---
name: "Stephen Merchant"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/stephen-merchant"
fi1m_id: "stephen-merchant"
imdb_id: "nm0580351"
tmdb_id: 39189
wikidata_id: "Q23814"
roles: ["Director","Writer","Actor"]
born: "24 November 1974"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 13
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "director"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-05T12:16:01.162944+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."
---

# Stephen Merchant

## Identity

Stephen Merchant

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/stephen-merchant
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** stephen-merchant
- **IMDb ID:** nm0580351
- **TMDB ID:** 39189
- **Wikidata ID:** Q23814
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Merchant, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23814, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580351/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39189

Director and writer. Born 24 November 1974 in Bristol, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Writer, Actor
- **Born:** 24 November 1974, Bristol, England, UK
- **Active:** 2001–present
- **Also known as:** Stephen James Merchant, スティーブン・マーチャント
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 13: 7 acting, 6 directing
- **Frequently works with:** [Ricky Gervais](https://film.one/person/ricky-gervais.md), [Charlie Hanson](https://film.one/person/charlie-hanson.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as director, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 83 (6), 2010s 63 (6), 2020s 67 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 70 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 6, Drama 2, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Merchant, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23814, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0580351/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/39189

## Streaming the US now

- **BritBox:** [*The Office*](https://film.one/tv/the-office.md) (89), [*Extras*](https://film.one/tv/extras.md) (81)
- **Disney+:** [*Logan*](https://film.one/film/logan.md) (83), [*Gnomeo & Juliet*](https://film.one/film/gnomeo-and-juliet.md) (61)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Garth Marenghi's Darkplace*](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md) (83), [*The Outlaws*](https://film.one/tv/the-outlaws.md) (67)
- **Peacock:** [*The Office*](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md) (77)

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

## Fi1m on Stephen Merchant

> Stephen Merchant's best work lets an awkward moment run a beat longer than is comfortable and trusts the person nearest the camera to tell us how it feels. With Gervais that made *The Office* and *Extras*; on his own, he has been warmer and, we suspect, safer.

Somebody in the office looks at the camera while David Brent is still talking. Nobody has to deliver a better line; the glance does the work. In *The Office* (2001), which Merchant created, wrote and directed with Ricky Gervais, the camera behaves like another colleague whose opinion counts, and the two of them resist making every reaction equally conspicuous. A look held a fraction too long would announce the joke. That restraint, holding rather than cutting, is the most useful thing Merchant has ever put on a screen.

He met Gervais at XFM in 1997, and the partnership produced two series we rate highly. *The Office* remains the finer: a comedy about the effort of being liked and what that effort costs everyone within earshot. *Extras* (2005) moved the same method to the fringes of the acting trade, where people have had far too long to consider why they have not got anywhere. We were more saddened than we expected by Maggie Jacobs's fear that she might be wasting her life, because Merchant and Gervais give Ashley Jensen the space to play it as an ordinary worry rather than a speech. Merchant was also an executive producer on the American *The Office* (2005), where his hand is harder to see.

The turn came with *Cemetery Junction* (2010), a 1970s coming-of-age film he directed and co-wrote with Gervais, and which the reviews found conventional and sentimental beside the television work. After that he went solo: *Hello Ladies* (2013), *Fighting with My Family* (2019), and *The Outlaws* (2021), a crime comedy set in his home city of Bristol that tries to hold suspense and jokes in the same hand. He has described this as "trying to have your cake and eat it". Remi Adefarasin has shot three of his projects, and the pictures have grown glossier as the mockumentary pretence has fallen away.

What works is the attention to people who fear being overlooked; what does not is the pacing when the discomfort is the whole point. Even in *The Office*, Gervais sometimes presses an awkward passage beyond what it tells us about Brent, and Merchant's shared writing and direction do not always check that impulse. In *Extras*, the sketch shape means that once we can see the humiliation coming, the wait is longer than the joke deserves. The solo work is kinder, and kindness removes that particular problem without, so far as we can tell, replacing it with anything as sharp.

Start with the 2001 *The Office* and watch the people who are not speaking. Then *Extras*, for Jensen. Merchant made his name as the man who did not cut away, and we are not yet certain what he does instead.

## Biography

Stephen Merchant is an English comedian, writer, director and actor. Born on 24 November 1974 in Bristol, he studied film and literature at the University of Warwick.

