Who is Chris O’Dowd?
Chris O’Dowd, born October 1979, is an Irish actor, comedian and screenwriter from Boyle, County Roscommon.
He first gained prominent attention playing the easily irritated Roy in Channel 4 sitcom, The IT Crowd. Since then, as an actor, he has become known for his comedic roles in films and shows including The Boat That Rocked, Bridesmaids, Dinner for Schmucks and This is 40.
He has also appeared on stage, earning a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Lennie in a 2014 production of Of Mice and Men alongside James Franco and Leighton Meester.
As a writer, he created the Sky Original series, Moone Boy, in 2012. Based on his childhood in Boyle, he also published a series of books that tie into the show.
He has been married to author and TV presenter Dawn O’Porter since 2012, and together they have two children. The pair live between Los Angeles, California, and London, England.
Where can I watch Chris O’Dowd on Sky?
Small Town, Big Story
Available on Sky Max and NOW
Created and directed by O’Dowd, this witty and heartwarming comedy follows Hollywood TV exec Wendy Patterson, who returns to her small Irish hometown after 20 years in Los Angeles to film her new project. But as cameras start rolling, long-buried secrets of the town come to light.
The series stars Paddy Considine and Christina Hendricks, with O’Dowd also appearing in the cast as eccentric novelist Jack E. McCarthy, whose book Am I Celt? is being adapted for the screen.
Find out more about Small Town, Big Story here.
Moone Boy
Available now on Sky Max and NOW
Martin Paul Moone is a unique 12-year-old who lives in rural Ireland alongside his family and his imaginary friend, a bearded adult man named Séan Murphy.
Armed with a vivid imagination, Martin is helped by Séan as he navigates life in the late 80s and early 90s as the youngest member of his big family – dealing with bullies, puberty, and huge family events while causing chaos along the way.
O’Dowd stars in the series as imaginary friend Séan, alongside David Rawle as Martin.
The Boat That Rocked
Available now on Sky Cinema and NOW
The Boat That Rocked follows the life of rebellious disc jockeys on board a boat in the North Sea, transmitting rock and pop music to the UK that was not played on BBC Radio. Dubbed “pirate radio stations”, the group running Radio Rock get away with it as they’re technically in international waters, but the government makes efforts to try and shut Radio Rock down.
Set in 1966 and loosely based on a true story, The Boat That Rocked sees how these broadcasters went up against the bigger corporations, becoming massively successful and impactful on the music of the era.
O’Dowd stars alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Darby, Katherine Parkinson, Nick Frost and Rhys Ifans.
Girls
Available now on Sky Comedy and NOW
Girls follows the lives of four twenty-something friends as they each attempt to find meaning in their life in New York City.
O’Dowd appears in multiple episodes of the smash-hit series as Thomas-John, a venture capitalist living an affluent life in Brooklyn, who finds himself in a whirlwind relationship with Jessa (Jemima Kirke).
However, the excitement of being with the turbulent and trouble character soon comes crashing back to reality.
Find out more about Girls here.