Prepare for a comedic adventure as we unwrap the enigmatic Mr. Bean and beyond with 25 rib-tickling Rowan Atkinson facts! From the rubber-faced antics that defined a generation to his surprising off-screen roles, we’re diving into the life of this comedic maestro. Discover the man behind the laughter, his journey from engineering to entertaining, and perhaps even find a nugget or two about the real Mr. Bean. Spoiler alert: There’s more to Rowan Atkinson than meets the eye – and a lot more laughs!
1-5 Fun Facts About Rowan Atkinson
1. There’s more to Atkinson than just funny faces. He’s not just the king of comedy; he’s got a degree in electrical engineering from Oxford.
2. Rowan Atkinson birthed the idea for the character that would later become Mr. Bean during his studies for a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Oxford University.
3. He initially introduced his iconic character on stage during his first term at Oxford. Facing a high-pressure situation with just 48 hours to develop a five-minute act, Atkinson created a “strange, surreal, and non-speaking character” as he stood in front of a mirror making faces at himself.
4. Inspired by Jacques Tati, Atkinson fashioned Mr. Bean after Tati’s character, Mr. Hulot, known for his comical walk, pipe, and bicycle. In addition to Jacques Tati, Atkinson admires the comedic work of Monty Python, particularly John Cleese post-Monty Python, as well as Charlie Chaplin and Peter Sellers.
5. Before settling on the iconic name, Mr. Bean underwent a few considerations, including “Mr. Cauliflower” and possibly “Mr. White,” in the testing phase by Rowan Atkinson.
6-10 Interesting Facts About Rowan Atkinson
6. Rowan Atkinson initially tested his iconic character, Mr. Bean, before a French-speaking audience at the Canadian Just For Laughs festival in 1987. Atkinson’s insistence on performing for local French Why? Well, he wanted to see if Mr. Bean could tickle the funny bones of people who didn’t speak English and had no clue who he was.
At Oxford, Atkinson’s talent and natural humor found a collaborator in Richard Curtis, with whom he would frequently work on writing projects.
7. While Atkinson may be known for his comedic expressions, he wasn’t always an introvert. In his earlier school years, he was the class clown.
8. Interestingly, Tony Blair was a schoolmate of Atkinson’s at Durham Choristers School.
9. Atkinson’s love for them is like a Shakespearean love story – intense and dramatic. He is the proud owner of vehicles like the McLaren F1, Audi A8, and Renault 5GT Turbo.
10. Atkinson’s love for racing led him to participate in a Top Gear episode in 2011, where he achieved the top spot on their leaderboard by driving a Kia Cee’d around the track in record time.
11-15 Surprising Facts About Rowan Atkinson
11. Atkinson has crashed his McLaren F1 twice. When he smashed it into a tree in 2011, he claimed insurance worth £910,000, the biggest insurance payout ever recorded in Britain. He later listed the car for sale for £8 million, and it was purchased for an undisclosed sum by a “British buyer.” Who knew Mr. Bean had a need for speed?
12. Despite some mishaps, including crashing his cars, his enthusiasm for cars extends to writing about them for various magazines, including “Car,” “Octane,” and “Evo.”
13. He is known for his perfectionism, often requesting retakes multiple times. But that doesn’t mean he likes this habit. He once said that: “I’ve always believed perfectionism is more of a disease than a quality.”
14. And here’s a shocker: Atkinson, the man who makes us laugh till our sides hurt, doesn’t find joy in the process. He’s a self-proclaimed stress ball, always worrying about his work. Although it was demanding, he found working on Blackadder more fun than working on Mr. Bean because the success of the former was shared and did not rest solely on his shoulders, as it did in the latter.
15. Behind the scenes, Atkinson found lasting love on the set of Blackadder. He met Sunetra Sastry, responsible for Stephen Fry’s makeup, and eventually asked Fry if they could swap makeup artists. The couple married in 1990, with Fry serving as the best man at their wedding.
16-20 Hilarious Facts About Rowan Atkinson
16. Rowan Atkinson’s first date with Sunetra Sastry was marked by an unusual incident. His initial rendezvous with Sunetra Sastry involved a silent meal, a request for ketchup, and a mysterious 15-minute bathroom disappearance – all thanks to a stuck zipper.
17. When it comes to facial hair, Atkinson takes his grooming seriously. During the third season of Blackadder, he insisted on a clean-shaven look for an unusual reason – his girlfriend at the time was vehemently against a beard. Love may be blind, but apparently, it has strong opinions on facial hair.
18. A devoted James Bond fan, Atkinson was thrilled to play a small supporting role in the “unofficial” Bond film “Never Say Never Again.” His character, Nigel Small-Fawcett, had a minor role in providing information to Bond about the villain’s whereabouts.
19. For the 25th anniversary of Mr. Bean, Atkinson celebrated by riding in Bean’s iconic Mini around Buckingham Palace, sitting atop the car holding Bean’s famous teddy bear.
20. His role as Father Gerald in Four Weddings and a Funeral holds a special place for Atkinson, considering it one of his favorite performances and considering the movie one of his few standout films.
21-25 Awesome Facts About Rowan Atkinson
21. But here’s a plot twist worthy of a Mr. Bean episode: Rowan Atkinson, our beloved Bean, once played hero in real life. In a remarkable incident, Rowan Atkinson played a crucial role in preventing a plane crash when his private jet’s pilot fainted mid-flight. How did he do it? By giving the pilot a good old slap!
22. A staunch advocate for freedom of speech, Atkinson has been vocal against granting religious groups the power to censor the arts. In a controversial defense of Boris Johnson’s joke about women wearing the burqa, Atkinson argued that all jokes on religion cause offense, and apologizing for them is pointless. However, he suggested apologizing only for a bad joke.
23. As if being Mr. Bean wasn’t enough, Atkinson also holds the title of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), bestowed upon him by the Queen herself.
24. Atkinson also enjoyed the distinction of being among the limited celebrity guests invited to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
25. Rowan Atkinson’s estimated net worth is around $150 million.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading about 25 Fun Rowan Atkinson Facts.
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