Stephen Mangan is a 56-year-old British actor and writer. He’s really well-known in the UK for his long history on British television, but he’s also done a lot of stage work and some film work. Plus, he’s a regular on chat shows because he’s so charming and funny, and I recognize him from his multiple appearances on Graham Norton’s show. While he’s described everywhere as “English,” it turns out that his parents were Irish republicans and their republicanism affects him even now. Mangan was profiled by the Times of London, and they asked him if he would accept one of those British “honors” like an OBE or CBE. Some highlights from the Times:
He became a first-time father at 39: “Before that, being settled didn’t feel like a goal in my work or private life, but I look at friends who have children now in their twenties and think it must have been nice having kids when you were younger. I’ve an eight-year-old. I’m not quite in Mick Jagger or Al Pacino territory but .. I had a great time in my twenties and thirties, so it’s all worked out. It keeps you young hanging out with the parents of other eight-year-olds. I have to keep reminding myself a lot of them are twenty years younger than me, so if I start talking about Bagpuss they’re, like, ‘What? Sorry?’ ”
America isn’t for him. “LA’s such a tense town. Everyone measures each other’s status on an hourly basis. Who’s up, who’s down, who’s important, who’s not — it’s so tedious. I know I could probably have earned more money or been more famous or been in bigger jobs if I’d stayed, but the variety of what I do now fills me with joy. I suppose I feel I’m catching lots of little fish, instead of going out there to catch one big fish.”
His parents’ early deaths. He runs — “I’m addicted” — eats healthily and has virtually quit alcohol. His ageing role model is his 91-year-old Portrait Artist co-presenter and Primrose Hill neighbour Joan Bakewell. “When I was cast I went round to her house and explained that I’d lived in the area for 25 years, and she said, ‘Yes, it’s not been the same since Ted and Sylvia left.’ ” She was referring to Hughes and Plath. “I was, like, ‘OK, you win.’ ”
On the possibility of an honor: “I wouldn’t do any of that. I’m from an Irish republican family. I’m not bowing down in front of King Charles.” Has he been offered something? He arches an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be at liberty to say.”
I always like when British actors do this, announce that they’re not interested in playing games and sucking up to the Windsors or the establishment. Even though I love Emma Thompson, I’m constantly disappointed in how much she sucks up to King Charles and Prince William. Judi Dench as well. The honors/honours have very little to do with achievements at this point, especially when the Tory leaders made sure to give themselves knighthoods as they were all leaving. Not to mention, Charles passed out knighthoods to anyone who handed him a bag full of cash. It’s cool that Mangan is like… yeah, I would never bow to these people. Good for him.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Stephen Mangan and Louise Delamere attends ‘ Wonka ‘ – World Premiere at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England. UK. Tuesday 28th November 2023 -,Image: 825206503, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: Wonka – World Premiere, Credit line: James Warren/Bang Showbiz/Avalon
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- Stephen Mangan and Louise Delamere at An Audience With Kylie at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, United Kingdom on 1 December 2023.,Image: 826383472, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Cat Morley/Avalon/Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – 27 November 2024: Stephen Mangan attends the “The Split: Barcelona’ Special Scrteening in London, England.,Image: 940053956, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Lounis Tiar/Avalon/Avalon
I enjoy him as a host of Portrait Artist.
No way this dude is 56!
Meanwhile, David Beckham is still playing “waity Katie”. He would clearly bow and scrape to Charles, William too. Good for Stephan.
And he didn’t even make it on this year’s list ! There are several football personalities who are getting honors this year but not Beckham. Hilarious !
I have a theory that there is a deal that Beckham will get a knighthood when William is king, because, otherwise, it’s odd but probably due to Charles, generational stuff, and Beckham whining about not getting one previously.
Don’t know who he is but am very into his republicanism. It’s just funny bc I’d imagine this is the headline that’s getting picked up. That he refuses to bow to King Charles. Do all uk actors get asked this and know that their answer will be made into a big deal? How tedious.
Dench is the biggest disappointment. She hangs out with Cam. I can’t watch things with her in them any more.
Judi Dench has been in some very good movies (and plays) and comes from the same era as Maggie Smith and Michael Caine. Being anointed by QEII had a significance for actors that will be never be realized again. If Judi and Cam want to throw back a bottle of gin once a fortnight, let them. I’ll still watch Mrs. Brown or Notes On A Scandal if I come across it on tv.
