Russell Brand

Spotlight On…Russell Brand

I have this bizarre habit of becoming an avid fan of certain artists, but only after intensely hating them first for no apparent reason. Case in point being Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr. and now Russell Brand.

Comedian, actor, presenter and writer: Brand has boundless talent, as well as being intelligent and well-spoken. Famed in Britain as the host of Big Brother he crossed the Atlantic and burst onto the scene with his unabashed hosting of the MTV Music Video Awards, turning himself into hot property as he stood out as an inimitable character.

His stand-up routines are a personification of this inimitability. Most stand-up comedians comment on society, slyly pointing the finger at the audience as they, in effect, laugh at themselves. Brand, on the other hand, breaks himself down and invites people to laugh at him. His stand-up work is rife with personal details and watching people essentially laughing at him is breathtakingly poignant. Instead of griping and moaning about short-comings and failures here is a man who turns all this on its head and elevates himself by making a joke of it all.

A living paradox of egoism and self-deprecation, Brand has developed a distinct persona – as he puts it: “my personality doesn’t work without fame”. He brings his brand (excuse the pun) of celebrity to the screen in Get Him to the Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Rock of Ages. This is an actor who pulls off typecasting with great skill. He also uses his persona to astonishing effect as Trinculo in The Tempest. How many typecast actors can pull off the mean feat of moulding their archetype into Shakespearian grandeur?

With an incredible vocal range and trove of accents, I sometimes wonder if the accent he has is even genuine or if he just uses it because it fits so well with his personality. His energy on stage is limitless and his insane shenanigans defy Western preconceived notions of age as a hindrance to our physical capabilities. Watching his films, stand-up routines, rehearsal improvisations and listening to him sing, you encounter a performer imbued with passion – a real rebel with a cause.

Watch more: Arthur
Read more: My Booky Wook
Laugh more: Russell Brand: Live
Hear more: Rock of Ages soundtrack

“I do see the passage into adulthood as a betrayal of the innocent values of childhood”. – Russell Brand

Originally published on Dinner and a Movie.

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