It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Simon Pegg is fast becoming the most promising comedic talent in Hollywood. Born in England in 1970, Simon began entertaining at the young age of five when he received his very first drum kit. Several years later, Simon went on the road as the drummer for the band God’s Third Leg, and though the group broke up shortly after, it gave him the confidence to pursue a career in show business. After graduating from Bristol University, Simon moved to London to pursuer a career in stand-up comedy and it didn’t take long before he was receiving offers to appear in popular television shows like “I’m Alan Partridge.”
Although most of his small screen success was short-lived, Simon didn’t give up on his dream, teaming up with Jessica Stevenson to create, co-write and star in “Spaced.” The series only lasted two years, but it earned the actor several nominations and cemented his future as one of Britain’s brightest new stars. It also marked the first collaboration between Simon and longtime friends Edgar Wright (director) and Nick Frost (actor), who later went on to make the zombie comedy “Shaun of the Dead.” Before the rom-zom-com became a certifiable cult classic, however, Simon boosted his profile with small roles in “24 Hour Party People” and HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” as well as a starring role on the British sketch show “Big Train.” Since the surprise success of “Shaun,” Simon is keeping busy. He might not be the next great comedy star, but that doesn’t mean we won’t stop watching what he does next.
Simon on the Screen
Simon first earned his cult status on the British series, “Spaced” (which he co-created), before gaining worldwide recognition for his part in the zombie comedy, “Shaun of the Dead.” Since then, Simon has become a rising star in the British film industry, and more recently made the jump to Hollywood as well, thanks to a supporting role in “Mission: Impossible 3.” He also appeared briefly in the HBO miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” and cameoed in George Romero’s latest zombie flick, “Land of the Dead.”
Simon Says
On a possible zombie outbreak:
“Every person should have their escape route planned. I think everyone has an apocalypse fantasy, what would I do in the event of the end of the world, and we just basically – me and Nick – said what would we do, where would we head?”
On “Shaun of the Dead”:
“I always loved horror and that’s sort of the reason we decided to make the film. We were nourished on those sorts of films, so it was a labor of love.”
On his guest spot on “Doctor Who”:
“The last time I played a bad guy was in Black Books and it is always fun to play a bad guy, particularly if they are really smilingly nasty.”