Editing Dylan Moran

{{Short description|Irish actor and comedian (born 1971)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name         = Dylan Moran
| image        = Dylan Moran Melbourne.jpg
| image_size   = 225px
| caption      = Moran performing at the [[Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala#2006|''Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala'']] in April 2006
| birth_name   = Dylan William Moran
| birth_date   = {{birth based on age as of date|50|2022|5|28}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Dylan Moran: The this, that and the other of stand-up, misanthropy and filming his new sitcom in Belfast |url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/stage/2022/05/28/news/dylan-moran-the-this-that-and-the-other-of-stand-up-misanthropy-and-filming-his-new-sitcom-in-belfast-2723032/ |access-date=8 June 2024 |work=The Irish News |date=28 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
| birth_place  = [[Navan|Navan, County Meath]], Ireland
| medium       = {{hlist|Stand-up|film|television}}
| spouse       = {{marriage|Elaine Moran|1997|2022|end=divorced}}
| children     = 2
| years_active = 1992–present
| genre        = {{hlist|[[Observational comedy]]|[[black comedy]]|[[deadpan]]|[[satire]]|[[surreal humour]]}}
| website      = {{URL|dylanmoran.com}}
}}

'''Dylan William Moran''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɔər|ən}} {{respell|MOR|ən}}; born {{birth based on age as of date|50|2022|5|28|noage=1}}) is an Irish comedian, writer, actor and artist. He is best known for his [[observational comedy]], the comedy series ''[[Black Books]]'' (which he co-wrote and starred in), and his work with [[Simon Pegg]] in films such as ''[[Shaun of the Dead]]'' and ''[[Run Fatboy Run]]''. He was also one of two lead characters in the Irish [[black comedy]] film ''[[A Film with Me in It]]''.

He is a regular performer at national and international comedy festivals such as the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]], [[Just for Laughs]] Montreal Comedy Festival, the [[Melbourne International Comedy Festival]], and the [[Kilkenny Comedy Festival]]. In 2007, he was voted the 17th greatest stand-up comedian by [[Channel 4]];<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups Series 1, Episode 1 - The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups 2007|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/100_greatest_stand_ups/episodes/1/1/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}}</ref> in the updated 2010 list, he was ranked as the 14th greatest.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-04-11|title=Billy Connolly retains top spot in C4 poll|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/284/billy_connolly_channel_4_poll/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Early life==
Dylan William Moran was born in 1971 in [[Navan|Navan, County Meath]].<ref name="Meath County Council">{{cite web|author=Meath County Council |url=http://www.meath.ie/Tourism/DiscoverBoyneValley/FamousMeathPeople/DylanMoran/|title=Dylan Moran Comedian/Actor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301195238/https://www.meath.ie/Tourism/DiscoverBoyneValley/FamousMeathPeople/DylanMoran/|archive-date=1 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Kenny|first=Ciara|date=4 December 2013|title='Irishman Abroad' episode 13: Dylan Moran|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2013/12/04/irishman-abroad-episode-13-dylan-moran/|url-status=live|newspaper=The Irish Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204223810/http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2013/12/04/irishman-abroad-episode-13-dylan-moran/ |archive-date=4 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Mackey|first=Liam|date=12 March 2001|title=Did You Hear The One About The Irishman Who was born in Navan|url=http://www.hotpress.com/features/interviews/Did-You-Hear-The-One-About-The-Irishman-Who---/392489.html|url-status=live|website=HotPress Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416050852/http://www.hotpress.com/features/interviews/Did-You-Hear-The-One-About-The-Irishman-Who---/392489.html |archive-date=16 April 2017 }}</ref> He attended [[St Patrick's Classical School]], where he experimented early on with stand-up alongside fellow comedians [[Tommy Tiernan]] and [[Hector Ó hEochagáin]]; he left with his [[Leaving Certificate (Ireland)|Leaving Certificate]] at age 16.<ref name="Maxwell Times">{{cite news|first=Dominic|last=Maxwell|title= Bye bye Bernard|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/whats_on/listings/article706708.ece|work=[[The Times]]|date=22 April 2006|access-date=26 July 2007 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He has said that he then spent four years unemployed "[[Alcohol abuse|drinking]] and writing bad poetry".<ref name="Kelner BBC">{{cite news|first= Martin|last= Kelner|title= People have told me I'm grumpy|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/stage/2005/06/dylan_moran_interview.shtml|work=BBC Bradford and West Yorkshire|date=June 2005|access-date=26 July 2007}}</ref> He worked as a [[Floristry|florist]] at some point, but hated it and quit after a week.<ref name="Kelner BBC"/> He has said that he was very passionate about rugby and enjoyed watching many games when he was growing up, but has since lost interest and has none in any other sport either. He nonetheless makes an effort to keep somewhat abreast of popular sport, explaining: "otherwise nobody would talk to me, as its very hard to find anyone else who's not rabid about sport."<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=15 October 2019|title=Irish comedian Dylan Moran shares his thoughts on the All Blacks with Mel and JT|url=https://www.thecoast.net.nz/shows/nights-with-jason-tikao/irish-comedian-dylan-moran-shares-his-thoughts-on-the-all-blacks-with-mel-homer-and-jason-tikao/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-09|website=Coast|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811092253/https://www.thecoast.net.nz/shows/nights-with-jason-tikao/irish-comedian-dylan-moran-shares-his-thoughts-on-the-all-blacks-with-mel-homer-and-jason-tikao/ |archive-date=11 August 2020 }}</ref>

