Stephen Merchant
{{Short description|English comedian, writer, director, and actor (born 1974)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Stephen Merchant
| image = StephenMerchantAltNov09.jpg
| alt = Merchant looking to the camera
| caption = Merchant in 2012
| birth_name = Stephen James Merchant
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1974|11|24}}
| birth_place = Bristol, England
| alma_mater = University of Warwick
| occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|actor|director|writer}}
| years_active = 1997–present
| height = 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
| partner =
| website = {{URL|stephenmerchant.com}}
}}
Stephen James Merchant (born 24 November 1974) is an English comedian, writer, director, and actor. He was the co-writer and co-director of the British TV comedy series The Office (2001–2003), and co-writer, co-director, and co-star of both Extras (2005–2007) and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) alongside Ricky Gervais. With Gervais and Karl Pilkington, he hosted The Ricky Gervais Show in its radio, podcast, audiobook, and television formats; the radio version won a bronze Sony Award. He also provided the voice of the robotic "Intelligence Dampening Sphere" Wheatley in the video games Portal 2 (2011) and LEGO Dimensions (2015) . Merchant co-developed the Sky One travel documentary series An Idiot Abroad (2010–2012) and co-created Lip Sync Battle (2015–2019).
Merchant has performed as a stand-up comedian, which led to him writing and starring in the HBO series Hello Ladies (2013–2014), based on his stand-up material. He starred in his first play, Richard Bean's The Mentalists, at London's Wyndham's Theatre in 2015. He wrote and directed the films Cemetery Junction in 2010 and Fighting with My Family in 2019, and starred in, co-wrote, co-produced, and co-directed the comedy crime series The Outlaws (2021–present). He also appeared as the mutant Caliban in the superhero film Logan (2017), a Nazi Gestapo leader in the comedy-drama film Jojo Rabbit (2019), and as the serial killer Stephen Port in the 2022 television drama Four Lives.
Merchant has received numerous accolades, including a Peabody Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three BAFTA Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four British Comedy Awards, and the Rose d'Or.
Early life and education
{{Quote box|width=27%|align=right|quote="I don't remember where I got this grand idea that I could somehow be John Cleese. That was my overriding passion from my mid-teens. John Cleese had grown up in Weston-super-Mare, not far from Bristol, where I grew up, and he was tall and he was very funny and very British and it's almost like I thought, 'Well if they want tall people from the West Country, I can do that.'"|source=—Merchant in December 2019{{cite news |title=Stephen Merchant recalls creating The Office with Ricky Gervais |url=https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/12/22/news/stephen-merchant-recalls-creating-the-office-with-ricky-gervais-1797154/ |access-date=29 June 2020 |work=Irish News}}}}
Stephen James Merchant was born in the Hanham suburb of Bristol{{Cite web |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/stephen-merchant-shoot-new-bbc-3722158|title = Stephen Merchant to shoot major new series in Bristol|date = 10 January 2020}} on 24 November 1974, the son of nursery nurse Jane Elaine (née Hibbs) and plumber and builder Ronald John Merchant.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/education/2007/08/18/fafamdet118.xml Family detective: Stephen Merchant], Telegraph.co.uk; accessed 8 March 2015. He attended Hanham Secondary School"[http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/11-bristol-celebrities-go-school-17024 Where did these 11 Bristol celebrities go to school?]", Bristol Post, 2 April 2017 (Accessed 4 April 2017) and later the University of Warwick in Coventry from 1993 to 1996, where he graduated with a BA in Film and Literature with a 2:1.{{cite web|url=http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/2011/06/08/10-questions-stephen-merchant/|title=10 Questions: Stephen Merchant|first=Holly|last=Stevenson|work=The Tab|date=8 June 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221083727/http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/2011/06/08/10-questions-stephen-merchant/|archive-date=21 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} He worked as a film reviewer on the student radio station Radio Warwick, where he began his broadcasting career.{{cite web |url=http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/alumni/ouralumni/notable2/merchant|title=Funny you asked|publisher=University of Warwick website}} His group there included film critic James King. A number of tapes of The Steve Show were rediscovered and have been published on various Merchant fan sites.{{cite web|url=http://steveshow.wordpress.com/ |title=The Steve Show |publisher=Steveshow.wordpress.com |access-date=23 January 2012}}
