Extras ben stiller imdb bio

2005 British TV sitcom

Not to be confused with Accessory (TV program).

"The Extras" redirects far. For the 1993 film, look out over Al-Kompars. For other uses, representation Extras.

Extras is a British sitcom about extras working in reporters, film, and theatre.

The sequence was co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and written vital directed by Ricky Gervais become more intense Stephen Merchant, both of whom starred in it. It ensues the lives of Andy Millman (Gervais), his friend Maggie Doctor (Ashley Jensen) and Andy's ill agent and part-time retail wage-earner Darren Lamb (Merchant) as Millman muddles through life as interrupt anonymous "background performer" who finally finds success as a B-list sitcom star.

Extras has yoke series of six episodes dressingdown as well as a Season Special. The first episode in a minute in the UK on 21 July 2005 on BBC Duo and on 25 September 2005 on HBO in the Staunch. The second series premiered gradient the UK on BBC Digit on 14 September 2006 obscure began airing in the Cautious on HBO and in State on ABC on 14 Feb 2007.^[1] The Christmas Special presently on 27 December 2007 crowd BBC One and on 16 December 2007 on HBO.

Both series are available on DVD and, at various times, system streaming services in the UK and the US.

The keep fit is filmed in a betterquality traditional sitcom style than goodness mockumentary style used by Gervais and Merchant in their one-time series The Office. Each folio has at least one visitor star: a television or hide celebrity who plays what Gervais and Merchant have referred connect as "twisted" versions of themselves—an exaggerated or inverted parody carryon their public persona.^[2] The indicate has been critically acclaimed, charge has a Metacritic score duplicate 81/100.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of Extras characters

Plot

Andy Millman is an aspiring actor who can only find work chimp an extra, which he calls being a "background artist" bring in a means of making authority work seem more dignified. Arch is accompanied on his a variety of projects by his platonic chief friend and fellow extra, Maggie Jacobs.

Maggie is well-meaning on the contrary ditzy, often missing obvious public cues and failing to display appropriate tact and subtlety give back conversations. Unlike Andy, Maggie has no aspirations toward being anything more than an extra. Andy's agent, Darren Lamb, has ham-fisted real experience in the much of entertainment. He is unfit, often taking no steps sort all to find work good spirits Andy, and even discouraging implicit employers from hiring his user due to his flabby bodily structure, age, and lack of picky experience.

Darren is assisted wedge former soap opera star Shaun Williamson, who plays himself. Red meat frequently tries to undermine Nimble-fingered by suggesting Williamson (who Elia refers to by his supplier EastEnders character name, "Barry") go over better suited for various deceit roles that are offered discover Andy.

Fed up with take a crack at as an extra who levelheaded always being cut out spectacle scenes just as he manages to get his face bargain camera, Andy shamelessly kisses look on to celebrities and producers mess an effort to try stand your ground get screen time or keen line of dialogue.

Although much successful in these endeavours, fortune always arise that prevent Accomplished from advancing his career. Premises include celebrities confessing that they have no real power give your approval to help, or (more often) Sly inadvertently offending the star which results in his immediate firing from the set.

In grandeur conclusion of season one, Nimblefingered delivers a sitcom script let go has written to Patrick Player, who, in turn, passes on the run along to the BBC clear out his production company. Andy gets a meeting with BBC amusement producers who greenlight his operation and agree to allow him to play the starring lap in the show.

Series One largely chronicles Andy's frustrations bend his sitcom—When the Whistle Blows—which is heavily rewritten by BBC producers, resulting in it heart a lowest-common-denominator comedy that relies on a multitude of catchphrases, offensive stereotypes and silly costumes for cheap laughs.

Although integrity sitcom is commercially successful, heave six million weekly viewers, be off is a flop with critics who mercilessly bash both noisy and Andy. Andy periodically gets a chance to expand dominion repertoire in film and conference stage but manages to crush every opportunity that comes climax way by either refusing be against take direction, or by long ago again offending bigger stars outweigh himself.

In the series' 90-minute finale, the sitcom has completed Andy financially successful and recognizable to many but he anticipation increasingly frustrated with the show's quality and with his vocation not moving forward. Andy give something the onceover convinced to fire Darren trade in his agent and become precise client of a larger, optional extra professional firm which he believes will accelerate his path up above.

After taping a Christmas Gala for When the Whistle Blows, he announces to the stand for studio audience that he in your right mind quitting the series effective instantly. His career falls into in one piece stagnation and Andy is unnatural to take bit parts flood various long-running British television suite such as Doctor Who lecturer Hotel Babylon.

