---
name: "Richard Ayoade"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/richard-ayoade"
fi1m_id: "richard-ayoade"
imdb_id: "nm1547964"
tmdb_id: 98103
wikidata_id: "Q1333118"
roles: ["Actor","Director","Writer"]
born: "23 May 1977"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 16
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-22T03:22:35.156072+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."
---

# Richard Ayoade

## Identity

Richard Ayoade

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/richard-ayoade
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** richard-ayoade
- **IMDb ID:** nm1547964
- **TMDB ID:** 98103
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1333118
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Ayoade, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1333118, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1547964/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/98103

Actor and director. Born 23 May 1977 in Hammersmith, London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director, Writer
- **Born:** 23 May 1977, Hammersmith, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 2004–present
- **Also known as:** Richard Ellef Ayoade, Ayoade, ריצ'ארד איואדי
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 16: 11 acting, 3 directing, 2 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Chris Morris](https://film.one/person/chris-morris.md), [Derrin Schlesinger](https://film.one/person/derrin-schlesinger.md), [Julian Barratt](https://film.one/person/julian-barratt.md), [Matt Berry](https://film.one/person/matt-berry.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 80 (1), 2000s 79 (5), 2010s 78 (8), 2020s 75 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 75 to 72 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 8 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 8, Family 5, Adventure 4, Animation 4, Drama 2, Fantasy 2
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $816m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Ayoade, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1333118, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1547964/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/98103

## Coming up

- *Sonic the Hedgehog 4* (2027-03-11)

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Garth Marenghi's Darkplace*](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md) (83), [*Submarine*](https://film.one/film/submarine.md) (82), [*The Phoenician Scheme*](https://film.one/film/the-phoenician-scheme.md) (70), [*Early Man*](https://film.one/film/early-man.md) (68)
- **Disney+:** [*Soul*](https://film.one/film/soul.md) (80), [*The Mighty Boosh*](https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh.md) (80), [*The Boxtrolls*](https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls.md) (64)
- **Tubi:** [*The Souvenir*](https://film.one/film/the-souvenir.md) (84)
- **Hulu:** [*Community*](https://film.one/tv/community.md) (83)
- **BritBox:** [*The IT Crowd*](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Richard Ayoade

> Richard Ayoade’s dry delivery makes him worth seeking out, particularly as the socially awkward Moss in *The IT Crowd*. The reservation is with writing that keeps a weak joke going after the performance has made its point.

Richard Ayoade turns up as Sergio in Wes Anderson’s *The Phoenician Scheme* (2025), and the dryness is immediately recognisable. We laughed at that delivery, one of the pleasures in a film too often occupied with the next meeting. It is a small pleasure in a film we like with reservations, rather than a reason to pretend the whole thing works. Ayoade can make an individual sketch funny without making a succession of sketches feel like a story.

His early television work put him among performers willing to give peculiar ideas plenty of time. He co-created *Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace* (2004), writing, directing and performing, and appeared as Saboo in *The Mighty Boosh* (2004). We recommend *The Mighty Boosh* for Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding’s partnership and the warmth of its fantasy. But its writing, credited to Barratt, Fielding and Ayoade, sometimes gives a weak idea the same patient attention as a good one. Ayoade shares responsibility for those overextended passages; affection for funny performers should not prevent a scene from ending.

Graham Linehan’s *The IT Crowd* (2006–2013) gave him his breakthrough as Maurice Moss, a socially awkward IT technician whose intelligence offers little help with other people. The part was written specifically for him, which makes sense of how closely the character fits his comic manner. Writing and directing *Submarine* (2010) and *The Double* (2013) took him into features behind the camera. Presenting and voice work have since accompanied occasional acting, so this is not a career built around a steady succession of leading parts.

Anderson makes good use of that dryness in *The Phoenician Scheme*, even if Ayoade’s appearance cannot repair the film’s stop-start construction. We would happily see him given more to do, with writing that does not rely entirely on our pleasure at recognising him. His contribution is welcome, but the material still needs to earn its running time. Start with Moss; come to *The Mighty Boosh* prepared to forgive a few minutes that its writers should have cut.

