Comedians and Comedy Actors who've gone far

[Mobius]

I'm still surprised and amused when I see Errol from 15 Storeys High popping up in the latest big budget Marvel trailer, even though I should be used to it now.

And Sophie from Peep Show being basically one of the biggest actors in the world now.

Any other examples?

[Leej88]

Daniel Kaluyya went from Skins and Psychoville to an Oscar winner.

[paruses]

House Laurie perhaps but unlike Errol it's mainly because House was such a big hit and in America rather than, say, him being good in The Night Manager.

[paruses]

I'm still surprised and amused when I see Errol from 15 Storeys High popping up in the latest big budget Marvel trailer, even though I should be used to it now.

And Sophie from Peep Show being basically one of the biggest actors in the world now.

Any other examples?

I got thrown up a YouTube clip the other day which was funniest lines in The Office (UK). I always forget Sophie is the trade mag journalist ("Brent mused....")

[up_the_hampipe]

Sacha Baron Cohen going from Men & Motors to being an internationally renowned, groundbreaking comedy force is quite good.

[Jackson K Pollock]

Mackenzie Crook going from being not-quite-good enough to stay on the 11 O'Clock Show (and that's saying something...), and having his own late-night regional ITV show Comedy Cafe under the name Charlie Cheese, to being in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and writing and starring in something as delicate and finely crafted as The Detectorists is absolutely unbelievable to me.

Likewise, Simon Pegg going from being in that ad for cough mixture where he inexplicably runs into a wall to 'prove' to his boss on the phone that he's not well, and being a guest on King Stupid, to basically being a Hollywood polymath is something else that always makes me think you just never know what life may have in store for you.

[damien]

One minute Walliams is annoying Dominik Diamond on the late night cable channels in the 90s next thing is he's earned 100 Million quid from his books.

[Bobloblawslawbomb]

If we're going totally underserved then I would challenge anyone to top James Corden. An ok sitcom, garbage sketch show, few presenting jobs in the UK, to late night US talk show host. All this despite being a truly talentless charisma vacuum. And by all accounts a right cunt. Will never understand how he's got to where he is.

[neveragain]

One minute Walliams is annoying Dominik Diamond on the late night cable channels in the 90s next thing is he's earned 100 Million quid from his books.

Yes but I'm sure Dominik's not bitter.

[stonkers]

Craig Ferguson going from Bing Hitler to the king of US talk shows.

[lipsink]

Chris O'Dowd suddenly popping up as the love interest in Hollywood films was a strange one. He was great too!

[Dusty Substance]

Peter Sellers went from zany radio comedy, to British cinema, to working twice with Kubrick, a string of Blake Edwards films, a leading man in a bunch of 60s/70s comedies and received two acting Oscar nominations. Also got married to the 22 year old Britt Ekland along the way.

[letsgobrian]

Bradley Cooper going from being in Wet Hot American Summer to being too busy to be in Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.

[badaids]

No Comedian has gone further than Eddie Izzard.  All those fucking marathons!

[Leej88]

Bill Hader

[Andy147]

House Laurie perhaps but unlike Errol it's mainly because House was such a big hit and in America rather than, say, him being good in The Night Manager.

His Alfresco co-star Emma Thompson as well.

Jeremy Irons started off (more or less) in Play Away.

[The Culture Bunker]

I can remember seeing John Oliver on 'Mock the Week' and thinking he was David Baddiel's even less funny kid brother. A few years later, I was a bit surprised when I started watching 'Community' to see him turn up there as part of his ascent to US stardom.

I'm friends with a relative of Benedict Wong, and was told he got a right bollocking from his mam sometime in the 90s for turning down a steady gig on the Bill. Needless to say etc.

[dr beat]

And Sophie from Peep Show being basically one of the biggest actors in the world now.

More so that she was known primarily for being in an Autotrader ad just prior to Peep Show

[chveik]

martin freeman

[Leej88]

And Olivia was one of the contestants on the roundabout section on the Word.

[studpuppet]

The cast and writers of Bruiser.

EDIT: Which seems to hoover up some of the above.

[Twonty Gostelow]

If we're going totally underserved then I would challenge anyone to top James Corden. An ok sitcom, garbage sketch show, few presenting jobs in the UK, to late night US talk show host. All this despite being a truly talentless charisma vacuum. And by all accounts a right cunt. Will never understand how he's got to where he is.

But success in the US did indirectly lead to Rose McGowan calling him a motherfucking piglet on Twitter...

[Tony Yeboah]

James McAvoy as the landlord's daughter's boyfriend in Early Doors.

[Bad Ambassador]

An episode of Drop the Dead Donkey sees the tearaway daughter of meek editor George moving into a squat with her boyfriend. George goes there and uncharacteristically scares the boyfriend off. Who played the boyfriend? Why,

Spoiler alert

Daniel Craig

[close]

of course!

[Rizla]

James McAvoy as the landlord's daughter's boyfriend in Early Doors.

2 years before that he had a strong bit part in an episode of Band of Brothers. That's a show with a fascinating cast of where-are-they-nows. A friend-of-a-friend played one of the main Easy Company roles, where he did the pre-shoot boot camp and was flown over to meet the veteran he'd be portraying (attended his funeral and still keeps in touch with the family, seemingly), and the whole experience sounded pretty overwhelming for a young actor; I get the impression a lot of the cast never quite got over the momentousness of it, and the fact the series fell somewhat off the radar due to the 9/11 attacks occurring between the first two broadcasts must have been very odd for them all.
EDIT not much to do with comedy actors, sorry - although Jimmy Fallon has a cameo in one episode that sticks out like a sore bellend. And Simon Pegg has an understated yet historically accurate small role - I guess that's where he became BFFs with Ross from Coffee Friends.

[idunnosomename]

James Corden as the fat cunt in The History Boys

[zomgmouse]

Reverse Peter Boyle

[Smeraldina Rima]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/focus-diana-mosley-the-last-bright-young-thing-100639.html

[Glebe]

Not a comedy person but Jeremy Irons going from Play Away to a long and illustrious Hollywood career is pretty mental.

[Mobius]

Daniel Kaluyya went from Skins and Psychoville to an Oscar winner.

Oh yeah that's a good shout. What sketch show was it where he played a parking attendant. That was bad.

I can remember seeing John Oliver on 'Mock the Week' and thinking he was David Baddiel's even less funny kid brother. A few years later, I was a bit surprised when I started watching 'Community' to see him turn up there as part of his ascent to US stardom.

Yeah I liked John Oliver because of The Bugle podcast (and his appearance on Iannucci's Charm Offensive) but still a surprise to see quite how massive he is stateside now.