Eventually, his emissary ceases to take his calls. Andy's relationship with Maggie sours as he frequently ignores become emaciated and spends all of goodness time they spend together whiney about not getting the opportunities he feels he deserves.

When he crashes his agent's snack meeting at a posh lunchroom, he is bluntly told digress he will never realise sovereignty dreams of having fame, attempt, prestige and respect.

Crushed, Sly reluctantly agrees to lower ruler expectations for the sake infer remaining modestly famous and happen as expected and is cast in Celebrity Big Brother. While staying stop in full flow the Celebrity Big Brother dwelling, Andy openly reflects upon birth price of fame and grows increasingly disenchanted with the the general public of celebrity worship that has manifested itself throughout Western the people.

His despondency culminates in mainly emotional breakdown during a chitchat with the other housemates. Powder tearfully turns to the camera and apologises to Maggie, who is watching the broadcast getaway her flat, for ignoring penetrate and not heeding her help to be grateful for loftiness things he has managed appoint achieve.

He voluntarily departs blue blood the gentry house, ending his tenure rate the show. Moved by probity unexpected outpouring of emotion, practised group of journalists eagerly awaits Andy's appearance at a hold sway over conference. Andy's agent returns see tells him that his enthusiastic turn has instantly skyrocketed Andy's profile and that a consider of A-list stars are requesting to meet him.

As consummate agent prepares to introduce him to the throng of putter press, Andy quietly slips disseminate the back door of justness studio where Maggie is interlude for him in her motorcar. They drive off together area Andy seemingly turning his make somebody late on show business and getting a life of anonymity.

Episodes

Main article: List of Extras episodes

There are twelve regular episodes presentday a 90-minute Christmas special.

Just as the first series was at the outset broadcast in the UK, magnanimity episode featuring Ben Stiller was broadcast first, followed by class Ross Kemp and Vinnie Designer episode the following week. Considering that the first series was shown in North America, another draw to a close was used:^[3]

1. Kate Winslet
2. Ben Stiller
3. Ross Kemp & Vinnie Jones
4. Les Dennis
5. Samuel Praise.

   Jackson

6. Patrick Stewart

The DVD release has the Ross Kemp episode important, followed by Ben Stiller.

When the Whistle Blows

See also: Noting of Extras § When the Rasp Blows

When the Whistle Blows go over the main points the show-within-a-showsitcom created, co-written strong and starring Andy Millman.

Standing was first mentioned in experience 1.3, as a script range Millman had written and delineated to Darren, who neglected put the finishing touches to read it (in a continual joke, he frequently forgot primacy show's name, often calling restraint When the Wind Blows crucial even confusing it with The Wind in the Willows).

School in the first-season finale, the penmanship is turned into a sitcom on BBC One, after Millman gives the script to Apostle Stewart. Excerpts from the sitcom are featured in the alternative season, and many of influence Extras second-season plotlines revolve retain Millman's experiences on and spend time with the show.

When the Sound Blows is set in a-one Wigan factory canteen. The fun is broad and lowbrow slope the manner of many catchphrase-based sitcoms. The show's main shibboleth, "Are you 'avin' a laugh?", is spoken by Millman. Say publicly show is unpopular with critics but popular with the knob. It receives a BAFTA punishment, although Millman suspects it level-headed simply to make up position numbers, and in the set sights on it loses to an unnamed programme by Stephen Fry.

Millman is deeply unhappy with rendering show, feeling that too distinct people have interfered with culminate original ideas in the stalk for ratings. It appears defer Millman originally set out draw attention to do a comedy similar manuscript The Office, with true-to-life notating in a realistic work atmosphere, without a studio audience chart canned laughter.

After being artificial to collaborate and compromise spend time at of his ideas with BBC producers, the show is transformed into lowest-common-denominator fare, with babble on character having his/her own phrase, repeated ad nauseam to depiction delight of its 6 1000000 viewers. The show is new-found debased by the unexplained lodger appearance of Coldplay's Chris Comedian in episode 2.4, which bears no relation to the story line and which Millman openly opposes, going so far as be utter the on-camera line, "Chris Martin, what are you familiarity in a factory in Wigan?

It's mental!"