Merchant was inspired to get into comedy by John Cleese. In 2019, he said that he had never met Cleese, but that his parents had recently met him on a cruise and asked him to sign a book for Merchant; they also recorded a voicemail message on the phone in their cabin, which consisted of Cleese saying: "Hello there, Mr and Mrs Merchant, I'd be more than happy to sign your book. I was just wondering is your Stephen Merchant the same Stephen Merchant who collaborated with Ricky Gervais on The Office? Because I'm an enormous fan and please pass on my best regards." On hearing this, Merchant said, "I don't feel I need to meet him now. That's all I needed."{{cite news |title=10 things we learned from Stephen Merchant's Desert Island Discs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/BB2zfXKVYyXVnyMwR2GLnR/10-things-we-learned-from-stephen-merchants-desert-island-discs |access-date=29 June 2020 |agency=BBC}}
Career
=Early career=
Merchant began his career performing stand-up comedy at Bristol's Comedy Box, where, he recalled: "The first week I did really well. The second week I died on my arse. I realised that stand-up was not that easy after all."{{cite news |last1=Byrnes |first1=Sholto |title=Stephen Merchant: The Office boy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/stephen-merchant-the-office-boy-299623.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/stephen-merchant-the-office-boy-299623.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=19 August 2018 |work=Independent |date=17 July 2005}} He also appeared as a contestant on a 1997 episode of the TV game show Blockbusters{{cite web|title=I'll have a TV career please, Bob: four famous contestants|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-05-14/ill-have-a-tv-career-please-bob-four-famous-blockbusters-contestants|publisher=Radio Times|access-date=19 November 2015}} and worked for a short time as a DJ for Radio Caroline.{{cite web |title=Stephen Merchant |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/s/33386/stephen_merchant?review=33386&type=3 |access-date=19 November 2015 |website=Chortle |publisher=}}
Merchant met Ricky Gervais for the first time in 1997 when Gervais (in the position Head of Speech at the radio station XFM London), hired Merchant as his assistant.{{cite news|last1=Harvey|first1=Chris|title=Stephen Merchant interview: 'I'll probably get in trouble for saying this...'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/11700874/stephen-merchant-interview-mentalists.html|access-date=19 November 2015|work=Telegraph|date=27 June 2015}} Gervais later said that he had called Merchant for an interview because it was the first CV handed to him. Merchant and Gervais hosted a Saturday afternoon radio show together from January to August 1998, when both of them left XFM as it was bought by the Capital Radio Group. In the same year, Merchant was a finalist at The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Awards.{{cite web|title=Stephen Merchant Stands Up|date=20 March 2007|url=http://londonist.com/2007/03/stephen_merchan|publisher=Londonist|access-date=19 November 2015}}
Merchant worked for seven months at XFM 104.9. The Saturday show never had a large audience. Gervais said: "It's a tinpot radio station... It's not even the biggest radio station in the building." He created the features 'Hip Hop Hooray', 'Make Ricky Gervais Laugh' and 'Song for the Ladies'. After leaving XFM, Merchant began a production course at the BBC. As part of his coursework, he enlisted Gervais to perform in a 30-minute short film, "Seedy Boss", which became the earliest inspiration for their mock documentary The Office.{{cite news|last1=Jeffries|first1=Stuart|title=The Guardian profile: Ricky Gervais|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profiles/story/0,,1250074,.html|access-date=19 November 2015|work=Guardian|date=30 January 2004}} They collaborated on a sitcom pilot called Golden Years featuring a manager suffering a mid-life crisis. It aired on Channel 4's Comedy Lab series in September 1998,{{cite web|title=Comedy Lab: Season 2, Episode 6 Golden Years|date=8 September 1999|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475285/|publisher=IMDB|access-date=19 November 2015}} but the show failed to find further success.
=''The Office'' and return to XFM=
In mid-2001, BBC Two aired the first series of The Office, co-written and co-directed by Merchant and Gervais and starring the latter as paper sales office manager David Brent; the show initially received low ratings. Beginning in September 2001, Merchant and Gervais returned to XFM as co-hosts of The Ricky Gervais Show, another Saturday afternoon programme, which led to their fruitful relationship with producer Karl Pilkington.
