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Richard Ayoade and Lydia Fox in The Souvenir (2019)

Frank Skinner and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Matthew Holness, Matt Berry, Alice Lowe, and Richard Ayoade in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)

Richard Ayoade in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)

Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Paul Rudd and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Stephen Mangan and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson in The IT Crowd (2006)

Jo Brand and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Kathy Burke and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)

Jack Dee and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Richard Ayoade and Rob Delaney in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Richard Ayoade and Roisin Conaty in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Johnny Vegas and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Noel Fielding and Richard Ayoade in Travel Man: 48 Hours in... (2015)

Chris O'Dowd and Richard Ayoade in The IT Crowd (2006)

Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade in The IT Crowd (2006)

Benedict Wong and Richard Ayoade in The IT Crowd (2006)

Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, and Katherine Parkinson in The IT Crowd (2006)

Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Simon Snashall, Charlie Baker, and Ed Weeks in The IT Crowd (2006)

Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Richard Ayoade, Jonah Hill, and Johnny Pemberton in The Watch (2012)

Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Richard Ayoade, and Jonah Hill in The Watch (2012)

Rocky Carroll, Joel McHale, Jessica St. Clair, and Richard Ayoade in The IT Crowd (2006)

Richard Ayoade and Lydia Fox at an event for The Double (2013)

Richard Ellef Ayoade was born in Hammersmith, and grew up in Suffolk, in England, the son of a Norwegian mother, Dagny Amalie (Bosvik), and a Nigerian father, Layide Ade Laditi Ayoade. He studied Law at Cambridge university, and followed in the footsteps of British Comedy legends like Monty Python's Eric Idle, Hugh Laurie and Graeme Garden when he became the president of the Cambridge Footlights club.

Ayoade's first real TV break was directing, co-writing and starring with Matthew Holness in the cult classic Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004) a parody of shlocky 1980's science fiction television shows, and noticed for it's "so bad it's good!" aesthetic. Notably shy and self-effacing in interviews, his performance as the debauched, self-assured publisher/pornographer/nightclub owner 'Dean Learner' showcased the young comedian's acting talent.

After cameos in another cult series The Mighty Boosh (2003) as the shaman "Saboo", his position in the popular consciousness was cemented in the series The IT Crowd (2006) where Ayoade played the social oblivious, dweebish savant known as "Moss".

All the while Ayoade continued to direct music videos for Vampire Weekend, Kasabian, and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs before finally getting his chance to direct a feature film, Submarine (2010), based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne.

Submarine was followed by The Double (2013) co-written by Avi Korine and based on a novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Richard Ayoade at an event for Submarine (2010)

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Richard Ayoade

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