## Biography

Richard Ayoade is a British actor, comedian, writer and director. He was born on 23 May 1977 in Hammersmith, London, to a Norwegian mother and a Nigerian father, and grew up in Suffolk. He studied law at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he served as president of the Footlights.

Ayoade is best known for playing Maurice Moss in the Channel 4 sitcom *The IT Crowd* (2006–2013), for which he received a BAFTA Television Award. He has directed the feature films *Submarine* (2010) and *The Double* (2013), and appeared in films including *The Watch* (2012), *Paddington 2* (2017) and *The Phoenician Scheme* (2025), in which he plays Sergio. He has also provided voice work in animated films such as *Soul* (2020) and *The Bad Guys* (2022), and has presented television series including *Travel Man* and *The Crystal Maze*.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (16)

### Performed in (11) — the average rests on these

- *The Phoenician Scheme* (2025), Fi1m 70, as Sergio — [page](https://film.one/film/the-phoenician-scheme.md)
- *Soul* (2020), Fi1m 80, as Counselor Jerry (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/soul.md)
- *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part* (2019), Fi1m 63, as Ice Cream Cone  (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part.md)
- *The Mandalorian* (2019), Fi1m 76, as Zero (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mandalorian.md)
- *The Souvenir* (2019), Fi1m 84, as Patrick — [page](https://film.one/film/the-souvenir.md)
- *Early Man* (2018), Fi1m 68, as Treebor (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/early-man.md)
- *Paddington 2* (2017), Fi1m 91, as Forensic Investigator — [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md)
- *The Boxtrolls* (2014), Fi1m 64, as Mr. Pickles (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls.md)
- *The IT Crowd* (2006), Fi1m 76, as Maurice Moss — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md)
- *Nathan Barley* (2005), Fi1m 74, as Ned Smanks — [page](https://film.one/tv/nathan-barley.md)
- *The Mighty Boosh* (2004), Fi1m 80, as Saboo — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh.md)

### Directed (3)

- *Submarine* (2011), Fi1m 82, Writer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/submarine.md)
- *Community* (2009), Fi1m 83, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *Garth Marenghi's Darkplace* (2004), Fi1m 83, as Dean Learner / Thornton Reed — [page](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md)

### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Four Lions* (2010), Fi1m 94, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/four-lions.md)
- *Have I Got News for You* (1990), Fi1m 80, as Self - Host — [page](https://film.one/tv/have-i-got-news-for-you.md)

