Russell Brand

Born: June 4 1975
Where: Grays, Essex, UK

The controversial comedian made his first headlining role as British pop prat Aldous Snow in the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Earlier appearances included the romantic fantasy Penelope and the part of Flash Harry in St Trinian's.

The only child of photographer Ronald Brand, his parents separated in 1978 when he was just three.

(Brand's relationship with his father has always been complicated: at the age of 17 the two travelled to the Far East, where they shared a room and slept with prostitutes).

He made his theatrical debut, aged fifteen, in Bugsy Malone as Fat Sam, and his performances earned him a council funded education at London's Italia Conti Academy, which led to a three-year scholarship at Drama Centre in Chalk Farm.

He first small screen performance was in 1994 with the role of Shane in the supernatural drama Mud.

Brand's first significant stand-up appearance was at the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year final in 2000. Although he did not finish in the top three, his performance attracted the attention of an agent, John Noel.

A a former heroin addict, his abandonment of drugs and alcohol was supposedly instigated by Noel, the comedienne Jo Brand's manager.

On TV, his first presenting job was as a VJ on music channel MTV presenting Dance Floor Chart and MTV Select. However he was sacked after coming to work dressed as Osama bin Laden on 12 September 2001.

His first major TV work was an appearance in an episode of The Bill and he went on to play Merlin in White Teeth in 2002 and had a small role in Cruise of the Gods with Steve Coogan.

In late 2005 he played Tommy in the BBC sitcom Blessed which was written and directed by Ben Elton.

Brand also played a small role in Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (his contribution was not included in the final cut).

He starred alongside Christina Ricci and James McAvoy in the comedy drama Penelope and also played the character of Flash Harry (made famous by George Cole) in St Trinian's.

In 2007, Brand played a recovering crack addict called Terry in the pilot for ITV comedy The Abbey, written by Morwenna Banks.

Recent work includes the part of British rock star Aldous Snow in the Judd Apatow-produced comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall.