Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson
Atkinson at the premiere for Johnny English Reborn in 2011
Birth nameRowan Sebastian Atkinson
Born (1965-01-06) 6 January 1965
Consett, County Durham, England
Medium
Alma mater
Spouse
Sunetra Sastry
(m. 2000; div. 2005)
Partner(s)Louise Ford
(2004–present)[1]
Children3
Relative(s)Rodney Atkinson (brother)

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson CBE (born 6 January 1965) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his characters of Mr. Bean and Blackadder. He has also been in films such as The Lion King, voicing Zazu, the red-billed hornbill and Johnny English. He has been listed in The Observer as one of the 40 funniest actors in British comedy,[2] and amongst the top 40 comedians ever in a 2015 poll of fellow comedians.[3]

Marriage and children

Rowan Atkinson first met Sunetra Sastry in the late 1980s, when she was working as a make-up artist with the BBC. he got married at the Russian Tea Room in New York City on 5 February 1990. They have two children and lived in Oundle, Northamptonshire as well as in Ipsden, Oxfordshire and in Highbury, London.[4] The couple separated in 2014 and divorced in 2015. Atkinson was formerly in a relationship with actress Leslie Ash.[5]

Television appearances

  • Canned Laughter (1979), an experimental sitcom pilot for LWT
  • The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979), a charity special for Amnesty International
  • Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982)
  • Peter Cook & Co (1980)
  • The Innes Book of Records (1980), guest appearance
  • Blackadder as Prince Edmund (The Black Adder); Lord Blackadder (Blackadder II); Edmund Blackadder (Blackadder III); Ebenezer Blackadder (Blackadder's Christmas Carol); and Captain Blackadder (Blackadder Goes Forth) (1983–1989)
  • Saturday Live as guest host (1986)
  • Mr. Bean as Mr. Bean (1990–2009 various times)
  • Rowan Atkinson Live as assorted characters (1992) (VHS of live sketches)
  • Bernard and the Genie as Bernard's Boss (1991) (TV movie)
  • Funny Business (1992), a documentary about the craft of comedy
  • A Bit Of Fry And Laurie (1992), guest appearance
  • The Thin Blue Line as Inspector Raymond Fowler (1995–1996)
  • The Story of Bean as himself (1997)
  • Blackadder: Back and Forth as Black Adder (2000)
  • Mr. Bean (animated TV series) as Mr. Bean, voice (2002)
  • The Comic Relief "Red Nose Day" telecasts, including appearances in:
    • Blackadder: The Cavalier Years as Edmund Blackadder (1988)
    • Nosenight sketches (1989)
    • Mr Bean's Red Nose Day as Mr. Bean (1991)
    • (I Wanna Be) Elected as Mr. Bean (1992)
    • Blind Date with Mr Bean as Mr. Bean (1993)
    • Torvill and Bean as Mr Bean (1995)
    • Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death as The Doctor (1999)
    • Popsters as Nasty Neville (2001)
    • Lying to Michael Jackson as Martin Bashir (2003)
    • Spider-Plant Man as Peter Piper and Spider-Plant Man (2005)
    • Mr Bean's Wedding as Mr. Bean (2007)
    • The Greatest Worst Bits of Comic Relief as himself (2007)
  • We Are Most Amused (2008), a special show to celebrate Prince Charles' 60th birthday
  • Blackadder Rides Again as himself (2008)
  • Not Again: Not the Nine O'Clock News as himself (2009)
  • Bondi Rescue as Mr Bean (2010)
  • Summer Olympics opening ceremony as himself/Derek (2012)
  • Live from Lambeth Palace sketches: Archbishop of Canterbury (The Comic Relief "Red Nose Day") (2013)
  • Horrible Histories: Henri VIII (2015)
  • Mr. Bean - Funeral ("Red Nose Day") (2015)
  • Maigret as Jules Maigret (2016 + 2017)
  • Red Nose Day Actually as Rufus (2017)
  • Handy Bean as Mr. Bean (2018-2020)
  • One Red Nose Day and a Wedding as Father Gerald (2019)

Guest appearances

  • Wogan (1988, 1991)
  • Children in Need (1988), guest appearance as Mr. E. Blackadder
  • Noel's House Party, guest appearance as Blackadder
  • Going Live, guest appearance as Mr. Bean
  • This Morning (1995), guest appearance as Mr. Bean
  • Big Breakfast
  • Parkinson (2003)
  • Blue Peter (2004, 2007), guest appearance as Mr. Bean
  • London Tonight (2005)
  • BBC Breakfast (2007)
  • Richard & Judy (2007)
  • The Dame Edna Treatment (2007), guest appearance as Mr. Bean
  • Top Gear (2011)

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Secret Policeman's Ball Various roles Solo skits, plus with Monty Python
1982 Fundamental Frolics Himself
1982 The Secret Policeman's Other Ball Himself & various roles
1983 Dead on Time Bernard Fripp
Never Say Never Again Nigel Small-Fawcett a spy film based on the James Bond novel Thunderball
1989 The Appointments of Dennis Jennings Dr. Schooner Short Film
The Tall Guy Ron Anderson
1990 The Witches Mr. Stringer
1991 The Driven Man Himself TV
Also Writer
1993 Hot Shots! Part Deux Dexter Hayman
1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral Father Gerald
The Lion King Zazu Voice Only
1997 Bean Mr. Bean Also Writer/Executive Producer
2000 Maybe Baby Mr. James
2001 Rat Race Enrico Pollini
2002 Scooby-Doo Emile Mondavarious
2003 Johnny English Johnny English
Love Actually Rufus Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Acting
2005 Keeping Mum Reverend Walter Goodfellow
2007 Mr. Bean's Holiday Mr. Bean Also Writer & Producer
2011 Johnny English Reborn[6] Johnny English Also Executive Producer
2017 Huan Le Xi Ju Ren Mr. Bean Cameo appearance
2018 Johnny English Strikes Again Johnny English
2023 Wonka Father Julius

References

  1. Duncan, Amy (12 November 2008). "Rowan Atkinson is set to become a father for the third time at the age of 52". Metro. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
  2. "The A-Z of laughter (part one)", The Observer, 7 December 2003. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
  3. "Cook voted 'comedians' comedian'". BBC News. 2 January 2005.
  4. "Rowan Atkinson upsets neighbours with plans to replace 1930s country house with 'futuristic petrol station' home". Daily Mail. Retrieved 14 July 2012
  5. Adams, Guy (24 March 2007). "Rowan Atkinson: Comic engima – Profiles, People – The Independent". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  6. Tatiana Siegel (8 April 2010). "Universal signs up for more English". Variety. Retrieved 7 April 2010.