Steve Coogan

Best known to many as the sociopathic Alan Partridge, actor and writer Steve Coogan relishes playing characters with delusional personalities and narcissistic impulses. Coogan, who displayed a gift for impersonation as a child, developed his own material as a way to break into the highly competitive British comedy scene. His early radio success with Partridge, an insecure media presenter who hides behind his arrogance, showcased Coogan's ruthless comedic edge and paved the way for groundbreaking series such as the faux chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You and the downward-spiraling I'm Alan Partridge. Though Coogan's other characters haven't become as popular as Partridge, his turn in the BBC series Saxondale as Tommy, a middle-aged roadie-turned-exterminator, stands out for its bitter nostalgia and wit. Many of Coogan's film roles share a strain of toxic self-absorption; his portrayal of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People is full of misplaced optimism and idealism, while his performance in the meta-comedy Tristram Shandy is a grossly exaggerated version of himself. Despite his attempts to break into Hollywood with roles in films such as the action parodies Tropic Thunder and The Other Guys, Coogan remains far more known in England than in America for his bleak and unsettling way of looking at the world.