Some of my favourite comedy actors

by britishcomedy1974 | created - 08 Sep 2012 | updated - 08 Sep 2012 | Public

This is just a short list showing some of my favourite comedy actors.

1. Marc Wootton

Actor | Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

Marc Wootton was born on February 8, 1975 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009), Arthur Christmas (2011) and La La Land (2010).

For his performance in 'La La Land' I really rate Marc Wootton as a brilliant comedy actor. In the series he plays Shirley Ghostman, a fake psychic, Gary Garner, a wannabe actor, and Brendan Allen, a documentary film-maker.

2. Anna Faris

Actress | The House Bunny

Anna Kay Faris was born on November 29, 1976 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Karen (Bathurst), a special education teacher, and Jack Faris, a sociologist. She was raised in Edmonds, Washington. Her ancestry includes English, German, Scottish, French, Dutch, Irish, and Welsh. Anna started acting very ...

I love her for her quirky roles, particularly in the 'Scary Movie' series and 'Observe and Report'.

3. Thomas Lennon

Actor | Reno 911!

Thomas Lennon is a writer and actor from Oak Park, Illinois. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he was a member of the influential sketch comedy group The State. The State's hit television series ran on MTV for three seasons and received an Ace Award nomination ...

Thomas is both an incredible comedy actor and writer. I first came across him in 'Reno 911' but several of his cameos have been brilliant.

4. Matt Lucas

Actor | Little Britain

Matthew Richard Lucas is a British-German actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is perhaps best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003-2006, 2020) and Come Fly With Me (2010-2011). Lucas portrayed the role of Nardole in the BBC ...

I was a huge fan of Matt in the UK television show 'Shooting Stars', for me he was the only funny part. He then went on to show his talent in 'Little Britain' and 'Alice in Wonderland'.

5. Will Ferrell

Producer | Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

John William Ferrell was born in Irvine, California, to Betty Kay (Overman), a teacher, and Roy Lee Ferrell, Jr., a musician. His parents were originally from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Ferrell became interested in performing while a student ...

My personal favourite is 'Blades of Glory' but Will consistently performs in some great films like 'Starsky and Hutch' and 'Step Brothers'.

6. Ricky Gervais

Writer | The Office

Ricky Dene Gervais was born in a suburb of Reading, Berkshire, to Eva Sophia (House) and Lawrence Raymond Gervais, who was a hod carrier and labourer. His father was born in Ontario, Canada, of French-Canadian descent, and his mother was English. He was educated at Ashmead Comprehensive School and ...

Although Ricky seems to attract negative press his comedy style and consistency to create great work has proved his status as a comedy great. The BBC series of 'The Office' and 'Extras' will go down in history as being among the best of British comedy.

7. Paul Rudd

Actor | Ant-Man

Paul Stephen Rudd was born in Passaic, New Jersey. His parents, Michael and Gloria, both from Jewish families, were born in the London area, U.K. He has one sister, who is three years younger than he is. Paul traveled with his family during his early years, because of his father's airline job at ...

I thoroughly enjoy every performance I've seen from Paul but among my favourites are 'Role Models', 'Reno 911: Miami' and 'Knocked up'.

8. Jim Carrey

Actor | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey, Canadian-born and a U.S. citizen since 2004, is an actor and producer famous for his rubbery body movements and flexible facial expressions. The two-time Golden Globe-winner rose to fame as a cast member of the Fox sketch comedy In Living Color (1990) but leading roles in Ace Ventura: ...

Jim has provided far too many brilliant performances to mention but among my favourites are 'The Mask', 'Dumb and Dumber' and 'Yes Man'.

9. Kristen Wiig

Actress | Bridesmaids

Kristen Carroll Wiig was born on August 22, 1973 in Canandaigua, New York, to Laurie J. (Johnston), an artist, and Jon J. Wiig, a lake marina manager. She is of Norwegian (from her paternal grandfather), Irish, English, and Scottish descent. The family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before ...

Kristen is a comedy gem, I really enjoyed 'Bridesmaids' but her roles in 'Knocked up' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' were amazing!

10. Ricky Tomlinson

Actor | The Royle Family

Ricky Tomlinson was born on September 26, 1939 in Bispham, Blackpool, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for The Royle Family (1998), Formula 51 (2001) and Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001). He has been married to Rita Cumiskey since January 4, 2003. He was previously married to ...

For his role in 'The Royle Family' I've added Ricky as one of my favourite comedy actors. He also added some of the additional dialogue to the script.

11. Seth Rogen

Producer | This Is the End

An actor, comedian and writer, Seth Rogen has come a long way from doing stand-up comedy as a teen.

Rogen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Sandy (Belogus), a social worker, and Mark Rogen, who worked for non-profits. His father is American-born and his mother is Canadian. He is of Russian...

Seth has written, produced and acted in some of my favourite comedy films. His performance in 'Knocked up', 'The Green Hornet' and 'Superbad' is enough to have him on my list.

12. Jason Segel

Actor | Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Multi-talented Jason Jordan Segel was born in Los Angeles, California, where he was raised by his parents, Jillian (Jordan), a homemaker, and Alvin Segel, a lawyer. His mother is of English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry, and his father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. He was educated at St. ...

For his performances in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and 'Knocked up' I've added Jason to my list. He is also a very talented writer.

13. Jonah Hill

Actor | 21 Jump Street

Jonah Hill was born and raised in Los Angeles, the son of Sharon Feldstein (née Chalkin), a fashion designer and costume stylist, and Richard Feldstein, a tour accountant for Guns N' Roses. He is the brother of music manager Jordan Feldstein and actress Beanie Feldstein. He graduated from ...

Jonah has appeared in many of my favourite comedies, either as main cast or a smaller role. I would name 'Night at the Museum 2', 'Superbad', '40 year old Virgin' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' as the best.

14. Caroline Aherne

Actress | The Royle Family

Caroline Aherne was born on December 24, 1963 in Ealing, London, England, UK. She was an actress and writer, known for The Royle Family (1998), The Mrs. Merton Show (1995) and Mrs Merton & Malcolm (1999). She was married to Peter Hook. She died on July 2, 2016 in Timperley, Altrincham, Greater ...

Caroline not only acted in the amazing UK television series 'The Royle Family' but was part of the writing team with Craig Cash.

15. Adam Sandler

Actor | The Waterboy

Adam Richard Sandler was born September 9, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, to Judith (Levine), a teacher at a nursery school, and Stanley Alan Sandler, an electrical engineer. He is of Russian Jewish descent. At 17, he took his first step towards becoming a stand-up comedian when he spontaneously took ...

Although his films constantly get negative reviews from the so-called experts, they continue to be box office hits. Adam should be commended for his ability to provide brilliant comedy films and my personal favourites are 'The Wedding Singer' and 'Grown ups'.

16. Ben Stiller

Producer | Tropic Thunder

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City, New York, to legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. His father was of Austrian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent, and his mother was of Irish Catholic descent (she converted to Judaism).

His parents made no real...

Ben has been added for his incredible roles in 'Something about Mary', 'Starsky and Hutch', 'Night at the Museum' and 'Extras'.

17. Justin Long

Actor | Live Free or Die Hard

A likable, boyish-looking actor with thick eyebrows and a friendly smile, Justin Long is a native of Connecticut.

He was born and raised in Fairfield, the second of three sons. His father, R. James Long, is a Professor of Philosophy at Fairfield University, and his mother, Wendy Lesniak, is a former...

Justin's performance as Brandon in 'Zak and Miri make a porno' is enough for him to belong on this list. His scene was my favourite part of the film.

18. Rob Schneider

Actor | Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo

Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (1975), Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the ...

Many of my most watched films involve Rob, whether it be as main cast or a cameo. Among my favourites are 'Grown ups', 'Deuce Bigalow' and 'I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry'.

19. Leslie Mann

Actress | Knocked Up

Leslie Jean Mann was born in San Francisco, California. She was raised in Newport Beach, California by her mother, Janet Ann Ayres. At the age of seventeen, she launched her career, appearing in various TV commercials.

Her screen break came when she was cast as Nurse Mary in the short-lived Birdland...

Leslie's role in 'Knocked up' stole the show for me and her performance in '40 year old Virgin' was brilliantly cast.

20. Owen Wilson

Actor | The Royal Tenenbaums

Self-proclaimed troublemaker Owen Cunningham Wilson was born in Dallas, to Irish-American parents originally from Massachusetts. He grew up in Texas with his mother, Laura (Cunningham), a photographer; his father, Robert Andrew Wilson, an ad exec; and his brothers, Andrew Wilson (the eldest) and ...

Owen is a very talented actor, my personal favourites are 'Wedding Crashers', 'Meet the Parents' and 'Night at the Museum'.

21. Jaime Pressly

Actress | My Name Is Earl

Emmy Award-winning actress Jaime Pressly is known for her wide range of film and television roles. Pressly appeared in Welcome to Flatch (2022) from 2022 to 2023. Previously, she played Jill Kendall, opposite Anna Faris and Academy Award winner Allison Janney, on Chuck Lorre's hit CBS comedy Mom (...

As Joy Turner in 'My name is Earl' her comedy timing showed how talented she was.

22. Stephen Merchant

Producer | Extras

Stephen James Merchant is an English actor, comedian, director, presenter and writer.

Alongside Ricky Gervais, Merchant 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 (...

Stephen is often recognised for his writing talents more than his performing, however his role as Darren Lamb in 'Extras' and Gary in 'Hall Pass' demonstrated he can do both.

23. Shaun Williamson

Actor | The Invention of Lying

Shaun Williamson was born on November 4, 1965 in Maidstone, Kent, England. He is an actor, known for EastEnders (1985), Scoop (2009) and The Invention of Lying (2009). He also starred alongside Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in Extras (2005) and Life's Too Short (2011). He married Melanie in ...

Shaun played a version of himself in 'Extras' and demonstrated what an amazing comedy actor he is. He also played the role in 'Life's too Short' and for many his scenes with Les Dennis and Keith Chegwin were the highlight of the series.

24. Simon Pegg

Actor | The World's End

English actor, writer, and comedian Simon Pegg was born Simon John Beckingham in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, to Gillian Rosemary (Smith), a civil servant, and John Henry Beckingham, a jazz musician. His parents divorced when he was seven. He later took his stepfather's surname "Pegg." He was ...

As a fan of 'Spaced' I've watched Simon's career with much interest. I'm pleased to see him progress and his roles in 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' demonstrate what I believed when I first watched him, he is an amazing actor.

25. Steve Carell

Actor | The Office

Steve Carell, one of America's most versatile comics, was born Steven John Carell on August 16, 1962, in Concord, Massachusetts. He is the son of Harriet Theresa (Koch), a psychiatric nurse, and Edwin A. Carell, an electrical engineer. His mother was of Polish descent and his father of Italian and ...

As a fan of the British version of 'The Office' I couldn't warm to him as David Brent. Fortunately his roles in '40 year old Virgin' and 'Evan Almighty' helped him make it on my list

26. Rob Brydon

Actor | The Huntsman: Winter's War

Rob Brydon was born on May 3, 1965 in Swansea, Wales, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016), Marion & Geoff (2000) and Barbie (2023). He has been married to Claire Holland since October 6, 2006. They have two children. He was previously married to Martina ?.

I've added Rob to the list because of his role in 'Gavin and Stacey'. His role and performance was superb.

27. Jason Lee

Actor | Almost Famous

Born in Santa Ana, California in 1970, Jason Lee is an American film photographer, actor, producer, and director. Well known for having been a professional skateboarder during skateboarding's very pivotal late 80s and early 90s, Lee would go on to pursue acting in 1993, working in film, television,...

I personally loved 'My name is Earl' and can't believe they cancelled the series. Jason is an incredibly talented actor and I look forward to enjoying more from him.

28. Ethan Suplee

Actor | Remember the Titans

Ethan Suplee has established himself over the past few decades as an actor of considerable talent and accomplishment. His diverse and eclectic resume ranges from hilarious roles in such comedies as Mallrats (1995) and Without a Paddle (2004) to hauntingly dramatic performances in intense features ...

Ethan is a very versatile actor but his role in 'My name is Earl' has cemented his addition to my favourite comedy actors list.

29. Kal Penn

Actor | Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Kal Penn was born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey, to Asmita, a fragrance evaluator, and Suresh Modi, an engineer. His parents are Gujarati immigrants to America from India. He attended the Freehold Regional High School District's Performing Arts High School where he participated in the ...

Although Kal seems to play the same role in most films it's a role I like and his likeable persona in 'Harold and Kuma' and 'Van Wilder' is enough for him to appear in my top 50.

30. James Franco

Actor | Spring Breakers

Known for his breakthrough starring role on Freaks and Geeks (1999), James Franco was born April 19, 1978 in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Franco, a writer, artist, and actress, and Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco, who ran a Silicon Valley business. His mother is Jewish and his father was of ...

As a huge fan I was blown away at how well he did comedy in 'Pineapple Express'.

31. Warwick Davis

Actor | Willow

English actor Warwick Davis was born in Epsom, Surrey, England, the son of Susan J. (Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance broker. Davis was born with the condition spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital (SED), which caused his dwarfism. He was educated at City of London Freemen's School. When he ...

The BBC series 'Life's too Short' got very (and quite harsh) mixed reviews but I think Warwick should be commended for his role and comedy timing. I hope we see him do more comedy roles in the future

32. James Corden

Producer | The Late Late Show with James Corden

Describing himself as the "chunky unit," James Kimberley Corden was born in Hillingdon, London, England and raised in Buckinghamshire, England, the son of Margaret (Collins), a social worker, and Malcolm Corden, a musician. He studied drama at the Jackie Palmer Stage School before going on to ...

I've added James Corden because I thoroughly enjoyed 'Gavin and Stacey' which he not only performed in but co-wrote with Ruth Jones.

33. Zach Galifianakis

Actor | The Hangover

Zach Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Mary Frances (Cashion), who owned a community arts center, and Harry Galifianakis, a heating oil vendor. His father is of Greek descent and his mother is of mostly English and Scottish ancestry. Zach moved to New York City after failing ...

When I first watched Zach I wan't sure if he was a one trick pony, but after several films I'm happy to say he's definitely on my top comedy actors list.

34. Jack Black

Actor | School of Rock

Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black was born on August 28, 1969 in Santa Monica, California and raised in Hermosa Beach, California to Judith Love Cohen & Thomas William Black, both satellite engineers. He is of Russian Jewish & British-German ancestry. Black attended the University of California at Los ...

Jack is a very versatile actor and very capable of performing serious roles. However, for me Jack is at his best when doing comedy and 'School of Rock' and 'Shallow Hal' demonstrate this.

35. John Cho

Actor | Star Trek

John Yohan Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to Los Angeles, California as a child. His father was a Christian minister. Cho was educated at Herbert Hoover High School at Glendale, before moving on to the University of California at Berkeley, where he studied English literature. Upon ...

As a fan of the 'Harold and Kumar' films I look forward to seeing more comedy performances from John.

36. Paddy Considine

Actor | Dead Man's Shoes

Paddy (Patrick) Considine was born on September 5, 1973 in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire in the U.K. As a teenager, Considine studied a drama course at Burton College where he met with now friend and director Shane Meadows, who cast Considine in his first role in a feature film as the disturbed ...

This will probably be seen as an odd entry, but his performance in 'Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee' was incredible. He also played a very funny role in 'Hot Fuzz'.

37. John C. Reilly

Actor | Chicago

Character actor, dramatic leading man, or hilarious comic foil? With an astonishing range of roles already under his belt, John C. Reilly has played an eclectic host of rich characters to great effect over the years, from seedy ne'er-do-wells, to lovable, good-natured schlepps.

The fifth of six ...

Performances in 'Boogie Nights' and 'Step Brothers' display John's incredible comedy acting.

38. Danny McBride

Actor | Pineapple Express

Daniel Richard McBride is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He starred in the HBO television series Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, also co-creating the former two with frequent collaborator Jody Hill while creating the latter himself. He has ...

Some of Danny's films have provided me with hours of enjoyment. He is an incredibly talented comedy acto

39. Rhys Ifans

Actor | The Amazing Spider-Man

Rhys Ifans was born and raised in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the son of teacher parents, Beti Wyn (Davies) and Eirwyn Evans. He was educated in two Welsh language schools - Ysgol Pentrecelyn, where his mother taught, and Ysgol Maes Garmon. During his childhood, Ifans showed an interest in...

Rhys is probably not recognised as being a comedy actor but his role in 'Notting Hill' is the reason I have added him to my list.

40. Kevin James

Actor | Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Kevin James was born Kevin George Knipfing on April 26, 1965, in Mineola, Long Island, New York, to Janet (Klein), an office worker, and Joseph Valentine Knipfing, Jr., an insurance agency owner. He was raised in Stony Brook, and attended SUNY Cortland, where he played fullback on the football team...

Kevin really impressed me with his likeable role in 'Mall Cop' and one of my favourites 'Grown ups'.

41. Julia Davis

Actress | Nighty Night

Julia Davis was born on August 25, 1966 in Bath, Somerset, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Nighty Night (2004), Love Actually (2003) and Camping (2016).

Julie is an amazing actress and her roles in 'Nighty Night' and 'Gavin and Stacey' demonstrate that.

42. Steve Coogan

Actor | Philomena

Steve Coogan was born on October 14, 1965 in Middleton, Manchester, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Philomena (2013), Alan Partridge (2013) and 24 Hour Party People (2002). He was previously married to Caroline Hickman.

I've added Steve because I'm a fan of 'Alan Partridge' and 'Saxondale' but I'm pleased to see his move to movies like 'Night at the Museum' and 'Tropic Thunder'.

43. Russell Brand

Producer | Arthur

Russell Brand was born on June 4, 1975, in Grays, Essex, England, the son of Barbara Elizabeth (Nichols) and Ronald Henry Brand, a photographer. An only child, his parents divorced when he was only six months old, and he was subsequently raised by his mother. Enduring a difficult childhood that saw...

If I'm honest, I wasn't originally a fan. However, his performance in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', 'Bring him to the Greek' and 'Arthur' has convinced me that Russell is a very talented comedy actor.

44. Jon Heder

Actor | Napoleon Dynamite

Jonathan Joseph Heder is an American actor and producer who is known for portraying Napoleon Dynamite in 2004. He returned to play the role in an animated series and a 2005 MTV Movie Awards skit. He also acted in the Pororo the Penguin films including Pororo's Racing Adventure, Pororo's Dinosaur ...

When I first watched 'Napoleon Dynamite' I couldn't wait to see more from Jon. I'm pleased to say I haven't been disappointed.

45. Ashley Jensen

Actress | Arthur Christmas

Ashley Jensen (born on 11 August 1969) is a Scottish actress and narrator. She was nominated for an Emmy for her role on the television series Extras (2005), on which she appeared from 2005-2007. She was also a cast member on the ABC show Ugly Betty (2006) and the brief-lived CBS sitcom ...

Ashley was cast in the BBC series 'Extras' as Maggie Jacobs and I felt her performance was incredible.

46. Mark Noyce

Producer | The Blazing Cannons

Mark Noyce is an English actor, writer, film director, producer and former world martial arts champion. Noyce appeared on the martial arts scene in the early 1980's competing in both the fighting and Kata divisions.

Noyce was born in Peterborough, England, the son of May Doreen (Bayford) and William...

I came across the film 'On the Ropes' and loved the role of Keith Kraft which Mark played. I look forward to seeing more from this up and coming actor.

47. Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Actor | Superbad

Christopher Mintz-Plasse is an American actor, drummer and comedian who is widely known for playing McLovin from the hit high school comedy film Superbad. He also played Fishlegs from How to Train Your Dragon, Augie Farcques from Role Models, Giuseppe from Marmaduke, Chris D'Amico from Kick-Ass, ...

I added Christopher due to his amazing performance in 'Kick Ass', 'Role Models' and 'Superbad'.

48. Keith Chegwin

Actor | Shaun of the Dead

Keith Chegwin was born on January 17, 1957 in Liverpool, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Shaun of the Dead (2004), Macbeth (1971) and Egghead's Robot (1970). He was married to Maria Fielden and Maggie Philbin. He died on December 11, 2017.

This might shock people to see Keith Chegwin on my favourite comedy list, but his performance in 'Extras' and 'Life's too Short' was brilliant and I think it deserves to be recognised.

49. Robert Ben Garant

Producer | Reno 911!

Robert Ben Garant was born on September 14, 1970 in Cookeville, Tennessee, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Reno 911! (2003), Reno 911!: Miami (2007) and Baywatch (2017). He has been married to Cathy Shim since August 1, 2011. They have two children. He was previously married to Jennifer.

As a big fan of 'Reno 911' I couldn't ignore Robert's contribution.

50. Nick Frost

Actor | The World's End

Nick Frost is an English actor, screenwriter and comedian. He is known for his work in the series of British comedic genre films The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy: Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World's End (2013). He also co-starred in Paul (2011), with frequent collaborator ...

I've added Nick for based on performances in 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz', not 'Attack the Block'.



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