Stephen Merchant

Birthday: 24 November 1974, Bristol, England, UK

Height: 201 cm

Stephen Merchant was born on November 24, 1974 in Bristol, England. He is a writer and producer, known for The Office (2005), Cemetery Junction (2010) and The Ricky Gervais Show (2010).

My father was a plumber and I remember him coming home when I was 16 and telling me he hated his job Show more My father was a plumber and I remember him coming home when I was 16 and telling me he hated his job and I shouldn't do it. I'm sure there are people who love being plumbers or working in offices and that's great - there's lots of jobs which might be considered mundane which people take great satisfaction from doing. We're presenting characters who have jobs they don't enjoy and that aren't fulfilling them and ask if they're going to do anything about it. It's not interesting to do a story about happy people in a happy place. Extras (2005) was about people in showbusiness who weren't happy doing that either. Hide

[on Cemetery Junction (2010)] It's in line with the films me and Ricky like watching - Diner (1982), Show more [on Cemetery Junction (2010)] It's in line with the films me and Ricky like watching - Diner (1982), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Stand by Me (1986). Films about small lives but big emotions. We're not interested in zany comedy movies or doing science fiction satires. We made the kind of film we want to see. We also love a Bruce Springsteen song called Thunder Road, which has got a line about 'it's a town full of losers and we're pulling out of here to win'. We wanted to capture that emotion. Hide

When I was a teenager I met a comedian who I admired and he was very rude to me. That's why when peo Show more When I was a teenager I met a comedian who I admired and he was very rude to me. That's why when people come up to me I try not to be rude. I don't want to name who he is but it really put me off watching his stuff since. Hide

I don't know what I'm supposed to do with a review, it's a bit late, they should have got in touch b Show more I don't know what I'm supposed to do with a review, it's a bit late, they should have got in touch before we made it. I read reviews when The Office (2001) first happened but it doesn't matter if everyone loves it or everyone hates it, there's nothing I can do about it. If you're sitting in an edit suite trying to make the end of a film work you're not thinking: 'I wonder what the guy from The Telegraph's going to think.' You're working on instinct. Hide

I wouldn't mind being a divine dictator and having a stab at running China. You know the concept tha Show more I wouldn't mind being a divine dictator and having a stab at running China. You know the concept that if everyone in China jumps up and down at the same time it'd start a tidal wave that'd destroy America? I'd phone the U.S. President and say 'We're all on the great wall of China and we're going to jump off unless you send us the girls from The O.C. (2003)'. Hide

Stephen Merchant's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (364) as Director (1) as Creator (10)

Would I Lie to You? - Season 16

Modern Family - Season 10

Would I Lie to You? - Season 11

The Last Leg - Season 16

Ant and Decs Saturday Night Takeaway - Season 1

Real Time with Bill Maher - Season 16

Movie 43

Would I Lie to You? - Season 1

24 - Season 4

The Graham Norton Show - Season 32

Home Movie: The Princess Bride - Season 1

An Idiot Abroad - Season 3

Ant and Decs Saturday Night Takeaway - Season 20

American Dad - Season 7

Have I Got News for You - Season 56

Kick Out the Jams: The Story of XFM

Travel Man - Season 13

Comedy Central Roasts - Season 1

Would I Lie to You? - Season 3

The Last Leg - Season 19

Click And Collect

Dragons Den - Season 17

The Ricky Gervais Show - Season 1

Modern Family - Season 1

The Ricky Gervais Show - Season 2

The Office - Season 7

Stephen Merchant'S roles

Dave Gibbs

Stuart

Tracy

Dave

Stuart Pritchard

Caliban

Barron Hilton

Abraham Lincoln

Peter Ian Staker

Man at the Door

Gary

Paris