==Career==
Moran came to comedy at age 20 after watching [[Ardal O'Hanlon]] and other comedians perform at [[Dublin]]'s [[International Comedy Cellar|Comedy Cellar]], a fifty-seater comedy club with no microphone, in the basement of The International Bar on South Wicklow Street. He began his stand up there in 1992 and got a good reception.<ref name="Maxwell Times"/> In 1993, he won the [[So You Think You're Funny]] award at the [[Edinburgh Festival]]. He went on to become the second youngest person to win the [[Perrier Comedy Award]] in 1996 at the Edinburgh Festival at age 24.<ref name="Kelner BBC"/> ''Gurgling For Money'' was Moran's first major one-man stand-up UK tour in 1997. He went on to perform at many other festivals including the [[Hay Festival]], [[Just for Laughs|Montreal comedy festival]], Vancouver Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. Between 1995 and 1997 Moran wrote a weekly column for ''[[The Irish Times]]''.

Moran won his first major television role in 1998, playing Ian Lyons in the [[BBC 2]] sitcom ''[[How Do You Want Me?]]'', opposite [[Charlotte Coleman]].<ref name="Maxwell Times"/> He went on to appear in a small role in the 1999 movie ''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]'' as a shoplifter. In 2000, ''[[Black Books]]'' was launched on [[Channel 4]]. The sitcom, about depressed, bitter, alcoholic, chain-smoking and misanthropic book shop owner [[List of Black Books characters|Bernard Black]], was based on a dream Moran had in the mid-eighties during a weekend away in [[Limerick]].{{Citation needed|reason=No current citation to confirm this, and in an article on the Channel 4 website Moran is quoted as saying "I don’t remember where the idea came from"|date=August 2018}} The first series was written with fellow Irishman [[Graham Linehan]], and produced by Mark Buckley and Albert Kenny of Kenley Studios. The second series was televised in 2002, and the third, which aired in 2004, was greeted with great enthusiasm by critics and fans alike.<ref name="Maxwell Times"/> In the same year Moran appeared in his first major film role, playing David in the horror comedy ''[[Shaun of the Dead]]''.

Moran toured his stand-up shows ''Monster I'' and ''Monster II'' in 2004, including performances in [[New York City|New York]] and [[Milan]], as well as a tour across Britain and Ireland which culminated in a week-long run at London's [[Palace Theatre, London|Palace Theatre]], before two shows at Dublin's [[Vicar Street]], and finally an appearance at the [[Hay Festival]]. The tour was described by ''The Times'' as a "masterclass of comic charisma: swinging from topic to topic in a manner seemingly spontaneous but actually tightly organised".<ref name="Maxwell Times"/>

A live [[DVD-Video|DVD]] of the ''Monster II'' tour, filmed on 28 May at Dublin's Vicar Street, was released that year, as Moran's first live stand-up DVD. After a successful run in [[New York City]] in 2004 as part of the British/Irish Comedy Invasion (including performances by top British and Irish comedians such as [[Eddie Izzard]], fellow ''Black Books'' star [[Bill Bailey]] and Irish comedian [[Tommy Tiernan]]) Moran returned to New York for a month-long run at the Village Theatre. He then performed a two-week London [[West End of London|West End]] run at the [[Wyndham's Theatre]], 1–13 November 2004.

