Ricky Gervais Biography

Born in Reading, England, Ricky Gervais was the youngest of four children growing up in a poor family. Although times were tough, Gervais admired his mother's ability to put aside the family's financial difficulties and create a happy upbringing for the children.

At 18, Ricky left home to attend London University, graduating with a degree in philosophy. While in London, he became involved in the city's music scene. Aspiring to be a musician, he joined the ill-fated band Seona Dancing as a singer, eventually moving on to band management and promotion. After working for a few local bands, he found a steady job working as an entertainment manager for a student union.

In 1996, Ricky received his big break, when he landed a job at London radio station XFM. It wasn't long before he was able to showcase his comedic talents on air with his own show. It was while working on this program that Ricky first met Stephen Merchant. The duo would go on to be long-time collaborators, ultimately leading to Ricky's star-making turn in the hit British sitcom The Office.

Ricky began contributing to sketch comedy program Radio 1, and made his television debut by writing and starring in an episode of The Comedy Lab. His appearance on the show led directly to a role on the satirical news show The 11 O'clock News.

He then landed his own television show, Meet Ricky Gervais. The show aired for one year before Gervais decided to leave and develop The Office, a fake documentary-style sitcom that he and Merchant had conceived.

The Office debuted on BBC July 9, 2001, and was an immediate success. Gervais wrote, directed and starred in the comedy. The show produced only 14 episodes, but was hailed as a critical and commercial hit.

Ricky has won three consecutive BAFTA awards for his role as David Brent in The Office, and is the first British actor to win a Golden Globe.

After The Office, Ricky did voice-over work for commercials and animated movies, as well as a few movie cameos. He appeared in Night at the Museum (2006), For Your Consideration (2006), Stardust (2007) and starred in the hit television show Extras (2005-2007), which he co-created and co-wrote with Stephen Merchant. He went on to star as the romantic lead opposite Jennifer Garner in The Invention of Lying, which he also co-directed and co-wrote, and provided his own voice in the animated The Ricky Gervais Show for HBO.

In 2011, when Ricky hosted the Golden Globes for the second time, some were offended by the personal jabs he made about celebrities such as Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. and it was rumored that he would not be asked to return. However, he did return in 2012 for his third time hosting the Golden Globes and once again, zinged Hollywood's elite while at the same time, earning high ratings for NBC (which he also zinged).

He played Dominic Badguy in the film Muppets Most Wanted (2014) and Dr. McPhee in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). From 2012 to 2014 he also starred in and wrote all the episodes for the comedy series Derek, which he created.

In 2019 his Netflix comedy/drama series After Life debuted, and ran for three season to 2022. Ricky starred in and wrote all the episodes for After Life, which he also created.

For the animated motion picture Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022), Ricky provides the voice of Ika Chu and he's also completed a role in Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022).

Ricky is also the author of Flanimals, a series of children's books. The first book is currently being developed into a movie.

He has been in a relationship with English author/TV producer Jane Fallon since 1982.

Filmography (actor):

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)
The Willoughbys (2020)
Special Correspondents (2016)
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
An Idiot Abroad (2012)
The Muppets (2011)
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011)
Cemetery Junction (2010)
Dog Eat Dog (2001)

Filmography (director):

Special Correspondents (2016)
Cemetery Junction (2010)
The Invention of Lying (2009)