## Complete filmography (71)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Sonic the Hedgehog 4* (2027), Actor
- *Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord* (2026), series, as Two-Boots (voice)
- *The Bad Guys 2* (2025), as Professor Marmalade (voice)
- *The Phoenician Scheme* (2025), as Sergio — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-phoenician-scheme.md)
- *Dream Productions* (2024), series, as Xeni (voice)
- *Ren & Stimpy* (2024), series, as Genie (voice)
- *The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More* (2024), as Dr. Marshall / The Great Yogi / Various (archive footage)
- *The Rat Catcher* (2023), as Editor
- *Krapopolis* (2023), series, as Tyrannis (voice)
- *The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar* (2023), as Dr. Marshall / Yogi
- *Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight* (2022), series, as Archmage Kyle (voice)
- *The Bad Guys* (2022), as Professor Marmalade (voice)
- *The Electrical Life of Louis Wain* (2021), as Henry Wood
- *The Souvenir: Part II* (2021), as Patrick
- *Monsters at Work* (2021), series, as Declan (voice)
- *Rugrats* (2021), series, as Duffy (voice)
- *22 vs. Earth* (2021), as Counselor Jerry (voice)
- *Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains* (2021), series, as Guest
- *Soul* (2020), as Counselor Jerry (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/soul.md)
- *The Mandalorian* (2019), series, as Zero (voice) — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mandalorian.md)
- *The Souvenir* (2019), as Patrick — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-souvenir.md)
- *Moominvalley* (2019), series, as The Ghost (voice)
- *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part* (2019), as Ice Cream Cone  (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part.md)
- *Disenchantment* (2018), series, as Alva Gunderson / Gordy (voice), Alva Gunderson (voice), (voice)
- *Buff Up My Head* (2018), as Onion (voice)
- *Apple & Onion* (2018), series, as Onion (voice), Theme Song Performance
- *Early Man* (2018), as Treebor (voice) — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/early-man.md)
- *Paddington 2* (2017), as Forensic Investigator — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md)
- *Neo Yokio* (2017), series, as Herbert Sims (voice)
- *Danger Mouse* (2015), series, as The Snowman (voice)
- *Travel Man: 48 Hours in...* (2015), series, Writer
- *The Boxtrolls* (2014), as Mr. Pickles (voice) — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-boxtrolls.md)
- *The Double* (2014), Director, Writer
- *Duck Quacks Don't Echo* (2014), series, Actor
- *Strange Hill High* (2013), series, as Templeton (voice)
- *Gadget Man* (2012), series, as Presenter
- *Full English* (2012), series, as Edgar Johnson
- *The Watch* (2012), as Jamarcus
- *Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy* (2012), series, as City Gent, Tod Lagoona (voice), City Gent / Tom Lagoona, Todd Lagoona · Reality Man / Narrator / Todd Laguna
- *Black Mirror* (2011), series, as Richard Ayoade (voice) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md)
- *Through the Prism* (2011), Director
- *Submarine* (2011), Director, Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/submarine.md)
- *Paul* (2011), Thanks
- *Tommy Tiernan: Crooked Man* (2011), Director
- *Four Lions* (2010), Thanks — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/film/four-lions.md)
- *Bunny and the Bull* (2009), as Museum Curator
- *Community* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *Arctic Monkeys: At the Apollo* (2008), Director
- *Wynde: Behind the Man* (2007), as Interviewer · Writer, Director
- *Man to Man with Dean Learner* (2006), series, as Dean Learner · Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Darkplace Illuminatum* (2006), as Dean Learner · Director, Writer
- *Horrificata Illuminata* (2006), as Dean Learner · Director, Writer
- *Time Trumpet* (2006), series, Actor
- *Snuff Box* (2006), series, as Music Show Host
- *The IT Crowd* (2006), series, as Maurice Moss — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md)
- *The Mighty Boosh: Inside the Zooniverse* (2005), Actor
- *Festival* (2005), as Dwight Swan
- *Nathan Barley* (2005), series, as Ned Smanks — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/nathan-barley.md)
- *AD/BC: A Rock Opera* (2004), as Joseph · Director, Writer
- *The Life and Death of Peter Sellers* (2004), as Photographer at Wedding
- *The Mighty Boosh* (2004), series, as Saboo · Script Editor, Writer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh.md)
- *Garth Marenghi's Darkplace* (2004), series, as Dean Learner / Thornton Reed · Writer, Director, Creator — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md)
- *Hello, Friend* (2003), as Computer Man
- *Bruiser* (2000), series, as Additional Writing
- *SpongeBob SquarePants* (1999), series, as Sammy Suckerfish (voice)
- *Smack the Pony* (1999), series, as Additional Writing
- *Armstrong and Miller* (1997), series, Actor
- *The IT Crowd*, series, as Moss
- *The Bad Guys 3*, as Professor Marmalade (voice)
- *Untitled Wes Anderson Film*, Writer
- *The Semplica Girl Diaries*, Director, Writer

## Gallery

- ![Richard Ayoade](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-0c22942ce88a.jpg) Richard Ayoade — Yusuf Laher (dudephotography), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Richard_Ayoade_at_Soho_Hotel_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Richard Ayoade, Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, 5 December 2024](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-f03e0b7a06dd.jpg) Richard Ayoade, Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, 5 December 2024 — Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Richard_Ayoade_20241205.jpg/1280px-Richard_Ayoade_20241205.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Cinema Cafe at Sundance 2014](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-25ec56fc38f2.png) Cinema Cafe at Sundance 2014 — PunkToad, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/John_Slattery_%28God%E2%80%99s_Pocket%29_and_Richard_Ayoade_%28The_Double%29_%2812026171294%29_%28Cropped%29.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Richard Ayoade](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-6ffd3328ba0a.jpg) Richard Ayoade — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Ayoade](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-65fcce0b5a64.jpg) Richard Ayoade — Image via TMDB
- ![Richard Ayoade](https://film.one/media/person/8452/gallery-4c8a1ebfd11e.jpg) Richard Ayoade — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/richard-ayoade