They took a break from the radio show in mid-2002 in order to film the second series of The Office, which aired that year; in addition to writing and directing the show, Merchant made a cameo performance in the episode "Charity" as a friend of Gareth Keenan's character and known by the name Oggy or Oggmonster. Merchant's father also appeared in multiple episodes as an office handyman named Gordon. Merchant also directed a sitcom pilot called The Last Chancers, which aired on Comedy Lab in November 2002 and became a five-part series broadcast in December on E4.{{cite web|title=The Last Chancers|url=http://curtisbrown.co.uk/client/anthony-macmurray/work/the-last-chancers-1|publisher=Curtis Brown|access-date=19 November 2015}}
Merchant and Gervais continued to host The Ricky Gervais Show through 2003, taking another break to film The Office Christmas special, which aired that December. The radio show went off the air indefinitely in January 2004. During 2004, Merchant appeared in a recurring role as a chef on Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and in a cameo on Green Wing, and served as a script associate on the Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker sitcom Nathan Barley. The same year, The Office aired in the U.S. to critical acclaim. It went on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy which both Merchant and Gervais accepted.{{cite web|title=The Office celebrates two Golden Globe triumphs|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2004/01_january/office_golden_globes.shtml|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 November 2015}} This was followed in 2005 by a 4th series of the radio show, consisting of six episodes.
=U.S. series of ''The Office''=
In March 2005, the American version of The Office premiered, with Merchant and Gervais credited as executive producers. They co-wrote the third-season episode "The Convict", and Merchant directed the fifth-season episode "Customer Survey".{{cite web|title=The Office: Season 5, Episode 6 Customer Survey|date=6 November 2008|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1248750/|publisher=IMDB|access-date=19 November 2015}}
=Podcast series=
In December 2005, with sponsorship by The Guardian, Merchant, Gervais, and Pilkington began recording a weekly podcast (also called The Ricky Gervais Show).{{cite web|author=Plumplard.com August 2004|url=http://www.rickygervais.com/podcasts2.php|title=Ricky Gervais... Obviously|publisher=Rickygervais.com|access-date=17 March 2010}} Throughout its first series (through 20 February 2006), it was consistently ranked the most popular in the world, and was certified as the most-downloaded of all time by Guinness World Records. Two more series and three special installments (the "Podfather Trilogy") were recorded in 2006, with the final episode released on Christmas Eve. In late 2008, they recorded four more podcasts and began a series of audiobooks examining Pilkington's perspective on various subjects.{{cite web|title=Stephen Merchant Talks|url=http://www.iamrogue.com/news/interviews/item/8097-iar-exclusive-interview-stephen-merchant-talks-movie-43-the-future-of-an-idiot-abroad-and-the-genius-of-karl-pilkington.html|publisher=I Am Rogue|access-date=19 November 2015|archive-date=19 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119202243/http://www.iamrogue.com/news/interviews/item/8097-iar-exclusive-interview-stephen-merchant-talks-movie-43-the-future-of-an-idiot-abroad-and-the-genius-of-karl-pilkington.html|url-status=dead}}
=''Extras''=
In July 2005, following a brief return of the XFM radio show (filling in for Adam and Joe), Gervais and Merchant's new sitcom Extras premiered on BBC Two. It features Merchant in a supporting role as Darren Lamb, the incompetent agent to struggling actor Andy Millman, played by Gervais. Series 2 of Extras aired in late 2006, followed by a Christmas special in December 2007; all three installments aired on HBO in the United States. Merchant won a 2006 British Comedy Award for Best TV Actor for his performance as Lamb,{{cite news|author=Owen Gibson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,1971460,00.html|title=Tate and Merchant win comedy awards|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=14 December 2006|access-date=17 March 2010}} and the series won a Rose d'Or for Best Sitcom in 2006{{Cite web |title=Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival (2006) |url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000448/2006/1/ |access-date=2023-10-22 |website=IMDb}} and a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2008.{{Cite web |title=Extras |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/tv-show/extras |access-date=2023-10-22 |website=Golden Globes}}
=''The Steve Show''=
File:StephenMerchantJan2011.jpg
In January 2007, Merchant began hosting his own radio show on BBC 6 Music, airing weekly on Sunday afternoons.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/11_november/30/merchant.shtml|title=Stephen Merchant presents new show for BBC 6 Music|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 March 2010}} Instead of comedy, The Steve Show focused on toast and music, particularly "new music", defined by Merchant as "music you've not heard before." Many of the songs on the show were suggested by listeners or co-presenters. It also featured several of his friends, including his housemate, his childhood friend, and actor Rufus Gerrard-Wright (who also appeared in an episode of Extras). A spring search for a "she-J" resulted in the addition of former Byker Grove actor Sammy T. Dobson{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/sammy-dobson/person/95277/appearances.html|title=Sammy Dobson|publisher=Tv.com|access-date=17 March 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403092514/http://www.tv.com/sammy-dobson/person/95277/appearances.html|archive-date=3 April 2011|df=dmy-all}} joining the ensemble. "The Steve Show" aired for four series and concluded in May 2009.
=Stand-up=
Merchant began performing stand-up comedy in the late 1990s to critical success, though he decided to focus more on his work with writing partner Ricky Gervais after the success of The Office. He appeared in a revue, called Rubbernecker, at the Café Royal, as part of the 2001 Edinburgh Fringe,{{Cite web |date=2001-08-03 |title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme 2001 by Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/edinburgh_festival_fringe/docs/2001_fringe_programme |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=issuu.com |language=en}} alongside Ricky Gervais, Jimmy Carr and Robin Ince.{{Cite news |last=Logan |first=Brian |date=2009-12-09 |title=Review of the decade: Comedy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/dec/09/review-of-the-decade-comedy |access-date=2024-02-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Merchant returned to stand-up with a nationwide tour of the United Kingdom in September 2011, under the title Hello Ladies. The tour, which ended in New York,[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/arts/television/stephen-merchant-moves-from-gervaiss-shadow-to-stand-up.html Profile], nytimes.com; accessed 8 March 2015. was later released on DVD. In late 2012, it continued in Australia and New Zealand. Merchant performed his first-ever stand-up tour of Scandinavia in October 2014, performing in 11 different cities as part of a European festival circuit.[http://www.comedyfesteurope.com/tickets Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107002954/http://www.comedyfesteurope.com/tickets/ |date=7 November 2014 }}, comedyfesteurope.com; accessed 8 March 2015. In an interview with Marc Maron, Merchant listed Eddie Izzard, Stewart Lee, Ross Noble and Jimmy Carr as stand-up comedians he admired and John Cleese as his main comedic influence.
=''Hello Ladies''=
Merchant's sitcom Hello Ladies premiered on 29 September 2013 on HBO, in which he played Stuart Pritchard, a website designer in Los Angeles who unsuccessfully chases beautiful women. It was adapted from his stand-up show of the same name. Merchant's frequent partner Ricky Gervais was not involved in any part of the show which was instead written by Merchant, Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky. After its initial run of eight episodes, HBO did not renew the show for a second season[http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/hello-ladies-cancelled-no-season-two-31327 Hello Ladies not renewed by HBO], tvseriesfinale.com; accessed 8 March 2015. but aired a special movie on 22 November 2014, that served as the series' last episode.[http://www.stephenmerchant.com Stephen Merchant official website]; accessed 8 March 2015.
=Other work=
Merchant has played small roles in the films Hot Fuzz (2007), Run Fatboy Run (2007), and The Invention of Lying (2009). He has a supporting role in the 2010 film Tooth Fairy. On television, Merchant made a cameo appearance in a non-speaking role on the sixth-season premiere of 24; he also starred as a sports commentator in the unaired pilot No Skillz. In 2009, Merchant and Gervais collaborated on the film Cemetery Junction, set in working-class England in the 1970s, which received mixed reviews on release in 2010.
Later in 2010, Gervais and Merchant wrote, and had cameo roles in, Life's Too Short, a television show starring Warwick Davis.{{cite web|url=http://www.warwickdavis.co.uk/lifes-too-short-bbc-pilot-1|title=Warwick Davis official website|publisher=Warwickdavis.co.uk|access-date=23 January 2012|archive-date=15 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215173237/http://www.warwickdavis.co.uk/lifes-too-short-bbc-pilot-1|url-status=dead}} For television, Merchant and Gervais also produced An Idiot Abroad. In 2011, Merchant lent his voice to the CGI film Gnomeo & Juliet and had a role in the Farrelly brothers' comedy Hall Pass. In 2013 he starred in I Give It a Year as the best man.{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenmerchant.com/news/2012/11/22/i-give-it-a-year-next-year|title=I give it a year next year|publisher=www.stephenmerchant.com|date=22 November 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203212624/http://www.stephenmerchant.com/news/2012/11/22/i-give-it-a-year-next-year/|archive-date=3 February 2013|df=dmy-all}}
On 18 October 2013, he hosted an episode of the panel show Have I Got News for You[https://twitter.com/haveigotnews/status/391201492989796352 Merchant on twitter], twitter.com; accessed 8 March 2015. and was featured in Short Poppies.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMXo19EipFc Merchant on YouTube (1)], youtube.com; accessed 8 March 2015. In 2014 he made an appearance in Modern Family{{'}}s "Las Vegas" episode.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGwO1sksWA Merchant on YouTube (2)], youtube.com; accessed 8 March 2015.