His third major tour, ''Like, Totally'', opened at the [[Buxton Opera House]] on 3 May 2005,<ref name="Maxwell Times"/> and as with his previous tours the stand-up routine was accompanied by projected cartoons drawn by Moran. A DVD of the tour was released in December 2005. Moran appeared as the character of Gordon in the comedy film ''[[Run Fatboy Run]]'', released in September 2007 which cast Moran as the best friend to protagonist Dennis, played by [[Simon Pegg]]. Moran had previously played an adversary to Pegg's title character in ''Shaun of the Dead''.

In June 2008, Moran appeared with [[Ardal O'Hanlon]] and [[Tommy Tiernan]] at [[Liverpool]]'s [[Liverpool Arena|Echo Arena]] in 'The Three Fellas',<ref>{{cite news|author=Anderson, Vicky|title=LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: The Three Fellas, Liverpool Echo Arena|url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-life-features/liverpool-arts/2008/06/16/liverpool-comedy-festival-the-three-fellas-liverpool-echo-arena-64375-21080016/|work=Liverpool Daily Post|date=16 June 2008|access-date=5 September 2011}}</ref> a one-off comedy event, part of the city's [[European Capital of Culture]] 2008 celebrations. Between October and December 2008, Moran embarked on ''What It Is'', a new UK tour starting at the [[Grand Opera House, York|Grand Opera House]] in [[York]], and ending at [[Oxford]]'s New Theatre. The tour was extended into 2009 and has now been released on DVD.

A compilation DVD of highlights from Moran's three previous stand-up shows was made available in November 2010 called ''Dylan Moran: Aim Low''. ''Yeah, Yeah'', a stand-up tour of [[Scandinavia]], the [[Baltic states]], [[United States]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Ireland]] and the [[United Kingdom|UK]] began in April 2011.

In 2012, Moran performed shows in [[Russia]] (following two sold-out performances in neighbouring Estonia<ref>{{cite web |author=DELFI |url=http://publik.delfi.ee/news/mitmesugust/black-booksi-staari-dylan-morani-etteaste-on-kui-naerutav-hingepeegel.d?id=64232565 |title="Black Booksi" staari Dylan Morani etteaste on kui naerutav hingepeegel - Publik |publisher=Publik.delfi.ee |access-date=3 May 2014 |archive-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922224128/http://publik.delfi.ee/news/mitmesugust/black-booksi-staari-dylan-morani-etteaste-on-kui-naerutav-hingepeegel.d?id=64232565 |url-status=dead }}</ref>). The show's promoters indicated that they believed it to be the first time an Irish stand-up had performed live in a Russian venue; his routine mocked Russia's new [[Russian gay propaganda law|law banning "homosexual propaganda"]] and jailed oil tycoon [[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17771847|title=Irish comedian Dylan Moran 'makes history' in Russia|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=19 April 2012|access-date=19 April 2012}}</ref>

In 2014, Moran wrote a pilot for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] about "news media and conflict, war zones and cable news". The channel decided not to go ahead with the show but may possibly sell it to another network. The same year he appeared in [[John Michael McDonagh]]'s film ''[[Calvary (2014 film)|Calvary]]''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Graeme Virtue |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/05/dylan-moran-calvary-john-michael-mcdonagh |title=Dylan Moran: 'A lot of what's on TV now is filler'|work=The Guardian|date=5 April 2014 |access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> The following July he took his stand-up show ''Off the Hook'' to [[South Africa]] for the first time, performing three sold-out shows at the country's [[National Arts Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Jennifer |url=http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2015/03/17/2015-national-arts-festival-line-up-announced-including-dylan-moran-of-black-books/ |title=2015 National Arts Festival Line-up Announced: Including Dylan Moran of Black Books |publisher=Books Live |date=5 April 2014 |access-date=17 March 2015}}</ref>

In 2018, Moran took his latest standup show Dr Cosmos on tour, starting with 42 dates in the UK before touring Europe and Australia in 2019. The DVD was released in 2021.

