Why Gil From Bridesmaids Looks So Familiar
The 2011 hit Bridesmaids features an all-star cast of actors. The movie focuses on the trials and tribulations of Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) as she tries to prove she'd make the perfect bridesmaid for her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph). Bridesmaids also includes many actors who have gone on to star in a ton of other movies, such as Melissa McCarthy. But while you could probably name most of the movie's faces, you might have trouble identifying the actor behind Annie's geeky roommate Gil.
In Bridesmaids, Gil is brought to life by Matt Lucas, who hails from London and has been bald ever since he was 6. But, he never let that get him down. Lucas got the last laugh on his childhood bullies (via an interview with The Times) by becoming a popular and well-respected actor. However, depending on where you live, you might be more familiar with Lucas' later roles. Here are some of Lucas' most iconic performances.
Matt Lucas filled a many shoes, especially womens', in Rock Profile
As a British native, Matt Lucas got his start in one of England's most popular forms of entertainment: television sketch comedy. His first show was 1995's The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, but his next gig, 1996's Mash and Peas, teamed him up with David Walliams, who became a constant comedic companion. They had many breakout hits together, the first of which was Rock Profile. Rock Profile featured one gimmick that never wore out its welcome: Lucas and Walliams impersonating famous musicians in unflattering, caricature-driven spoof interviews. Each episode consisted of Lucas and Walliams donning different costumes and personas. When one of them had to inevitably portray a woman, Lucas usually wore the wig, makeup, and dress, and acted flamboyantly. Occasionally, Walliams would join Lucas, and Lucas had more than his fair share of male roles, but he was usually the one in the skirt. And he acted his heart out.
While Rock Profile's first two seasons aired between 1999 and 2001, its third season didn't appear until 2009. Between the second and third seasons, Lucas and Walliams teamed up to create other sketch comedy shows, including 2008's Little Britain.
Sir Bernard Chumley in Sir Bernard's Stately Homes was his first big non-sketch role
Even though Matt Lucas started his career playing random characters in sketch shows, he quickly moved up the ladder to less non-sequitur television programs and had more leading roles. One of Lucas' first non-sketch jobs was the spoof documentary Sir Bernard's Stately Homes, in which he played the titular Sir Bernard Chumley, whose main goal was to find a golden potato and win a year's supply of potato chips (or crisps). While the show didn't last long, Lucas quickly went on to a lead role in another short-lived comedy, 2004's Catterick, in which he played the rich but antagonistic Roy Oates. Throughout the series, Oates constantly berated his employees and eventually got his comeuppance when his hand is chopped off. Lucas also played double duty on Catterick as Dan, Dan The Shellfish Man, who, true to his name, was a shellfish merchant.
After Catterick, Lucas' next leading television role didn't crop up until 2009 when he played the evil Chancellor Dongalor in Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire. Despite the title, Dongalor was the show's main antagonist and wanted to conquer the world. However, his incompetence (and tendency to kill loyal minions) got in his way.
Matt Lucas started his movie career as Cousin Tom in Shaun of the Dead
While Matt Lucas made a name for himself with sketch comedy, he also acted in quite a few movies. Many of these were TV movies, such as God in 2004's AD/BC: A Rock Opera and Mr. Toad in the 2006 adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. But in 2004, Lucas took his first step onto the big screen as Cousin Tom — the doppelganger of Nick Frost's character, Ed — in Shaun of the Dead. While Lucas only got one line in the movie (if you can call a grunt a "line"), he eventually appeared in larger film roles. Lucas' next gig was a stark contrast from his comedic roots, as he played Dr. Elgin in the crime horror/thriller Cold and Dark.
It would take a while for Lucas to make a name for himself in movies, so between Cold and Dark and Bridesmaids, he would play to his strengths and voice minor comedic relief movie characters. These included Sparx in 2009's Astro Boy and double duty as Tweedledee and Tweedledum in 2010's Alice in Wonderland. Lucas also reprised those roles in 2016's Alice Through the Looking Glass. His latest movie role was the minor character Mr. Collick in 2019's Missing Link.
Nardole from Doctor Who
If you live in the United States, odds are you never saw Matt Lucas' early sketch work. And if you never saw Bridesmaids and Shaun of the Dead, your first brush with Lucas was probably Doctor Who. From 2015 through 2017, Lucas played the role of Nardole. Initially, he appeared in the 2015 Christmas special "The Husbands of River Song," but he was eventually promoted to companion during the Twelfth Doctor's (Peter Capaldi) adventures. Nardole served numerous roles throughout his time traveling tenure, including computer hacker, TARDIS chauffeur, and comic relief. Moreover, Lucas' time as Nardole proved successful enough that his character lived beyond the TV screen, as Nardole appeared (and died) in the multi-Doctor novel Twice Upon a Time.
Even though Lucas disappeared from Doctor Who along with his character, he returned to voice Nardole in the video short The Best of Days. The Twelfth Doctor's other companion Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) also joined Lucas in the video, while Capaldi himself did not.
Now he's hosting the Great British Bake Off
Television competitions have dominated the airwaves for years and audiences have seen everything from fashion contests to Lego showdowns. Many shows have come and gone, but bake offs are here to stay because who doesn't love a good cake? The Great British Bake Off has been going strong since 2010, but it's difficult to find someone willing to host a competition for over a decade. Thankfully, the show's creators don't need to, because they have a steady stream of famous faces ready to fill that role, and Matt Lucas is the latest.
Bake Off was initially hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins for multiple seasons. Recently, Sandi Toksvig (writer of shows such as The Big One and Motormouth) and Noel Fielding (Stan the Executioner in Disenchantment and Balthazar in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) began serving as hosts. But, Lucas replaced Toksvig (per Delish) for the latest season, which means Fielding isn't the only comedian on the show anymore. Lucas started his first episode with a skit that mocked Prime Minister Boris Johnson (via Express), but that was only the beginning. Lucas has also used his comedy leanings to whip up the show's proceedings.