In January 2011, Merchant appeared alongside many other comedians at the 'Free Fringe Benefit' at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London, in a show of stand-up to benefit the Free Fringe at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival.{{cite web|title=Free Fringe Benefit 2011|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/london-shows/show/item113641/Free-Fringe-Benefit-2011/|publisher=Official London Theatre|access-date=19 November 2015}}
Merchant is the voice of Wheatley in Valve's 2011 video game Portal 2,{{cite web|last=Kollar|first=Phil|title=Portal 2 Has A Release Date and a New Voice Actor|url=https://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/08/18/portal-2-has-a-release-date.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819184003/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/08/18/portal-2-has-a-release-date.aspx|url-status=live|archive-date=19 August 2010|work=Game Informer Magazine|publisher=GameStop Corporation|date=18 August 2010|access-date=13 May 2011}} a role which earned him widespread acclaim among reviewers.{{cite magazine|last=Young|first=John|title='Portal 2' Videogame Review: Physics is Phunny|url=https://ew.com/article/2011/04/20/portal-2-review|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=20 April 2011|access-date=2 September 2017}} He has stated that while the project was "exhausting", he is also "very pleased by the response people have had to it. What I was really pleased by how people seemed to respond to it in the way they do with a movie they've enjoyed, or a TV show they've enjoyed."{{cite web|last=Plunkett|first=Luke|title=Portal 2's Wheatley Found it all "Exhausting"|url=http://kotaku.com/5801430/portal-2s-wheatley-found-it-all-exhausting|work=Kotaku.com|publisher=Gawker Media|date=13 May 2011|access-date=13 May 2011}} In 2013, he reprised this role as the voice of the Ap-Sap in Team Fortress 2, a weapon based on the Wheatley core.
Merchant has provided the voice-over since 2009 of advertisements for Barclays and Waterstones. In 2014, he starred in two commercials for Newcastle Brown Ale[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1YvJBwC4xQ Merchant on YouTube (3)], youtube.com; accessed 8 March 2015.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQcPZWctDfM Merchant on YouTube (4)], youtube.com; accessed 8 March 2015. and for the Cadillac 2015 ATS Coupe.[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=irresistible+2015+coupe Merchant on YouTube (5)], youtube.com; accessed 8 March 2015.
He is an executive producer for the Spike show Lip Sync Battle and, in July 2015, Merchant opened his first play, The Mentalists by Richard Bean, alongside Steffan Rhodri in London's West End.{{cite web|title=The Mentalists Play|url=http://www.thementaliststheplay.com|website=The Mentalists Official Site|ref=37}} He appeared in three episodes of The Big Bang Theory as Dave Gibbs, a guy Amy dates after she breaks up with Sheldon.
He has portrayed George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on the Comedy Central series Drunk History. Through the show's first four seasons, Merchant is the only actor to play the same historical figure (Lincoln) twice.
He hosted a special celebrity edition of the cult UK game show The Crystal Maze, on Channel 4 on 16 October 2016, in aid of the network's Stand Up to Cancer campaign in partnership with Cancer Research UK.
