Ricky Dene Gervais, born on June 25, 1961, is an English comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, and singer. He is best known for his work on British television sitcoms The Office, Extras, Life's Too Short, Derek, and After Life. Gervais has also starred in Hollywood films such as the Night at the Museum trilogy, Ghost Town, and Muppets Most Wanted. He initially worked in the music industry and managed the band Suede before transitioning to comedy.
Gervais gained mainstream fame with The Office, a mockumentary that propelled him to stardom. He has since created and starred in several other television series, including Derek and After Life, which premiered on Netflix in 2019 and ran for three seasons. In 2025, his stand-up special Mortality was released on Netflix and earned him a Golden Globe for Best Stand-Up Comedy Performance. He is also leading a new animated series for adults on Netflix, titled Alley Cats, set to premiere in 2026. This series will feature many of his After Life co-stars.
Throughout his career, Gervais has won numerous awards, including seven British Academy Television Awards, five National Comedy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Golden Globe Awards. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the world's most influential people. Gervais has hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times. He received the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy in 2016. Gervais is also known for his atheism, humanist beliefs, and advocacy for animal rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
