Eddie Izzard (Actor)

Eddie Izzard seen during the 57th International Cannes Film Festival. (Photo: Georges DeKeerle / Getty Images)

About Eddie Izzard

A self-deprecating yet cheeky British comedian with a penchant for eyeliner and women’s clothes, Eddie Izzard was hailed as the “greatest British stand-up comedian of his generation” by The London Sunday Times and "the funniest man in England" by comic legend John Cleese, – a title Izzard easily lived up to. A witty, intelligent and unique performer, Izzard’s stream-of-consciousness, non-sequitur style of comedy made him one of the top comedians in the business, as well as a successful film and stage actor. A self-professed “executive transvestite,” Izzard’s eclectic style and gender-bending wardrobe was often a trait that set him apart from the pack. Making a lasting impression on American audiences in his fifth major stand-up tour, “Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill,” (1999), Izzard combined such unrelated topics as the army, makeup, and the Church of England. One of his most popular stand-up routines, “Kill” later won Izzard two Emmy Awards. A world performer, Izzard often performed his stand-up routines in different languages; able to speak French fluently, he found a new audience in France. On the stage, Izzard has starred in performances of “A Day in the Death of Joe Egg” in both London and New York, and on screen, appeared in numerous films, including “Shadow of the Vampire” (2000), “Ocean’s Twelve” (2004) and “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” (2006). With a wit and style all his own, Izzard proved to be one of the world’s most interesting and versatile performers.

Born Edward John Izzard on Feb. 7, 1962 in Aden, Yemen to English parents Harold Izzard, an accountant for British Petroleum, and Dorothy Izzard, a nurse, Izzard grew up in Bangor, Northern Ireland before relocating to Skewen, Wales in 1967. After his mother died of cancer when he was only six-years old, Izzard and his older brother were sent to Eastbourne, England to attend boarding school. As a young boy at Eastbourne College, Izzard developed an interest in acting and began auditioning for a number of school plays, but found little success. Finally cast in a small role at the age of 15, Izzard appeared as the jailer in a production of Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors.” Handcuffed to the lead during part of the play, Izzard managed to upstage his fellow performer, and was later cast in a number of other plays. He went on to attend Sheffield University as an accounting and financial management major. Spending most of his time writing and performing comedy shows instead, Izzard’s attention to his degree only lasted a year. Focusing on his acting, Izzard staged shows at the university and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, looking for a way to take his performance to a professional level.

After “coming out” as a straight transvestite in 1985 (he had had a penchant for dresses since the age of four and was caught stealing makeup as a teenager), Izzard and a friend began performing comedy stunts in London’s Covent Garden. Though these stunts, which involved swordplay and unicycle tricks, were not particularly well-received, Izzard began to build strong improvisational skills that would later serve him well in stand-up. Taking to the improvisational stage in 1987, Izzard made his first appearance at The Comedy Store in London, where he began to hone his stand-up routine. By the early 90’s, Izzard’s growing popularity allowed him to take on larger venues around London; in February of 1993, he landed his first stand-up gig at The Ambassador’s Theatre in the London's West End. Finally hitting his mark, the show was extended past its original four-week run and was later taped and released on video as “Eddie Izzard: Live at the Ambassadors” (1993), winning Izzard the British Comedy Award for Top Stand-Up Comedian.

The following year, Izzard released his second stand-up special, “Eddie Izzard: Unrepeatable” (1994) and made his West End dramatic debut as the lead in the premiere of David Mamet’s play, “The Cryptogram.” Well received on stage, Izzard went on to land starring roles in David Beaird’s black comedy, “900 Oneonta” and a 1995 production of Christopher Marlowe’s “Edward II.” Making his feature film debut in 1996, Izzard appeared as the devious anarchist-ambassador Vladimir in “The Secret Agent” (1996), Christopher Hampton’s take on the Joseph Conrad novel. One of Britain’s most popular comedians by this time, Izzard continued to release videos of his stand-up performances with “Eddie Izzard: Definite Article” (1996) and, the following year, “Eddie Izzard: Glorious” (1997), in which he posed the important question, “what exactly is an evil giraffe?” Cast as can-do band manager Jerry Divine in the 70’s glam-rock drama “Velvet Goldmine” (1998), Izzard appeared alongside Ewan McGregor and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, ironically, wearing less make-up than anyone else in the film. The same year, he appeared as a gum-chewing, old lady-thumping bad guy in the film, “The Avengers” (1998).

Though Izzard had toured in the U.S., his major breakthrough with American audiences came in 1999 with the release of “Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill.” Broadcast as a special on HBO, “Dress to Kill” became immensely popular with American viewers and went on to earn Izzard two Emmy Awards in 2000 for Outstanding Individual Performance and Writing in a Comedy Program. On film, Izzard next portrayed evil disco king Tony Pompadour in the comedy “The Mystery Men” (1999), Gustav von Wagenheim in the dark comedy, “Shadow of the Vampire” (2000) and Charlie Chaplin in “The Cat’s Meow” (2001). Replacing Clive Owen in the 2001 stage production of Peter Nichols’ “A Day in the Death of Joe Egg” at the Comedy Theatre in London, Izzard later reprised the role on Broadway in 2003, earning him a 2003 Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor. In his comedy career, Izzard toured with two more stand-up specials, “Eddie Izzard: Circle” (2002), and “Eddie Izzard: Sexie” in 2003, which marked the first ever arena tour by a stand-up comedian.

Izzard next appeared on film in the hit ensemble caper, “Ocean’s Twelve” (2004) alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and the musical comedy, “Romance & Cigarettes” (2005). In 2006, Izzard lent his voice to Nigel, a sarcastic koala, in the animated comedy, “The Wild” (2006); portrayed Professor Bedlam in “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” (2006); and reprised his “Ocean’s” role in “Ocean’s Thirteen” (2007). Making his first television series debut, Izzard also went into production on “The Riches” (FX, 2007) in 2006, a dramatic series about a pair of con artists (Izzard and fellow British actress Minnie Driver) who take up residence in suburbia posing as a deceased family.

Notes

"I'm a male transvestite, and I fancy women. I don't know why. I'm open for fancying men, but I can't get my head around that. Which makes me think it's a genetic thing. No particular choice there. So, male tomboy. That's really where I am. Running. Jumping. Climbing trees. Then putting on makeup when I was up there." - Izzard quoted in The New Yorker, April 6, 1998

"I'm used to just talking, trying to make things fantastically interesting even when they're incredibly boring. But in real life, I don't blather on, because someone might tell me to shut the f*ck up." - Izzard quoted to Time Out New York, Sept. 4-11, 1997

Izzard won the Top British Stand Up Comedian Award in 1993 and 1996.

On the spontaneity of his act: "I know the rough order of things, but I change it around, because once you lock into certain arrangements, it becomes boring. When I'm starting and stopping and making stuff up on the spot, that's when I like it, that's when it sparkles. It's like a heightened version of a conversation." - Izzard quoted in The Los Angeles Times, Sept. 6, 1998

Website is www.izzard.com