In 2017, Merchant played Caliban in the X-Men movie Logan.{{cite news|last1=Hipes|first1=Patrick|title=Stephen Merchant To Star With Hugh Jackman In 'Wolverine 3'|url=https://deadline.com/2016/04/stephen-merchant-wolverine-3-hugh-jackman-x-men-1201745268/|access-date=28 April 2016|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=28 April 2016}} Merchant, along with John Krasinski and Allyson Seeger, are executive producers of Dream Corp, LLC, an animated series created by Daniel Stessen on Adult Swim that ran for three seasons starting in 2016.{{Citation|mode=cs1|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=17 November 2015|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/john-krasinski-stephen-merchant-animated-840727|title=John Krasinski, Stephen Merchant Animated Comedy Picked Up to Series at Adult Swim|work=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119131035/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/john-krasinski-stephen-merchant-animated-840727|archive-date=19 November 2015|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2016}}
On 31 March 2018, Merchant was a guest announcer on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. On Christmas Eve 2018, Merchant appeared with Asim Chaudhry in odd-couple Christmas road-trip comedy Click & Collect on BBC One.{{cite web|last=Rees |first=Jasper |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2018/12/24/click-collect-review-odd-couple-christmas-road-trip-high-fives/amp/ |title=Click and Collect, review: this odd-couple Christmas road trip high-fives the season of goodwill |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=2018-12-24 |access-date=2019-03-21}} Merchant also appeared as Nazi Gestapo leader Captain Deertz in director Taika Waititi's Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/jojo-rabbit-sam-rockwell-stephen-merchant-alfie-allen-interview/|title = Jojo Rabbit: Here's Why Stephen Merchant Wanted to Ruin Sam Rockwell's Takes|website = Collider|date = 28 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/stephen-merchant-gestapo-taika-waititi-jojo-rabbit-scarlett-johansson-1202413120/|title = Stephen Merchant to Play Gestapo Agent in Taika Waititi's WWII Satire 'Jojo Rabbit'|date = 19 June 2018}}
In 2019, Merchant wrote and directed Fighting with My Family, a biographical sports comedy-drama film, based on the 2012 documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family by Max Fisher. The film depicts the career of English professional wrestler Saraya Bevis as she makes her way up WWE, and starred Florence Pugh and Jack Lowden, as well as Dwayne Johnson (who also served as a co-producer). Fighting with My Family grossed $41.5 million worldwide against a budget of $11 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Fighting-With-My-Family-(2019)|title=Fighting With My Family (2019) – Financial Information|website=The Numbers|access-date=2020-04-20}}
In 2021, Merchant appeared in The Outlaws, a crime thriller comedy drama set in Bristol, which he also co-created, co-wrote, co-produced, and co-directed.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/the-offenders-stephen-merchant-renewed-season-2-1234663374/|title=Stephen Merchant's BBC/Amazon Series 'The Offenders' Renewed For Second Season|first=Jake|last=Kanter|date=January 13, 2021}} A second series aired in 2022{{Citation |title=The Outlaws - Series 2: Episode 1 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0c70xw3/the-outlaws-series-2-episode-1 |publisher=BBC iPlayer |language=en-GB |access-date=2022-06-06}} and a third in 2024.{{cite web|url= https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/bristol-filmed-outlaws-returns-third-9254913.amp|website=Bristol Post|accessdate=1 May 2024|title= Bristol-filmed The Outlaws returns for third series|first=Ellie|last=Kendall|date=30 April 2024}}
Merchant portrayed serial killer Stephen Port in the 2022 BBC drama Four Lives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a26943007/the-barking-murders-stephen-port-serial-killer-grindr-stephen-merchant/|title = The Barking Murders stars Stephen Merchant as you've never seen him before|date = 26 March 2019}}
Personal life
Since December 2018 Merchant has been in a relationship with American actress Mircea Monroe.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/is-stephen-merchant-married-the-click-collect-star-says-he-hasnt-always-been-lucky-in-love-15546011|title=Stephen Merchant Reckons He's Been "Unlucky In Love" For This Relatable AF Reason|website=Bustle|language=en|access-date=2019-06-03|date=24 December 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/article/2024/may/19/its-all-been-preposterous-stephen-merchant-on-fame-standup-and-the-pressures-of-cancel-culture|title='It's all been preposterous': Stephen Merchant on fame, standup and the pressures of cancel culture|first=Eva|last=Wiseman|work=The Observer|date=19 May 2024|accessdate=23 May 2024}} He lives in a home previously owned by Ellen DeGeneres in the Nichols Canyon area of Los Angeles.[https://variety.com/2014/dirt/real-estalker/stephen-merchant-snags-nichols-canyon-post-and-beam-1201267589 Stephen Merchant snags L.A. home], variety.com; accessed 8 March 2015. He also owns a home in London.[https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmentertainment/stephen-merchant-hilariously-talks-abt-his-new-movie-missing-london-and-life-in-la Merchant interview about his new movie, missing London, and life in L.A.], soundcloud.com; accessed 8 March 2015.