In June 2019, Moran reported he was developing a "small format" show for the BBC.<ref>{{cite web|author=RTE |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2019/0606/1053768-dylan-moran-writing-new-show-for-the-bbc/ |title= Dylan Moran writing new show for the BBC |publisher= Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=6 June 2019 |access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref> Moran finished the series during the COVID-19 pandemic, when live performances were effectively cancelled.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-15 |title=Why appealing to everyone doesn't appeal to Dylan Moran |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-15/comedian-dylan-moran-talks-new-show-ahead-of-tour/102096804 |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> The series, ''Stuck'', starred Moran and [[Morgana Robinson]] and was notable for episodes being only fifteen minutes long in keeping with Moran's belief that shorter content is trending. It aired on BBC Two in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/fyi/40/dylan-moran-stuck-date/|title=Dylan Moran's Stuck gets debut date|date=31 August 2022 |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=5 September 2022}}</ref>

Moran began touring his most recent standup show, ''We Got This'', in November 2021, touring Ireland and the UK in 2022 and Europe, Australia and New Zealand in 2023.

==Awards and commendations==
At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, he won the 'So You Think You're Funny? Award' in 1993, and the [[Edinburgh Comedy Awards|Perrier Award]] in 1996. He later dismissed the latter as "a load of media rubbish," stating [[Bill Bailey]] deserved it more.

A popular poll commissioned by Channel 4 ranked him the 14th-greatest comedy stand-up.<ref>{{cite web|title= 100 Greatest Comedy Comedy Stand-ups|url= http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-100-greatest-stand-ups/articles/greatest-stand-ups-of-all-time|work= [[Channel4.com]]|date= n.d.|access-date= 26 July 2007|archive-date= 23 June 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130623214118/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-100-greatest-stand-ups/articles/greatest-stand-ups-of-all-time|url-status= dead}}</ref> Moran was declared "the greatest comedian, living or dead" by the French newspaper ''[[Le Monde]]'' in July 2007.<ref>Le Monde, Issue 37954-2375a 29 July 2007</ref> He has also twice won the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] TV Award for Best Situation Comedy, both for ''[[Black Books]]''.

==Personal life==
Moran married his wife Elaine in 1997. They lived in [[Edinburgh]] with their two children. In 2022, Moran and Elaine divorced.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Jordan|first=Justine|date=13 July 2018|title=Dylan Moran: 'Smoking or breathing, one of them had to go'|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/dylan-moran-smoking-or-breathing-one-of-them-had-to-go-1.3564055|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-09|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211124950/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/dylan-moran-smoking-or-breathing-one-of-them-had-to-go-1.3564055 |archive-date=11 December 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= Jones|first=Alice |date=2022-09-14 |title= Dylan Moran on his new BBC sitcom Stuck, divorce and drinking |url= https://www.thetimes.com/article/dylan-moran-stuck-bbc-comedy-sitcom-autumn-8jlrh86dz |access-date=2024-10-24|website=The Times |language=en}}</ref>

