humor in difficult situations has shaped his comedy. From about age eight, he began to question the existence of God.
Gervais went to Whitley Park Infants and Junior Schools and then Ashmead Comprehensive School. In 1980, he went to University College London (UCL). He first planned to study biology but switched to philosophy. He graduated in 1983. At UCL, he met Jane Fallon, who has been his partner since 1982.
Career
Music and Radio
In 1983, Gervais and his friend Bill Macrae formed a pop duo called Seona Dancing. They released two singles, but the songs were not hits in the UK. However, their song "More to Lose" became very popular in the Philippines. For a short time, Gervais also managed the band Suede before they became famous.
Later, Gervais worked at the radio station Xfm. There, he hired Stephen Merchant as his assistant. This was the beginning of their long and successful partnership. Gervais and Merchant later hosted a popular radio show on Xfm with their friend Karl Pilkington. This show eventually became a record-breaking podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show.
Television
The Office
Gervais and Merchant's big break came with the TV show The Office. The show is a "mockumentary," which means it's filmed like a real documentary but is actually a comedy. It is set in a boring office and stars Gervais as the cringeworthy boss, David Brent.
The first series aired in 2001 and was not an instant hit. But through word-of-mouth and DVD sales, it became incredibly popular. The Office won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series, which helped Gervais become known in America. The show has been remade in many countries, including the United States.
Extras
After The Office, Gervais and Merchant created Extras. The show, which started in 2005, starred Gervais as Andy Millman, an aspiring actor who works as a background artist, or "extra," in films.
Each episode featured famous guest stars playing funny versions of themselves. Some of the guests included Ben Stiller, Kate Winslet, Daniel Radcliffe, and David Bowie. For his role as Andy Millman, Gervais won a Primetime Emmy Award.
Later TV Shows
Gervais continued to create successful TV shows. Life's Too Short starred actor Warwick Davis playing a fictional version of himself. The show was a comedy about the life of a short actor in show business.
In Derek, Gervais played the main character, a kind and gentle man who works in a retirement home. Gervais said the show was about how "kindness is more important than anything else."
His most recent major series is After Life, which was released on Netflix. In the show, Gervais plays Tony, a man who is struggling after his wife dies. The show explores sad themes but also has a lot of humor and heart. It was very popular and ran for three seasons.
Stand-up Comedy
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Gervais is also a world-famous stand-up comedian. He began performing in the late 1990s. He has toured the world with several stand-up shows, including Animals, Politics, Fame, and Science.
His comedy is known for being observational, meaning he talks about everyday life. He is also known for his sharp wit and for making jokes about controversial topics. This has sometimes led to criticism, but his shows are very popular. His recent specials, Humanity, SuperNature, and Armageddon, were released on Netflix.
Film Career
Gervais has acted in many films. He played museum director Dr. McPhee in the Night at the Museum movies. He also starred in the comedy Ghost Town and co-wrote and directed The Invention of Lying.
He has also lent his voice to animated films. He was the voice of the pigeon Bugsy in Valiant and the narrator cat in The Willoughbys. In 2014, he played a main character alongside the Muppets in Muppets Most Wanted.
Personal life
Gervais lives with his partner, producer and author Jane Fallon. They have been together since 1982. The couple decided not to marry or have children.
Gervais is an atheist, which means he does not believe in a god. He is also a humanist, believing that people can be good and live ethical lives without religion. He is a strong supporter of animal rights and has said he will leave his fortune to animal charities. He is also a vegan.
He is a fan of the musician David Bowie and supports Reading Football Club. Gervais is very active on social media, where he often talks about animal welfare and promotes his work.
