Russell Brand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Russell Brand
Brand in 2011
Birth name	Russell Edward Brand
Born	(1975-06-04) 4 June 1975 (age 50) Grays, Essex, England
Medium	Stand-up television film radio
Alma mater	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts Drama Centre London
Years active	1994–present
Genres	Observational comedy black comedy improvisational comedy
Spouse	Katy Perry ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2012)​ Laura Gallacher ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	3
Signature
YouTube information
Years active	2006–present
Genre	Talk, politics
Subscribers	6.70 million
Total views	1.08 billion
Subscriber and view counts updated as of 22 July 2023.

Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster, and media personality. He first became known as a stand-up comedian and radio host. Later, he became a film actor.

After starting his career as a comedian, Brand became an MTV presenter in the UK. In 2004, he hosted Big Brother's Big Mouth, a show related to Big Brother. He had his first big film role in St Trinian's (2007). He then starred in Hollywood comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) and Get Him to the Greek (2010).

Brand has released several stand-up comedy shows. He also hosted his own radio show, The Russell Brand Show. Today, he hosts podcasts like Stay Free with Russell Brand. He has won three British Comedy Awards. Brand has often been in the news for his political views and other events in his career.

Since 2013, Brand has also been known as a public activist. He talks about many social and political topics. These include wealth differences, climate change, and how the media presents news. In 2014, he started his web series The Trews on YouTube. He also released a book called Revolution.

Early Life

Russell Edward Brand was born in Grays, Essex, England. He is the only child of Barbara Elizabeth and Ronald Henry Brand. His parents separated when he was six months old. His mother raised him.

When Brand was 8, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. He lived with relatives while she had treatment. He left home at 16 after disagreements with his mother's partner.

Brand first acted at age 15 in a school play. He then worked as a film extra. He attended Italia Conti Academy in 1991. He was later asked to leave for not attending enough.

Career Highlights

Stand-up Comedy

Brand performed stand-up comedy at the Hackney Empire in 2000. His performance caught the eye of an agent. That year, he also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In 2004, Brand took his first solo show, Better Now, to the Edinburgh Festival. He started his first national tour, Shame, in 2006. This show talked about embarrassing moments in his life. It was released on DVD as Russell Brand: Live.

Brand performed for Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. His second tour, Russell Brand: Only Joking, also happened in 2007. He started performing in the US and recorded a special for Comedy Central. In 2009, he toured the UK, America, and Australia with his show Russell Brand: Scandalous.

In 2013, Brand toured with his show Messiah Complex. In this show, he compared himself to famous figures like Gandhi and Jesus in funny ways.

In 2017, Brand announced his new tour Re:Birth. It was filmed in London in 2018 and released on Netflix. Brand has said that comedians like Richard Pryor and Bill Hicks influenced him. He also likes the comedy group Monty Python.

Presenting Shows

Waxwork of Brand at Madame Tussauds, London

Brand's first presenting job was in 2000 for MTV UK. He hosted Dancefloor Chart and Select. He was dismissed from MTV after an incident in 2001. After leaving MTV, Brand created and hosted RE:Brand, a comedy show about cultural rules.

In 2004, Brand hosted Big Brother's Eforum on E4. This show let guests talk about the reality show Big Brother. The show's name changed to Big Brother's Big Mouth for later seasons. Brand hosted it for three years.

Brand returned to MTV in 2006 to host 1 Leicester Square, a chat show. He also hosted Russell Brand's Got Issues on E4, which later moved to Channel 4 as The Russell Brand Show.

Brand hosted the 2007 Brit Awards. He also presented at the UK leg of Live Earth in London in 2007.

Brand speaking with Courtney Love in Los Angeles, 2008

In 2007, Brand hosted Russell Brand's Ponderland on Channel 4. In this show, he used stand-up comedy to discuss topics like childhood.

Brand hosted the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). His comments during the show caused some discussion. He returned to host the 2009 MTV VMAs as well. In 2011, he was a guest host on the American show Saturday Night Live. He also hosted the MTV Movie Awards and Brand X with Russell Brand, a late-night talk show.

Acting Roles

In 1994, Brand appeared in TV shows like The Bill and Mud. In 2005, he played Tommy in the BBC sitcom Blessed. His first major film role was as Flash Harry in St Trinian's (2007).

Brand became famous in America for his role as rock star Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008). He received good reviews for this part. He also starred with Adam Sandler in the Disney film Bedtime Stories (2008). In 2010, he played Aldous Snow again in Get Him to the Greek.

Brand voiced Dr. Nefario in the animated movie Despicable Me (2010). He returned for the sequels Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). In 2011, he voiced E.B. in the film Hop. He also played the main character in a remake of Arthur (2011). In 2012, Brand starred as Lonny in the musical film Rock Of Ages.

After a break from acting, Brand voiced Creek in the animated film Trolls (2016). He also appeared in Army of One (2016) with Nicolas Cage. In 2018 and 2019, he had a recurring role in the HBO series Ballers. More recently, he appeared in Four Kids and It (2020) and Death on the Nile (2022).