Standing {{convert|6|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}} tall with a lanky frame,{{cite news|title=Stephen Merchant: A giant of comedy|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=25 March 2007|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stephen-merchant-a-giant-of-comedy-441755.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070629055833/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stephen-merchant-a-giant-of-comedy-441755.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2007|access-date=26 December 2007}} Merchant once had his dance moves likened by Ricky Gervais to an "upright lizard being given electroshock treatment."{{cite episode|title=Part 4|episode-link=The Ricky Gervais Show|series=The Ricky Gervais Show|series-link=The Ricky Gervais Show|air-date=22 August 2006|season=3|number=2}} Gervais also described him as a "stick insect with glasses" and Beaker from The Muppet Show.The Ricky Gervais Show – The Early Years/Part 3 Karl Pilkington described Merchant's dancing as a "bit of weird art"The Ricky Gervais Show. Episode No. 4, season 3. but has since "got used to him", while Russell Brand likened him to a "graceful grasshopper".BBC Podcast – The Russell Brand Show Merchant has said that he prefers to liken himself to footballer Peter Crouch, who is the same height,{{cite episode|title=Part 2|episode-link=The Ricky Gervais Show|series=The Ricky Gervais Show|series-link=The Ricky Gervais Show|air-date=22 August 2006|season=3|number=2}} and he once impersonated Crouch in a BBC sketch broadcast as part of the pre-match build-up to England's quarter-final game against Portugal at the 2006 World Cup.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKJRKdSlweU| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/sKJRKdSlweU| archive-date=2021-10-30|title=Ricky Gervais meets Crouch and Rooney|date=1 July 2006|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Before the 2010 UK general election, Merchant was one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter opposing the Conservative Party's policy on the BBC.{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7631589/General-Election-2010-leading-stars-oppose-Tory-BBC-plans.html | title= General Election 2010: leading stars oppose Tory BBC plans | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | date=25 April 2010 | access-date=23 May 2010}}
In December 2019, Merchant was the guest for an episode of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. His book choice was Roger's Profanisaurus by Roger Mellie from Viz, his luxury item was a piano, and his chosen record was "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000clp3|title = BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Stephen Merchant, writer, comedian and actor}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable"
|+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} |Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| class = "wikitable sortable" | |
| Year
! Title ! Actor ! Director ! Writer ! Producer ! Role ! class = "unsortable"|Notes | |
|---|---|
| rowspan=2|2007
| Hot Fuzz | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Peter Ian Staker | |
| Run Fatboy Run
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Man with Broken Leg | |
| 2009
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Man at the Door | |
| rowspan=4|2010
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Tracy | |
| Cemetery Junction
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{partial|Executive}} | Dougie Boden | Co-written and co-directed with Ricky Gervais | |
| Jackboots on Whitehall
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Tom | Voice role | |
| Burke and Hare
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Holyrood Footman | |
| rowspan=2|2011
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Paris | Voice role | |
| Hall Pass
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Gary Putney | |
| rowspan=2|2013
| Movie 43 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Donald | Segment: "Truth or Dare" | |
| I Give It a Year
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Danny | |
| rowspan=3| 2017
| Logan | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Caliban | |
| Beauty and the Beast
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Monsieur Toilett | |
| Table 19
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Walter Thimble | |
| rowspan=2|2018
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Paris | Voice role | |
| The Girl in the Spider's Web
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Frans Balder | |
| rowspan=3|2019 | Fighting with My Family
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Hugh |
| Good Boys
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Claude | Uncredited cameo | |
| Jojo Rabbit
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Captain Deertz | |
| rowspan=2|2021
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Michael Morgan | |
| A Boy Called Christmas
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Miika the Mouse | rowspan=2|Voice role | |
| 2026
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| The Ark and the Aardvark {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Croc |
=Television=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Actor ! Director ! Writer ! Executive Producer ! Creator ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1999
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | James (voice) | Episode: "Golden Years" |
| 2000
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Various roles | Also writer |
| 2001–2003
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Paul Shepherd (voice) / Nathan (aka "The Oggmonster", "Oggy") | 14 episodes and appeared in 3 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2004
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Chef | 2 episodes |
| Green Wing
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Lab Technician | Episode: "Tests" |
| 2005
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Mr. Phillips (voice) | 13 episodes |
| 2005–2007
| Extras | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Darren Lamb | 13 episodes and appeared in 11 episodes |
| 2005–2013
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{N/A}} | American remake of his show The Office co-created with Ricky Gervais |
| 2007
| 24 | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | CTU Technician | Episode: "Day 6: 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m." |
| 2010–2012
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Himself (voice) | 39 episodes |
| 2010–2011
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | rowspan="3" | Himself | 16 episodes |
| 2011–2013
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | 8 episodes; Co-created with Ricky Gervais and Warwick Davis |
| 2011
| Ronnie Corbett's Comedy Britain | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | |
| 2013
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Stuart Pritchard | 8 episodes |
| 2013–2015
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Abraham Lincoln / George Washington | 3 episodes |
| 2014, 2020
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Higgins | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2014
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Alfred Pennyworth / 210 Up Narrator / Kirk Fogg (voices) | Episode: "Stone Cold Steve Cold Stone" |
| Hello Ladies: The Movie
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Stuart Pritchard | Television film |
| Short Poppies
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Insurance Broker | Episode: "Terry Pole" |
| 2015
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Dave Gibbs | 3 episodes |
| 2015–2019
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Himself | Appears in 2 episodes |
| rowspan="4" | 2016
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Conrad (voice) | Episode: "The Girl Code" |
| Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Television film |
| American Dad!