Works
Films
| Year | Title | Actor | Director | Writer | Producer | Role | Notes | |
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| 2001 | Dog Eat Dog | Yes | No | No | No | Bouncer | ||
| 2005 | Valiant | Yes | No | No | No | Bugsy | Voice only | |
| 2006 | For Your Consideration | Yes | No | No | No | Martin Gibb | ||
| Night at the Museum | Yes | No | No | No | Dr. McPhee | |||
| 2007 | Stardust | Yes | No | No | No | Ferdy the Fence | ||
| 2008 | Ghost Town | Yes | No | No | No | Dr. Bertram Pincus | ||
| 2009 | Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Yes | No | No | No | Dr. McPhee | ||
| The Invention of Lying | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mark Bellison | Co-written and co-directed with Matthew Robinson | ||
| 2010 | Cemetery Junction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Executive | Len Taylor | Co-written and co-directed with Stephen Merchant | |
| 2011 | Spy Kids: All the Time in the World | Yes | No | No | No | Argonaut | Voice only | |
| 2013 | Escape from Planet Earth | Yes | No | No | No | Mr. James Bing | ||
| 2014 | Muppets Most Wanted | Yes | No | No | No | Dominic Badguy | ||
| Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb | Yes | No | No | No | Dr. McPhee | |||
| 2015 | The Little Prince | Yes | No | No | No | The Conceited Man | Voice only | |
| 2016 | Special Correspondents | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ian Finch | ||
| David Brent: Life on the Road | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | David Brent | |||
| 2020 | The Willoughbys | Yes | No | No | Executive | The Cat/Narrator | Voice only | |
| 2021 | Save Ralph | Yes | No | No | No | Documentary crew member | ||
| 2022 | Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank | Yes | No | No | No | Ika Chu | ||
| 2023 | 7 Minutes | No | Yes | No | Yes | N/A | Short film | |
| 2025 | Dog Man | Yes | No | No | No | Flippy the fish | Voice only |
Television
| Year | Title | Actor | Director | Writer | Executive Producer | Creator | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2003 | The Office | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | David Brent | 14 episodes; Co-created, co-written and co-directed with Stephen Merchant | |
| 2002 | Robbie the Reindeer in Legend of the Lost Tribe | Yes | No | No | No | No | Penguin | Voice; Television special | |
| 2004 | Alias | Yes | No | No | No | No | Daniel Ryan | Episode: "Façade" | |
| 2005–2007 | Extras | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Andy Millman | 13 episodes; Co-created, co-written and co-directed with Stephen Merchant | |
| 2005–2013 | The Office (U.S.) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | David Brent | American remake of his show "The Office" co-created with Stephen Merchant Appeared in episodes: "The Seminar" and "Search Committee", and co-wrote "The Convict" with Stephen Merchant |
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| 2006, 2011 | The Simpsons | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Charles Heathbar/Himself | Voice; 2 episodes and wrote episode "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" | |
| 2009 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Yes | No | No | No | No | Narrator | Voice; Episode: "SpongeBob's Truth or Square" | |
| 2010 | Louie | Yes | No | No | No | No | Dr. Ben | 2 episodes | |
| 2010–2012 | The Ricky Gervais Show | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Himself | Voice; 39 episodes | |
| 2010–2012 | An Idiot Abroad | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Himself | 21 episodes | |
| 2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Yes | No | No | No | No | Himself | Episode: "The Hero" | |
| 2011–2013 | Life's Too Short | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Himself | 7 episodes; Co-created with Stephen Merchant and Warwick Davis and co-written and co-directed with Stephen Merchant | |
| 2012 | Family Guy | Yes | No | No | No | No | Billy Finn | Voice; Episode: "Be Careful What You Fish For" | |
| 2012–2014 | Derek | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Derek Noakes | 14 episodes | |
| 2015 | Galavant | Yes | No | No | No | No | Xanax | Episode: "Dungeons and Dragon Lady" | |
| 2015 | BoJack Horseman | Yes | No | No | No | No | Hedgehog at Orphanage | Voice; Episode: "Out to Sea" | |
| 2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Yes | No | No | No | No | Himself | Voice; Episode: "Ollie Ollie In-Come Free!" | |
| 2019–2022 | After Life | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tony Johnson | 18 episodes |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | |
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| 2006 | Scarface: The World Is Yours | Simon Trent | |
| 2008 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Himself | |
| 2009 | Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Dr. McPhee |
Awards and recognition
Throughout his career, Gervais has won numerous awards, including seven BAFTA Awards, five British Comedy Awards, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and the Rose d'Or twice (2006 and 2019). In 2010, he was included in the Time 100 list of World's Most Influential People.
On 31 May 2025, Gervais received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During the ceremony, he described the honour as "humbling" and attributed his success to "luck, persistence, and a little bit of pushing against the tide".
See also
In Spanish: Ricky Gervais para niños
