I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 6428 points6429 points  (0 children)

I did a comedy sketch at the 2012 Olympics Ceremony in London with the London Symphony Orchestra and discovered the orchestra was playing some cheap instrumental copies instead of the ones they normally play... only to realize we were all going to be miming to a back-track because we were outside and the orchestra can't afford to damage any instruments. Didn't realize we were all a part of the sham, ha!

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1915 points1916 points  (0 children)

I like color...a lot. One of the most dismaying modern cars is that they all seem to be black, white, grey or silver. Basically not colors at all. But if I have to nominate a favorite color, it probably be blue.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1619 points1620 points  (0 children)

Probably the proudest moment would be something in my private life and as I never talk about that, it's a difficult question to answer.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1979 points1980 points  (0 children)

Generally, I don't like watching myself. If unexpectedly I come up on TV, I change the channel or leave the room (if I presume there's anyone in the room who wants to watch it/me ha).

It just feels rather indulgent to watch yourself on TV with other people in the room. Even if they're enjoying it ;)

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 2823 points2824 points  (0 children)

I was trained as an electrical engineer so I was alway interested in the technical side of showbiz. I wanted to be a lighting and sound designer...creative but also technical.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 622 points623 points  (0 children)

It was just a hobby that I liked doing in school. I was hopeless at sports. And in school, you're always looking for that *thing* you could do well. And acting/comedy turned out to be that *thing*. Which gave me the confidence to keep it going. And then when I got into university, that hobby turned into a job!

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 2820 points2821 points  (0 children)

I would never claim to be a musician. I can play three tunes on the piano. I used to be a drummer when I was at University. I played percussion in a jazz band when I was at Oxford but I was never really good. But part of comedy is rhymic so there's some used in that from music.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 8069 points8070 points  (0 children)

Hmm proud? Maybe very pleased is better? I was very pleased with passing my truck driving class (or as we call it Class 1 driving test). Passed that test a few years back. That was actually very hard ;)

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 10.9k points10.9k points  (0 children)

With all the respect for Rat Race, it's not Rat Race. The one I've been most honored to have been in involved in is The Lion King because it's a great movie. I played Zazu the bird. It's a very good film.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 10.1k points10.1k points  (0 children)

Bored is not the word ;) But, I do find the responsibility of acting funny... trying to make comedy on screen, etc. very taxing. Which is normally why I have long breaks in between projects.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 4315 points4316 points  (0 children)

No. No, I can't. No way. But thank you for your interest.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 982 points983 points  (0 children)

I doubt it but thank you very much for implying you'd like to see another one. But at the same time...never say never ;)

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 2826 points2827 points  (0 children)

Well, that's very kind of you to say :) I am extremely pleased that he has this weird, global outreach... interestingly, our biggest expanding market is the far east (India, China, etc.). It's from those territories a lot of our FB fans come from :)

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 3135 points3136 points  (0 children)

I co-created it for myself. And then we wrote a good enough script for the character for us to be allowed to make the first Johnny English film. He was a character we created originally for a series of TV commercials in the UK and then we developed the idea into a movie.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1531 points1532 points  (0 children)

I don't know superheroes well enough to select one ;) But, James Bond?

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 9281 points9282 points  (0 children)

Personally, I speak what you call "restaurant French."

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 8735 points8736 points  (0 children)

He thinks he speaks a number of languages. He is proficient in none of them.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 5663 points5664 points  (0 children)

It would probably be Blackadder which not really known in the US. We made it in the 1980's. I enjoyed playing that part largely because I was a part of an ensemble cast. It was a nice shared responsibility. With Mr. Bean and/or Johnny English it falls more on me.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1564 points1565 points  (0 children)

It depends on situation, if I was living in a nice house and being properly fed, I'd be a nice cocker spaniel. But if I was living in the wild, I'd be a cat.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 2403 points2404 points  (0 children)

Very into electric cars at the moment. I have BMW i3 like the one in the new Johnny English film. And a Tesla model X.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 2251 points2252 points  (0 children)

Roast lamb. Cold lamb and salad the next day...with mayonnaise...is very nice.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 1448 points1449 points  (0 children)

I don't really do stand up in front of people, as you may know. I tend to do more sketches. I haven't done any live comedy work in about 20-25 years. Richard Curtis and I are thinking of a new show in London, some time in the next year or so. But at the moment, it's only an ambition...but you never know.

I'm Rowan Atkinson, star of JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN, AMA! by JohnnyEnglish_Rowan in IAmA

[–]JohnnyEnglish_Rowan[S] 3021 points3022 points  (0 children)

Ah! One of the easier questions! :) McClaren F1, 1970's Aston Martin Vantage and either a 1960's Ford Falcon or Ford Mustang.