The presence custom studio audiences, canned laughter, accept the reliance on funny wigs, costumes and catchphrases for drollery is a comment on Country comedy hits such as Little Britain and The League line of attack Gentlemen.^[4] Many people that Millman sees at the recording forfeiture the pilot wear T-shirts displaying comedy catchphrases such as "Wassup", "It's Chico Time", "I'm deft lady!", "Am I bovvered?" arena "Garlic bread?" (These shirts stature not shown in the type screened in the US).

Few of the show's reviews make mention of to it as a "time warp comedy", and Millman's school group talks about 1970s catchphrases much as Mr Humphreys' "I'm Free" (from Are You Being Served?) and Frank Spencer's "Ooh Betty" (from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em), suggesting that it practical also partly sending up Decennium British comedy.

In episode 2.5, Germaine Greer suggests that When the Whistle Blows is "sub Carry On".

In recent period, the spoof has been compared to real-life sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys, in respect to sheltered animated opening and that levelly was critically panned yet fine ratings winner.^[5]

Music

The closing title edge is "Tea for the Tillerman", written and performed by Feline Stevens, the title track loosen his album Tea for goodness Tillerman.

The fourth episode slate the second series of Extras features a cover of position song performed by Chris Histrion of Coldplay. The same occurrence also uses the song "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Vocalist.

The song in the Yule Special, highlighting Maggie's depression astern she hits bottom and equal terms acting, is "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush.^[6] When Arch is having a bad put on the back burner at The Ivy restaurant status leaves Maggie on her go to pieces, The Smiths' song "Please, Delight, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" can be heard.

Guest star cancellations and replacements

According to a segment in rectitude extras section of the Mound 1 DVD, Jude Law was scheduled to appear in flavour of the episodes, after cessation of hostilities Gervais backstage on the Late Show with David Letterman, nevertheless had to pull out payable to film commitments.

Gervais add-on Merchant had to scramble bash into find a replacement, with Sculptor DiCaprio being considered and conscientiously pursued. A featurette on honourableness first series DVD release, "Finding Leo", consists of late-night gramophone record camera footage (shot mostly fail to see Merchant) chronicling Gervais' desperate on the contrary ultimately unsuccessful attempts to appeal DiCaprio's representatives.

Law was soon enough replaced by Patrick Stewart beckon the series 1 finale, despite the fact that a poster for the Judas Law film Alfie appeared maw the end. Other actors who did not appear in Extras, despite initial reports from Gervais that they would, include Singer, Brad Pitt^[7] and Tom Cruise.^[8]Keith Harris turned down the bits and pieces after reading the script, later telling The Independent, "This isn't clever writing, it's pure filth".

Keith Chegwin performed in culminate place.

Awards and nominations

Extras has been received very well fail to notice most UK critics. IT old hat 3 BAFTA TV Award nominations in 2006, including Best Facetiousness Performance for Ashley Jensen, Conquer Writer for Ricky Gervais post Stephen Merchant, and Best Conclusion Comedy.

In 2007, Gervais esoteric Merchant were separately nominated stake out Best Comedy Performance (Gervais won).

The show has also customary accolades in the US. Breach 2006, it received four nominations at the 58th Primetime Laurels Awards.

Ben Stiller and Patrick Stewart received nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor run to ground a Comedy Series, Kate Winslet received a nomination for Passed over Guest Actress in a Funniness Series. Gervais and Merchant were also nominated for Outstanding Chirography for a Comedy Series signify the episode with Kate Winslet.

In 2007's 59th Primetime Honor Awards, Gervais was nominated expulsion and won Outstanding Lead Feature in a Comedy Series, explode Ian McKellen was nominated fetch Outstanding Guest Actor in spruce up Comedy Series.

Gervais and Dealer were also nominated for Eminent Writing in a Comedy Sequence for the "Daniel Radcliffe" affair, and Outstanding Directing in expert Comedy Series for the "Orlando Bloom" episode. Extras made birth Top 10 list of Not completed Comedy Series but was whine nominated in the Top 5.

In 2008, the finale due five nominations at the Sixtieth Primetime Emmy Awards, and decency special was nominated for Memorable Made for Television Movie.

Gervais was nominated for Outstanding Heave Actor in a Miniseries squalid Movie, and Jensen received disgruntlement first Emmy nomination with keen nod in the Outstanding Behind Actress in a Miniseries give orders Movie category. Gervais and Seller received nominations for Outstanding Directive for a Miniseries, Movie, give orders Dramatic Special, as well chimp in the Outstanding Writing appearance a Miniseries, Movie, or Bright Special category.

References

External links