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Scientist (voice) | Episode: "The 200" |
| The Crystal Maze
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Himself (host) |
| 2016–2020
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | T.E.R.R.Y. | 28 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Neil | Episode: "Janet(s)" |
| Click & Collect
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Andrew | Christmas TV special |
| 2020
| Home Movie: The Princess Bride{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/06/the-princess-bride-homemade-fan-film|title=Watch the Celebrity-Filled Fan-Film Version of The Princess Bride|website=Vanity Fair|first=Anthony|last=Breznican|date=June 26, 2020|access-date=June 26, 2020}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Count Rugen | 2 episodes |
| 2021–2024
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |Greg | 17 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Big Fat Quiz of the Year
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Panelist | With Richard Ayoade{{Cite web |date=26 December 2022 |title=Big Fat Quiz: Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2022 |url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/big-fat-quiz/on-demand/74703-001}} |
| 2024
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |Guest award announcer |
= Radio =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Station !Role !Notes !Ref |
| 1998
| rowspan="2" |The Ricky Gervais Show | rowspan="2" |XFM | rowspan="2" |Self, co-host |Presented with Ricky Gervais |
| 2001–2005
|Presented with Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington |
| 2007–2009
|The Steve Show |Self, host | |
=Video games=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Voice role |
|---|
| 2011
| Portal 2 |rowspan=3| Wheatley |
| 2013
| Team Fortress 2 (uncredited) |
| 2015 |
Awards
| class="wikitable" |
| Awarding Body/Event
!Awarded |
|---|
| Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
|
|
| Banff Television Festival
|
|
| British Academy Television Awards
|
|
| British Comedy Awards
|
|
| Broadcasting Press Guild Awards
|
|
| CinEuphoria Awards
|
|
| Golden Globe Awards
|
|
| Hawaii Film Critics Society
|
|
| Peabody Awards
|
|
| Primetime Emmy Awards
|
|
| Spike Video Game Awards
|
|
| Television Critics Association
|
|
| Writers Guild of America Awards
|
|
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Stephen Merchant}}
- {{Official website|http://www.stephenmerchant.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|580351}}
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/fivelive_aod.shtml?fivelive/merchant Interviewed on BBC Radio Five Live]
- [http://xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=86251 Xfm: Biography]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071027105040/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/08/08/btmerchant08.xml&sSheet=/arts/2005/08/08/ixartright.html Tall man, taller success story] – interview in The Telegraph – 8 August 2005
- [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,1937381,00.html Interview with Barbara Ellen] in The Observer Magazine – 5 November 2006
- [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jun/08/vietnam.cambodia An Englishman abroad]
- [http://www.whatsonwales.co.uk/interviews/i/21634/ Stephen Merchant interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318004432/http://www.whatsonwales.co.uk/interviews/i/21634/ |date=18 March 2012 }}
- [http://www.newstatesman.com/television/2010/08/ricky-gervais-interview Stephen Merchant] interviewed by Sophie Elmhirst on New Statesman.
{{Stephen Merchant}}
{{Ricky Gervais}}
{{RTS Programme Award for Best Comedy Performance}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merchant, Stephen}}
Category:20th-century English comedians
Category:20th-century English male actors
Category:21st-century English comedians
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick
Category:BAFTA winners (people)
Category:English male television writers
Category:English comedy writers
Category:English expatriate male actors in the United States
Category:English male television actors
Category:English male video game actors
Category:English male voice actors
Category:English stand-up comedians
Category:English television directors
Category:English television producers
Category:English television writers
Category:Male actors from Bristol
Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners
Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners