Matt Lucas
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In July 2006 he was placed 9th in the list of UK's 100 most influential gays and lesbians in fields as diverse as entertainment, business, politics, and science by the British newspaper The Independent.
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[edit] Background
Lucas was born in London and raised in a Jewish background in Stanmore, Middlesex. He was educated at the prestigious Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, alongside other well known personalities, including Sacha Baron Cohen and David Baddiel.
He has had alopecia since his childhood, which in interviews he has inconsistently attributed to various events.
He studied drama at the University of Bristol and is a former member of both the National Youth Music Theatre and the National Youth Theatre.
[edit] Career
He began his career in comedy on the London stand-up comedy circuit at the age of eighteen as Sir Bernard Chumley, legendary actor and raconteur — a character who was to appear later in Little Britain.
Lucas' association with Reeves and Mortimer began in 1992, when he was spotted by Bob Mortimer on stage. In 1994, Lucas appeared in The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. The second series of the show featured Lucas in several sketches. He went on to star with them in Shooting Stars. He quickly rose to fame as George Dawes, the giant baby, who would deliver a string of meaningless gags (often in character) and insults before delivering the score, while sitting at and playing a drum kit. Many of these parts were introduced not in the style of a baby, but of a grown man — indeed, often, he would come on dressed as a specific adult such as Elton John. He also appeared as Marjorie Dawes, George's mother, who also appears in Little Britain. He also appeared in the Reeves & Mortimer BBC series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and Catterick in a variety of roles.
Lucas has also written for Ali G actor, Sacha Baron Cohen.
His music video appearances include; the Damien Hirst-directed video for Blur's "Country House" (as a psychoanalyst), "Jesusland" by Ben Folds in 2005, "I'm with Stupid" by the Pet Shop Boys and "Vindaloo" by Fat Les.
Lucas ventured into the world of stage musicals in 2002, when he took one of the main roles in Boy George's musical Taboo, at the The Venue, London. He played the part of infamous performance artist Leigh Bowery, which required him to wear some outrageous and spectacular outfits and make-up.
In 2005, he took his first role in a television drama, a supporting part as a Venetian Duke in the BBC historical serial Casanova, written by Russell T. Davies.
Since 2006, Lucas has been the voice of the radio and television character Digit Al, devised as part of a public information campaign on digital switchover.
In 2007 he will release "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", originally by The Proclaimers, with Peter Kay as a charity single for Comic Relief.<ref>"Mutual Relief: Lucas and Kay join for charity single", Chortle, 17/11/2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.</ref>
[edit] Little Britain
Little Britain is considered to be Lucas' most successful work. Originally on BBC Radio 4, the TV show superficially appears to be vulgar, 'lowest denominator' comedy, but within it, people have noted societal truisms and comedy which is rather more intelligent than might first appear[citation needed]. Little Britain has won numerous TV awards, spawning large DVD sales and merchandising. It plays heavily on memorable catchphrases which have become ingrained in playgrounds and offices around the UK.
Lucas, who is openly gay based the character Daffyd Thomas on himself, recalling how he felt he was "the only gay in the village" only to find out that everyone accepted his sexual orientation and wasn't shocked by it.
[edit] Trivia
- Lucas' cousin Alexa Tilley appeared as a contestant on the UK version of The Apprentice; she was fired in the fourth episode by Alan Sugar.
- Lucas is also a Arsenal fan.
- Lucas is a fan of the band The Proclaimers.
- Lucas will undergo a civil partnership ceremony with TV producer Kevin McGee. [1]
- He had a cameo appearance in Shaun of the Dead as Cousin Tom.
- On 26th November 2006, he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs.
- When Lucas first became a standup comedian he was booed of the stage a few times
[edit] Biography
Official
- Boyd Hilton, Matt Lucas and David Walliams: Inside Little Britain:London: Ebury Press: 2006: ISBN 0-09-191231-8
Unofficial
- Neil Simpson: Yeah But No But: The Biography of Matt Lucas and David Walliams: London: John Blake: 2006: ISBN 1-84445-425-80
