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Russell Brand

Russell Brand21 posts
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4 Jun, 1975

Russell Brand born in Essex, England

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russell brand boyRussell Edward Brand is born in Thurrock, Essex, England to photographer Ronald Henry Brand and secretary Barbara Elizabeth Nichols. An only child, he grows up with his mother after his parents divorce when he is six months old. He develops a difficult relationship with his father, whom he seldom sees throughout his childhood. At seven years old, his mother contracts uterine and breast cancer, and he becomes bulimic at 14 years old.

To describe my mother as ‘doting’ is to underplay her adulation. She sort of adored me and is devoted to me. I’m an only child of a single mother. She had cancer three times when I was 7 and 17 and I had to live with relatives. I had sort of an unusual and often strained relationship with my father whom I’d only sort of see sporadically. So, my childhood was tumultuous.

18 Apr, 2008

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

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Brand stars in this American romantic comedy film about a music composer, played by Jason Segel, who loses his celebrity girlfriend, played by Kristen Bell. The comedian plays an eccentric and free-spirited rock star named Aldous Snow, with whom Bell’s character cheats and has a fleeting relationship. Directed by Nicholas Stoller, the film also stars Mila Kunis, Jonah Hill, and Paul Rudd.

I think it’s a really brilliant film. Jason Segel is a brilliant writer and brilliant performer, and Kristen Bell is a great comic actress. Mila Kunis is like, stunning. People like Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill, people who have appeared in other Judd Apatow films, and Jack McBrayer who’s a brilliant comic actor. It’s a properly entertaining film, I really like it. I’m really proud to have been in it, I think it’s fantastic.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Trailer) -2008

7 Sep, 2008

Hosts MTV Video Music Awards

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Brand hosts the MTV Video Music Awards for the first time. His controversial chatter includes a jibe at US President George W. Bush as being “retarded” and mocking the Jonas Brothers for wearing purity rings as symbols of their promise to save sex until marriage. The event is held at the Paramount Pictures Studios and features performances by Christina Aguilera, Lil Wayne, and Rihanna among others. His monologue contains unsolicited election advice to the audience:

Please, America, elect Barack Obama. On behalf of the world.

Britney Spears et Russell Brand MTV Video Music Awards 2008

13 Sep, 2009

Hosts MTV Video Music Awards

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Brand hosts the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for the second time in a row. The event, held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, features a Michael Jackson video montage as tribute to the King of Pop, who died a few months before. The show includes performances by Kanye West, Rihanna, T.I., and Taylor Swift. West infamously interrupts Swift’s acceptance speech for her Best Female Video award to express his opinion that Beyoncé should have won. On his plan for the event:

This year will be a controversy-free festival of love and discreet orgasms.

Britney and Russell Brand VMA 2009 Promo Commercial

19 May, 2010

Elle Magazine interview

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Brand gives interview to Elle about the cloak of love in his children’s book, My Booky Wook. 

The Cloak of Love was in fact a rain jacket, but a rain jacket with such skillful marketing from my 16-year-old self that it became regarded as a kind of star gate to a world of wonder, as though beyond its lining was Narnia. Inveigled in that cape were probably two or three women a day and probably in total upward of 100. I sold it as a hell of a lot of fun, but really, it was just a piece of fabric.

4 Jun, 2010

Get Him to the Greek

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Brand reprises his role as British rock star Aldous Snow in the sequel to the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jonah Hill, plays a music talent scout and fan who is tasked to bring Snow to Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre to perform at an anniversary concert. On possibly playing his character in the future:

I don’t know, really. I mean, I love working with Jonah, and Nick Stoller, the writer and director, and it’s always amazing to be in Judd Apatow films; I’ve been in two. But I don’t know if I’m doing the character again, I would if they offered.

'Get Him to the Greek' Trailer

9 Jul, 2010

Despicable Me

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In this animated comedy, Brand voices Dr. Nefario, a friendly and good-natured scientist who works with the main character, Gru, who is voiced by Steve Carell. He lives in an underground laboratory, in which he builds various gadgets and machines for Gru in his mission to steal the moon. The film also features the voices of Jason Segel, Miranda Cosgrove, and Julie Andrews.

Dr. Nefario in this movie is a mentor and also a sort of bumbling half-wit. You know they say, genius and madness are really close to each other – they’re not, are they – because I know some mad people and they’re idiots, and I think that Dr. Nefario is like an idiot. He’s sort of old, makes terrible mistakes, there are wonderful contraptions, some of which were needlessly manufactured on account of mishearing information.

Despicable Me Official Trailer #1 - (2010) HD

23 Oct, 2010

Brand, Perry marry

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300.perry.brand.twitter.lc.010510Brand weds Perry in an elaborate and private Hindu ceremony at a luxury resort in Northern India. The union is officiated by a Christian minister and friend of Perry’s family. The two celebrities date for four months before deciding to tie the knot. They throw a Bollywood-themed party for their guests on the night before the wedding. On their first meeting at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where Perry threw a plastic water bottle at his head:

Got you on the head, huh? Kind of an easy target, it’s big and you’ve got that ridiculous hair.

You’ll think it frivolous of me to say I knew I’d marry her on that first date. The truth is I fell in love with her when she hit me with that bottle. She chose me, bottled me and cuffed me. And now this is my life, my girl, this beautiful woman.

10 Dec, 2010

The Tempest

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Brand stars in this fantasy film adaptation of the William Shakespeare play. He plays Trinculo, a wayward jester in the court of King Alonso who conspires against Prospera with her slave, Caliban. Directed by Julie Taymor, the film also features Helen Mirren as Prospera, Djimoun Hounsou as Caliban, and David Strathairn as King Alonso.

In this film, I play the part of Trinculo. He’s a court jester. He’s errant and wayward, but you know, he’s got lovely trousers.

8 Apr, 2011

Arthur

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Brand plays the title role in this remake of the 1981 film of the same name. Arthur Bach is a spoiled and alcoholic heir to a multi-million inheritance, but can claim it only if he marries a rich woman played by Jennifer Garner. With the help of his nanny (Helen Mirren), he defies the wishes of his mother. Also featuring Greta Gerwig, Luis Guzmán, and Nick Nolte..

I saw it as an honor to play a part played by Dudley Moore. I’m a huge fan of his, I’m from ten minutes away from where he’s from, so for me, it was like ‘wishful filming’, to be honest, even to be offered the opportunity to be in this film. And now that it’s been made, I’m so proud of it. I think it’s so funny, and it also has incredible heart.

1 Dec, 2011

Russell Brand interview

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Seacrest interviews Brand during On Air With Ryan Seacrest about whats next for him in his career.

Next year I’m spending some time with the Mrs., then I’m doing a movie. It’s a serious movie. It’s from Diablo Cody, the Oscar winning writer of Juno, she’s written and directed it. I’m very excited about it. I trained as a serious actor so I did Shakespeare back in England. But you know me I like ‘mucking’ around so when it starts I might want to do a joke.

3 Jun, 2012

Hosts MTV Movie Awards

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Brand hosts the 2012 MTV Movie Awards, held at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. His opening monologue includes a dig at his divorce from Katy Perry, as well as comments on Justin Bieber’s attack on the paparazzi and Michael Fassbender’s role in the film, Shame. The event features presenters such as Adam Sandler, Christian Bale, and Jodie Foster, and performances by fun.,Wiz Khalifa, and The Black Keys.

The last time I did an MTV awards show, I did end up marrying someone that was there. So tonight I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for my next wife!

15 Jun, 2012

Rock of Ages

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Brand stars in this romantic comedy musical film adaptation of the 2006 Broadway musical. He plays Lonny Barnett, the alcohol-loving manager of the The Bourbon Room and right-hand man of club owner Dennies Dupree (Alec Baldwin). The cast includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. On accepting a role in a musical:

I thought it would be fun to sing all those songs, and like one of the films I’ve done before where I had to pretend to be a rock star, I sang songs in that. It’s quite good, like it’s not that difficult if you’ve got a good teacher.

27 Aug, 2012

Russell Brand interview

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Seacrest interviews Brand during On Air With Ryan Seacrest about what is there to do in London for fun.

Go out in Shortage, you’re going to have a lovely time in Shortage. Go to 93 Feet East. Go up and down Kingsland Road in Hackney, it’s thriving young community. But you also enjoy London’s glittering West End, where the stars go out to play. The young chorus dancers from the west End shows, a glittering array of beautiful homosexuals, everything anyone could wish for in the nightlife.

3 Jul, 2013

Despicable Me 2

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Brand reprises his role as the voice of Dr. Nefario in this sequel to the 2010 animated comedy. This time he helps the protagonist Gru in his newfound passion of producing tasty, homemade jams. When Gru joins the Anti-Villain League to hunt down the man who stole a dangerous monster-making serum, Dr. Nefario joins forces. New additions to the cast include Benjamin Bratt as Gru’s nemesis Eduardo, and Steve Coogan as the head of the AVL.

Despicable Me 2 | Trailer (HD) | Illumination

17 Oct, 2014

Threatened with arrest

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Brand is threatened with arrest as he tries to film video for his daily show The Trews outside the Fox News building in New York. Security guards interrupt Brand’s filming telling him that he cannot film there because it is private property.

It is very difficult to have true freedom. I think if we were doing proper covert filming we could have got further.

You Want To Get Arrested? Russell Brand The Trews (E169)

26 Oct, 2014

Says he will give up acting

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Brand reveals that he will probably give up his acting career to focus on his revolution in an interview with Financial Times. Brand, a multimillionaire comedian turned political activist, claims he is no longer interested in money.

It makes me scared if I think about money too much, then it makes me feel guilty. The only thing I tell the people who look after my money is, ‘Make sure my f***ing taxes are 100 per cent legitimately paid,’ and then I do my own s**t. I’d give up everything. I’ve thought about this a lot, whether or not I’m prepared to go to prison or die for what I believe in. The answer is 100 per cent, without question, yes, I’m willing to die for this.

1 Nov, 2014

Russell Brand interview

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The Guardian interviews Brand about his children’s book The Pied Piper of Hamelin. 

Somebody once said to me: ‘Don’t worry about adults any more. We’re all doomed. Communicate to the children. Wake up the children.’ So I thought, right, yeah. Writing this book came very easily. It wasn’t something I laboured over. It’s how I thought I’d talk to myself at that age.

14 Nov, 2014

Russell Brand interview

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Seacrest interviews Brand during On Air With Ryan Seacrest about his children s book Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales: The Pied Piper of Hamelin. 

Some people were down right cynical. Some people laughed in my face when I said I wanted to write a children’s book. I just now had to read that children’s book in a kids’ school here in New York City and they were very nervous cause 90 percent of my focus has to go into not using curse words or saying something crazy.