With Ricky Gervais he co-wrote and co-directed the BBC series *The Office* (2001–2003) and co-created *Extras* (2005–2007). He has also written and directed *Life's Too Short* (2011–2013) and the film *Fighting with My Family* (2019).

His acting credits include *Hot Fuzz* (2007), *Logan* (2017), *Jojo Rabbit* (2019) and voice roles in *The Simpsons* and *The Big Bang Theory*.

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

## On Fi1m (13)

### Performed in (7)

- *Jojo Rabbit* (2019), Fi1m 88, as Deertz — [page](https://film.one/film/jojo-rabbit.md)
- *Logan* (2017), Fi1m 83, as Caliban — [page](https://film.one/film/logan.md)
- *Movie 43* (2013), Fi1m 24, as Donald (segment "Truth or Dare") — [page](https://film.one/film/movie-43.md)
- *Gnomeo & Juliet* (2011), Fi1m 61, as Paris (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/gnomeo-and-juliet.md)
- *Hot Fuzz* (2007), Fi1m 84, as Peter Ian Staker — [page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md)
- *Garth Marenghi's Darkplace* (2004), Fi1m 83, as The Chef — [page](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md)
- *Green Wing* (2004), Fi1m 83, as Lab Technicianian — [page](https://film.one/tv/green-wing.md)

### Directed (6) — the average rests on these

- *The Outlaws* (2021), Fi1m 67, as Greg — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-outlaws.md)
- *Life's Too Short* (2011), Fi1m 63, as Stephen Merchant — [page](https://film.one/tv/lifes-too-short.md)
- *Cemetery Junction* (2010), Fi1m 61, as Dougie Boden — [page](https://film.one/film/cemetery-junction.md)
- *Extras* (2005), Fi1m 81, as Darren Lamb — [page](https://film.one/tv/extras.md)
- *The Office* (2005), Fi1m 77, Teleplay, Director, Writer, Original Series Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md)
- *The Office* (2001), Fi1m 89, as Paul Shepherd (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office.md)

## Complete filmography (70)

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

- *La oficina* (2026), series, Original Series Creator
- *Goodbye June* (2025), as Jerry
- *The Paper* (2025), series, Executive Producer, Original Series Creator
- *The Office* (2024), series, Original Series Creator
- *The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon* (2023), series, as Julian Chamberlain
- *The Office (SA)* (2022), series, Original Series Creator
- *Four Lives* (2022), series, as Stephen Port
- *A Boy Called Christmas* (2021), as Miika (voice)
- *The Outlaws* (2021), series, as Greg · Director, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-outlaws.md)
- *The Office PL* (2021), series, Original Series Creator
- *Locked Down* (2021), as Michael Morgan
- *Home Movie: The Princess Bride* (2020), series, as Count Rugen
- *Jojo Rabbit* (2019), as Deertz — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/jojo-rabbit.md)
- *Good Boys* (2019), as Claude (uncredited)
- *The Office* (2019), series, Original Series Creator
- *Critters: A New Binge* (2019), series, as Mr. President Critter (voice)
- *Fighting with My Family* (2019), as Hugh · Writer, Director, Producer
- *Click & Collect* (2018), as Andrew Bennett
- *The Girl in the Spider's Web* (2018), as Frans Balder
- *Sherlock Gnomes* (2018), as Paris (voice)
- *Table 19* (2017), as Walter Thimble
- *The Office* (2017), series, Original Series Creator
- *Logan* (2017), as Caliban — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/logan.md)
- *Dream Corp LLC* (2016), series, as T.E.R.R.Y. (voice) · Executive Producer
- *The Good Place* (2016), series, as Neil — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-place.md)
- *David Brent: Life on the Road* (2016), Characters
- *Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie* (2016), as Barron Hilton
- *Hello Ladies: The Movie* (2014), as Stuart Pritchard · Director, Writer, Executive Producer
- *Hello Ladies* (2013), series, as Stephen · Writer, Director, Executive Producer, Creator
- *The Return of Brent* (2013), Characters
- *I Give It a Year* (2013), as Danny
- *Movie 43* (2013), as Donald (segment "Truth or Dare") — Fi1m 24, [page](https://film.one/film/movie-43.md)
- *Gadget Man* (2012), series, Actor
- *Stephen Merchant: Hello Ladies... Live!* (2011), Writer, Producer
- *Life's Too Short* (2011), series, as Stephen Merchant · Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/lifes-too-short.md)
- *Hall Pass* (2011), as Gary
- *Gnomeo & Juliet* (2011), as Paris (voice) — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/gnomeo-and-juliet.md)
- *Burke & Hare* (2010), as Footman
- *Jackboots on Whitehall* (2010), as Tom (voice)
- *An Idiot Abroad* (2010), series, Producer
- *The Office* (2010), series, Original Series Creator
- *HaMisrad* (2010), series, Creator
- *Cemetery Junction* (2010), as Dougie Boden · Director, Writer, Executive Producer — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/cemetery-junction.md)
- *The Ricky Gervais Show* (2010), series, Producer, Creator
- *Tooth Fairy* (2010), as Tracy
- *The Invention of Lying* (2009), as Man at the Door
- *Modern Family* (2009), series, as Higgins — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md)
- *The Big Bang Theory* (2007), series, as Dave Gibbs — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-big-bang-theory.md)
- *Run Fatboy Run* (2007), as Man with Broken Leg
- *Taping Nigel II: The Gimpening* (2007), Camera Operator
- *Hot Fuzz* (2007), as Peter Ian Staker — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md)
- *La Job* (2006), series, Creator
- *Le Bureau* (2006), series, Creator
- *Taping Nigel* (2005), Camera Operator
- *Finding Leo* (2005), Director
- *Extras* (2005), series, as Darren Lamb · Writer, Director, Executive Producer, Creator — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/extras.md)
- *The Office* (2005), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Original Series Creator, Teleplay — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md)
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Scientist (voice)
- *Bromwell High* (2005), series, as Mr. Phillips
- *The Last Chancers* (2004), series, Director
- *Green Wing* (2004), series, as Lab Technicianian — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/green-wing.md)
- *Derren Brown: Trick of the Mind* (2004), series, Actor
- *Garth Marenghi's Darkplace* (2004), series, as The Chef — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/garth-marenghis-darkplace.md)
- *Golden Years* (2003), series, Writer
- *The Office* (2001), series, as Paul Shepherd (voice), Nathan · Director, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office.md)
- *Comedy Lab* (1998), series, as James · Director
- *Seedy Boss* (1998), Director
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Conrad (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *The Ark and the Aardvark*, as Croc (voice)
- *The Sham*, Director, Screenplay, Producer

