--- name: "Chris Addison" canonical: "https://film.one/person/chris-addison" fi1m_id: "chris-addison" imdb_id: "nm1128050" tmdb_id: 91493 wikidata_id: "Q2964639" roles: ["Director","Actor"] born: "5 November 1971" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 88 average_as: "director" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-10-07T17:14:54.802512+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Chris Addison ## Identity Chris Addison - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chris-addison - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** chris-addison - **IMDb ID:** nm1128050 - **TMDB ID:** 91493 - **Wikidata ID:** Q2964639 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Addison, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2964639, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1128050/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/91493 Director and actor. Born 5 November 1971 in Didsbury, Manchester, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Director, Actor - **Born:** 5 November 1971, Didsbury, Manchester, England, UK - **Active:** 2002–2012 - **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 2 acting, 2 directing, 1 writing, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Armando Iannucci](https://film.one/person/armando-iannucci.md), [Jesse Armstrong](https://film.one/person/jesse-armstrong.md), [Simon Blackwell](https://film.one/person/simon-blackwell.md), [Tony Roche](https://film.one/person/tony-roche.md), [Adam Tandy](https://film.one/person/adam-tandy.md), [Becky Martin](https://film.one/person/becky-martin.md), [Ian Martin](https://film.one/person/ian-martin.md), [Peter Capaldi](https://film.one/person/peter-capaldi.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 88, as director, over 2 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 85 (5), 2010s 82 (1) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Addison, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2964639, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1128050/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/91493 ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*The Thick of It*](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md) (94), [*In the Loop*](https://film.one/film/in-the-loop.md) (92) - **HBO Max:** [*Veep*](https://film.one/tv/veep.md) (82) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Chris Addison > Chris Addison makes nervous ambition funny without making it lovable. His acting in *The Thick of It* is the strongest reason to follow a director whose natural setting is a crowded, argumentative comedy. Chris Addison’s Olly Reeder is nervous, but that is no guarantee of sympathy. In Armando Iannucci’s *The Thick of It* (2005), he plays a junior political adviser whose ambition makes his discomfort difficult to pity. We laughed at Olly and felt little urge to defend him, because Addison makes his anxiety seem so closely tied to getting on. It is a sharply judged performance: being under pressure does not automatically make this man deserving of our affection. The ensemble matters to that judgement. Rebecca Front gives Nicola Murray enough feeling for the pressure to hurt, while Joanna Scanlan makes Terri Coverley’s restraint funny and James Smith gives Glenn Cullen’s indignation weight. Addison supplies someone we are less inclined to forgive, which stops the programme becoming a procession of interchangeable victims. We value that distinction, although the relentless abuse can still grow wearing. Peter Capaldi may draw the attention, but the different responses around him keep the comedy going. The move into directing kept Addison close to this kind of work. He directed one episode of the final series of *The Thick of It* and went on to *Veep* (2012), directing episodes from 2013. Fast-paced ensemble comedy, with room for improvisation, suits his strengths in timing and handling a large cast. His feature directing debut was *The Hustle* (2019), followed by *Breeders* (2020), the parenting comedy he co-created with Martin Freeman and also directed. Parenting at least gives him something other than another political office to worry about. We would be cautious about asking for more sympathetic versions of these men. Olly’s lack of appeal is part of the performance’s value, and Addison does not need to supply the feeling that Front brings elsewhere. What he does need is that contrast: a whole cast playing Olly would soon make the abuse hard to bear. Start with *The Thick of It* for the actor, then try *Veep* for his work behind the camera. ## Biography Chris Addison is a British comedian, writer, actor and director. Born on 5 November 1971 in Cardiff, Wales, he grew up in Manchester and studied at the University of Birmingham. He began his career in stand-up comedy, performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and adapting two of his shows for BBC Radio 4. Addison is best known for playing Oliver 'Ollie' Reeder in the BBC political satire series *The Thick of It* (2005–2012), a role he reprised in the spin-off film *In the Loop* (2009) as Toby Wright. He also directed an episode of the final series of *The Thick of It*. Other acting credits include appearances in *Skins* (2010–2012) and *Doctor Who* (2014). As a director, he worked on multiple episodes of the HBO series *Veep* (2013–2016), for which he received a Directors Guild of America Award and Emmy nominations. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) ### Performed in (2) - *In the Loop* (2009), Fi1m 92, as Toby Wright — [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-loop.md) - *Skins* (2007), Fi1m 72, as David Blood — [page](https://film.one/tv/skins.md) ### Directed (2) — the average rests on these - *Veep* (2012), Fi1m 82, Director, Supervising Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/veep.md) - *The Thick of It* (2005), Fi1m 94, as Olly Reeder — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md) ### Wrote (1) - *Harry Hill's TV Burp* (2002), Fi1m 81, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/harry-hills-tv-burp.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Would I Lie to You?* (2007), Fi1m 85, as Self — [page](https://film.one/tv/would-i-lie-to-you.md) ## Complete filmography (27) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Spinal Tap II: The End Continues* (2025), as Simon Howler - *Breeders* (2020), series, Writer, Director - *Horrible Histories: The Movie — Rotten Romans* (2019), as Colin - *The Hustle* (2019), Director - *We Love Sitcom* (2016), Actor - *Patriot* (2015), series, Actor - *Fresh Off the Boat* (2015), series, Director - *Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death in Heaven* (2014), as Seb - *Trying Again* (2014), series, as Matt · Creator - *The Look of Love* (2013), as Tony Power - *Veep* (2012), series, Director, Supervising Producer, Executive Producer, Consulting Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/veep.md) - *Chris Addison: Live* (2011), Writer - *My Funniest Year* (2010), series, Writer - *The 100 Greatest Stand Ups 2010* (2010), Actor - *Horrible Histories* (2009), series, Actor - *Genius with Dave Gorman* (2009), series, Actor - *In the Loop* (2009), as Toby Wright — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-loop.md) - *Lab Rats* (2008), series, as Dr. Alex Beenyman · Writer - *What the Dickens?* (2008), series, as Team Captain - *Spinners and Losers* (2007), as Oliver Reeder - *Skins* (2007), series, as David Blood — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/skins.md) - *The Rise of the Nutters* (2007), as Oliver Reeder - *The Thick of It* (2005), series, as Olly Reeder · Director — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md) - *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Seb — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who-2005.md) - *Harry Hill's TV Burp* (2002), series, Writer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/harry-hills-tv-burp.md) - *Hallelujah!*, Director - *Tall Tales & Murder*, series, Director, Executive Producer, Creator ## Gallery - ![Chris Addison](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-5c884e99c9ff.jpg) Chris Addison — Social Enterprise UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Chris_Addison_cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photos from the biggest awards ceremony in the social enterprise calander. All photos by social enterprise, Mediorite (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-28c666ca6b14.jpg) Photos from the biggest awards ceremony in the social enterprise calander. All photos by social enterprise, Mediorite (2018) — Social Enterprise UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Chris_Addison.jpg/1280px-Chris_Addison.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-432a9c2ef09b.jpg) Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017 — Social Enterprise UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Chris_Addison_-_38582766922.jpg/1280px-Chris_Addison_-_38582766922.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Chris Addison performs live at the Resofit benefit for Resonance FM (2007)](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-bfd250181a0c.jpg) Chris Addison performs live at the Resofit benefit for Resonance FM (2007) — Salim Fadhley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Chris_AddissonResofit1.jpg/1280px-Chris_AddissonResofit1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-116518528708.jpg) Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017 — Social Enterprise UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/SEUK_AWARDS_0801.jpg/1280px-SEUK_AWARDS_0801.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017](https://film.one/media/person/60194/gallery-ecc9a2679e28.jpg) Photos from the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2017 — Social Enterprise UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/SEUK_AWARDS_0802.jpg/1280px-SEUK_AWARDS_0802.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/chris-addison