Moran [[Smoking cessation|quit smoking]] in 2014 and became [[Teetotalism|teetotal]] in 2018,<ref name=":0" /> but has since resumed drinking.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Curran |first=Shaun |date=7 September 2022 |title=Dylan Moran: 'I don't care about Dave Chappelle – a strutting male ego is deeply boring' |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/dylan-moran-i-dont-care-about-dave-chappelle-strutting-male-ego-deeply-boring-1836585 |access-date=2022-09-09 |website=i |language=en}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Role
|-
|1999
|''[[Notting Hill (film)|Notting Hill]]''
|Rufus the Thief
|-
|2003
|''[[The Actors]]''
|Tom Quirk
|-
|2004
|''[[Shaun of the Dead]]''
|David
|-
|2005
|''[[A Cock and Bull Story]]''
|Dr Slop
|-
|2006
|''Tell It to the Fishes''
|Finn
|-
|2007
|''[[Run Fatboy Run]]''
|Gordon
|-
|2008
|''[[A Film with Me in It]]''
|Pierce
|-
|2011
|''[[The Decoy Bride]]''
|Charley
|-
|2012
|''[[Good Vibrations (film)|Good Vibrations]]''
|Pat
|-
|2014
|''[[Calvary (2014 film)|Calvary]]''
|Michael Fitzgerald
|-
|2020
|''[[Pixie (film)|Pixie]]''
|Potential Buyer
|-
|2024
|''[[The Killer's Game]]''
|Father O'Brien
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1998–99
|''[[How Do You Want Me?]]''
|Ian Lyons
|
|-
|2000–04
|''[[Black Books]]''
|Bernard Black
|Also creator and writer
|-
|2012
|''[[Little Crackers]]''
|Father
|1 episode, also writer
|-
|2017
|''[[Uncle (British TV series)|Uncle]]''
|Marsh
|4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |2022
|''[[The Witcher: Blood Origin]]''
|Uthrok One-Nut
|
|-
|''[[Stuck (TV series)|Stuck]]'' 
|Dan
|Lead role, BBC original comedy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0csfgjg|title=Stuck – BBC Two|publisher=|accessdate=5 September 2022}}</ref>
|}

==Stand-up DVDs==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Title
!Released
!Notes
|-
| ''Monster – Live''
| 15 November 2004
| Live at [[Dublin]]'s [[Vicar Street]]
|-
| ''Like, Totally... Dylan Moran Live''
| 27 November 2006
| Live at London's [[Hammersmith Apollo]]
|-
| ''What It Is – Live''
| 23 November 2009
| Live at Sydney's [[State Theatre (Sydney)|State Theatre]]
|-
| ''Aim Low: The Best of Dylan Moran''
| 29 November 2010<ref>{{cite web|title=Aim Low: The Best of Dylan Moran [DVD]|website=Amazon UK|date=22 November 2010|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aim-Low-Best-Dylan-Moran/dp/B003QXLQH4}}</ref>
| Selected scenes from previous three DVDs
|-
| ''Yeah, Yeah – Live in London''
| 14 November 2011<ref name="amazon.co.uk-yeahyeah">{{cite web|title=Dylan Moran: Yeah, Yeah – Live in London [DVD]|website=Amazon UK|date=14 November 2011|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dylan-Moran-Yeah-Live-London/dp/B004NBXKOK}}</ref> 
| Live at London's [[Hammersmith Apollo]]
|-
| ''Off the Hook''
| 30 November 2015<ref name="amazon.co.uk-offthehook">{{cite web|title=Dylan Moran: Off the Hook [DVD]|website=Amazon UK|date=30 November 2015|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dylan-Moran-Off-Hook-DVD/dp/B00ZWXD8DG}}</ref> 
| Live at London's [[Hammersmith Apollo]]
|-
| ''Dr Cosmos''
| 8 November 2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=DYLAN MORAN : DR COSMOS|url= https://m.imdb.com/title/tt21926542/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=m.imdb.com}}</ref>
| Live in Australia
|}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Dylan Moran}}
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.dylanmoran.com Dylan Moran official website]
*{{IMDb name|id=0602836}}
*[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-books/articles/dylan-moran-interview Channel 4 interview]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/entertainment/theatre/dylanmoran.shtml BBC review of ''Monster'' tour]
*[http://www.liberationfrequency.co.uk/dylan-moran-interview/ LF Interview during ''Yeah Yeah'' tour] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103172428/http://www.liberationfrequency.co.uk/dylan-moran-interview/ |date=3 November 2013 }}
*{{British Comedy Guide|people|dylan_moran}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moran, Dylan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Actors from County Meath]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Brent]]
[[Category:BAFTA winners (people)]]
[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Brent]]
[[Category:Edinburgh Comedy Festival]]
[[Category:Edinburgh Festival performers]]
[[Category:Irish comedy writers]]
[[Category:Irish expatriates in England]]
[[Category:Irish humorists]]
[[Category:Irish male comedians]]
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:Irish male television actors]]
[[Category:Irish stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:People educated at St Patrick's Classical School]]
[[Category:People from Navan]]
[[Category:Television show creators]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]