## Gallery

- ![Stephen Merchant in November 2009.](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-dd38c3837084.jpg) Stephen Merchant in November 2009. — Carolyn Djanogly, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/StephenMerchantAltNov09.jpg/1280px-StephenMerchantAltNov09.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Stephen Merchant](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-c5b0fe3da2d5.jpg) Stephen Merchant — Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Stephen_Merchant.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Stephen Merchant at a Hudson Union Society event in January 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-8358064036c2.jpg) Stephen Merchant at a Hudson Union Society event in January 2011. — Justin Hoch photographing for Hudson Union Society, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/StephenMerchantJan2011.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Stephen Merchant at the premiere of Jojo Rabbit, 2019 Toronto Film Festival](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-85444e06ac47.jpg) Stephen Merchant at the premiere of Jojo Rabbit, 2019 Toronto Film Festival — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Jojo_Rabbit_04_%2848810397801%29.jpg/1280px-Jojo_Rabbit_04_%2848810397801%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Stephen Merchant](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-79264f23b823.jpg) Stephen Merchant — Image via TMDB
- ![Stephen Merchant](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-eda31b475d14.jpg) Stephen Merchant — Image via TMDB
- ![Stephen Merchant at the premiere of Jojo Rabbit, 2019 Toronto Film Festival](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-3d97d5bebe9c.jpg) Stephen Merchant at the premiere of Jojo Rabbit, 2019 Toronto Film Festival — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Jojo_Rabbit_05_%2848810043578%29.jpg/1280px-Jojo_Rabbit_05_%2848810043578%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Stephen Merchant in November 2009.](https://film.one/media/person/60180/gallery-5af40d5086f8.jpg) Stephen Merchant in November 2009. — Carolyn Djanogly, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/StephenMerchantNov09.jpg/1280px-StephenMerchantNov09.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 2006: Outstanding Comedy Series (won)

### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- British Academy Games Award for Performer 2012: British Academy Games Award for Performer (nominated)
- Writers Guild of America Award 2007: Writers Guild of America Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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/stephen-merchant