Born:
February 07, 1962
in
Aden, Yemen
Best Known For:
His whimsical stand-up routines.
Early-life:
Born Edward John Izzard on February 7, 1962, in Aden, Yemen, while his father was on business there for BP. His mother was a midwife who died of cancer in 1968, after which he and his older brother, Mark, were sent to boarding schools. The family moved around a lot, living in Northern Ireland, then South Wales, before settling in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex. After attending boarding school, he studied accountancy at Sheffield University, but dropped out. He claims that by four he knew he was a transvestite, and by seven that he wanted to be an actor.
Career:
Izzard was a street performer before tackling stand-up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and London's comedy clubs. He then began touring the country. Sell-out gigs led to acting roles. He's since become a star in the US and his movie credits include Velvet Goldmine, Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen, My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Valkyrie. He starred alongside Minnie Driver in two seasons of US drama The Riches. Izzard also played Grandpa in Mockinbird Lane, a revamp of classic series The Munsters, and has had a regular role in Hannibal. He continues to tour with his stand-up routines.
Quote:
"I can go from blokey to girlie in 15 minutes and then I'm out the door. But that's the fastest I can do it. Becoming a woman takes work."
Trivia:
He won a special BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 2009 after raising money for Sport Relief by completing 43 marathons in 51 days despite having no prior history of running.