Radio Shows

Brand in April 2011

Brand's radio career started in 2002. He hosted a Sunday afternoon show with Matt Morgan on London's Indie Rock station Xfm.

In 2006, Brand started co-hosting The Russell Brand Show on BBC Radio 6 Music. The show later moved to BBC Radio 2 and was also available as a podcast. He returned to radio in 2010 with a show on Talksport.

Podcasts and Writing

In 2015, Brand launched The Russell Brand Podcast. This podcast reunited him with his radio team. In 2017, he started a new podcast called Under the Skin with Russell Brand. On this podcast, he interviews people from different fields.

From 2006 to 2009, Brand wrote a column for The Guardian sports section. His first autobiography, My Booky Wook, was released in 2007. He later released a second autobiography, Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal, in 2010.

Brand has written articles for The Guardian about current events. In 2014, he released his children's book, Russell Brand's Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin. His book Revolution, which discusses his ideas on society, was published in 2014. In 2019, he published Mentors: How To Help and Be Helped.

Political Activism

Street art by unknown artist on Hackney Street, London

Brand has often spoken out about political issues. In 2009, he joined other celebrities to speak about events in Gaza. He also supported leaders of the Baháʼí Faith who were on trial in Iran. In 2009, he attended protests at the 2009 G-20 London summit protests.

The Dalai Lama chose Brand to host a youth event in Manchester in 2012. Brand said he agreed because he believed being around the Dalai Lama would be good for his own spiritual journey.

Brand at the London Revolution Protest, June 2014

In 2013, Brand was interviewed on the BBC's Newsnight. He talked about his views on the British political system. He also guest-edited a special issue of the New Statesman magazine about revolution. In November 2013, Brand joined the Anonymous Million Mask March in London.

Brand at the Cambridge Union Society in January 2014

In 2014, Brand launched his YouTube series The Trews: True News with Russell Brand. In this series, he shares his thoughts on the news. He also invites guests like economists and journalists.

Brand speaking at the People's Assembly Against Austerity rally in London, June 2014

In June 2014, Brand took part in the People's Assembly Against Austerity rally in London. He spoke to the crowd about people taking back their power.

Brand interviewed outside the Houses of Parliament, London in 2014

In October 2014, Brand's book Revolution was published. In a poll, Brand was chosen as having a negative influence on political debate by some people.

Brand at Zuccotti Park, New York City, in October 2014

In December 2014, Brand joined protests in East London about rising rents. He also appeared on the BBC's Question Time programme.

In March 2015, a documentary called Brand: A Second Coming was released. It looked at Brand's journey into political activism. He also worked on a documentary called The Emperor's New Clothes. This film examines economic inequality.

Before the 2015 United Kingdom general election, Brand interviewed political leaders for The Trews. He encouraged his viewers to vote. He later supported Jeremy Corbyn in the 2015 Labour Party leadership election.

Brand in September 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brand's YouTube channel grew. His videos often discuss current events and question mainstream media. In 2022, Brand reacted to the World Health Organization's meetings on a pandemic treaty. He said that democracy was changing.

When YouTube removed one of his videos in September 2022, he moved his channel to Rumble. There, he started a new daily live show called Stay Free with Russell Brand. In 2024, he attended the Republican National Convention and supported Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president.

Personal Life

Brand has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder. He has also said he had bulimia.

Brand used to be a Buddhist. He has said he believes in a Higher Power as described by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). He has also shown interest in the Hare Krishna movement. Brand practices Transcendental Meditation (TM). He later became interested in Christian spirituality. In 2024, he was baptised by Bear Grylls.

In 2011, Brand was the best man at Noel Gallagher's wedding. Since 2016, Brand has been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He says this martial art has improved his life. He lives near Henley-on-Thames and is a lifelong supporter of West Ham United. Brand owns a pub called The Crown Inn in Pishill.

Relationships and Family

Brand met American singer Katy Perry in 2009. They started dating after meeting again at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. They got engaged in India in 2009 and married there in 2010.

On 30 December 2011, Brand filed for divorce. Their divorce was finalized in July 2012. Katy Perry later said their conflicting work schedules made it hard. Brand said he was very in love with her, but it was difficult for them to see each other. He did not claim any money from the divorce.

From 2013 to 2014, Brand was in a relationship with Jemima Goldsmith.

Since 2015, Brand has been with Scottish blogger Laura Gallacher. They first dated in 2007. Their first daughter was born in November 2016. Brand and Gallacher married in Henley-on-Thames in August 2017. They had a second daughter in July 2018. In January 2024, Brand confirmed their son was born in 2023.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Recognition

Stand-up DVDs

• Live (20 November 2006)
• Doing Life – Live (26 November 2007)
• Scandalous – Live at the O2 (9 November 2009)
• Live in New York City (21 November 2011)
• Messiah Complex (25 November 2013)
• Brandemic (15 March 2023)

See also

In Spanish: Russell Brand para niños