Dench also hangs out with other piles of sh*t like piss organ and jeremy clarkson. Theyre all part of that motley crew that cowmilla takes to swig gin at christmas. As clarkson said: “camilla is one of us.”
So yeah….dench and the lot of them can go fudge themselves. And each other.
Well, I have more pressing concerns than keeping up with Camilla’s coterie of sycophants. With the US poised for a tectonic shift that will negatively impact the rest of our world, let the decaying waxworks fade into oblivion while we arm ourselves for the coming putsch.
@Klara And yet here you are on an unserious site that follows such things.
Well, that’s good for him. I’ll only say that LA is not the only place in America – you can catch small fish there, too
Stephen and Tamsin Greig co wrote and starred in “Episodes” with Matt LeBlanc so his take on LA is pretty much the series logline.
Episodes s very much worth watching. Hilarious!
Sure, I meant that there are other places in the US, there are other stories that aren’t about LA, there are other people – if he wants variety, there’s a whole country out there. But, perhaps, Kaiser was putting words in his mouth and he was only talking about LA.
John oliver was offered one, turned it down and was told to never tell anyone. John being John he went straight to, I think seth Meyers, and told EVERYONE! one of the many reasons I love him!
ETA typo
Oh John Oliver, never change!
I don’t know much about Mangan except that he played Bertie Wooster in a Jeeves stage production and I ate my heart out that I couldn’t fly across the pond to see it. Good looking dude.
I remember that John Oliver episode – he was delightfully gleeful about announcing that he’d turned down a knighthood. Good for him. It’s so funny that they thought he’d be quiet about it just because they told him to – but then it’s also funny that they offered in the first place, given his very public negative views on the monarchy!
@sadieMae: Given his very public negative views on the Monarchy is exactly why they offered him a knighthood. its their way of “buying” him. they really thought he’ll change track and start speaking in their favor once he gets a knighthood.
I feel thats what the institution normally does and how it operates. Im pretty sure they do offer knighthoods to people like john oliver to reign him in.
I love him and Nicola Walker in The Split. Such a great TV series and they just came out with the specials after the series ended two years ago.
Love The Split! Looking forward to the special.
I thought he looked familiar. I was just rewatching Season 1 of The Split. He was terrific in it. Hopefully, I can get a hold of the series finale episodes soon.
YES! The Split is so good! Ive rewatched several times.
If you like Nicola Walker, she’s excellent in Last Tango in Halifax. It’s on Netflix for about another week and a half.
She’s also terrific in Annika, a crime show set in Scotland.
As long as we’re on the topic of things Nicola Walker was great in (as well as everyone else in the cast) … Unforgotten is probably the best detective series I’ve ever watched.
Stephen Mangan was also delightful in a Miss Marple episode many years ago. I wish it could’ve been a recurring role. His views here just make me like him more.
Yes! Unforgotten is excellent! Please also check out Nicola Walker in Last Tango in Halifax. Also starring the magnificent Sarah Lancashire.
That’s where I know him from! He was really good. And Nicola Walker is fantastic in everything. I still remember her as a crazy killer in an early Scott & Bailey.
I’m pleased he hinted at having turned down one of the “honours” by raising an eyebrow to the question.
I’ve read somewhere that the Palace asks recipients who decline not to make it public so the general populace has no idea that a lot of people actually refuse to accept them.
I urge you to watch Hang Ups (iplayer UK and I think Hulu elsewhere) as he is fantastic but is outshined by the beautiful Richard E Grant. It’s hilarious.
You know, I didn’t notice before reading CB that British actors really love talking sh*t about USA after going back home. lol. I wonder if there is any actor who is just thankful for the opportunities and money they made in USA.
The whole bowing thing is so weird. Good for Mangan.
I respect and prefer Mangan’s position but I also understand the thinking of Maggie Smith about accepting an honor from a royal: “The whole thing IS rather silly but it’s lovely if it happens when your parents are still alive. I did it for THEM.” This is why I don’t blame someone like Carey Mulligan for agreeing to accept the CBE announced yesterday.
I GUESS? But it just perpetuates the cycle, as every new group coming up probably has parents to accept awards for. To me, their acceptance of these silly awards signifies that Carey and Maggie did not have the good fortune of parents like Stephen’s who knew the difference between what’s important and real vs what’s lending your shine to an corrupt institution. The honors only really honor the crown. Hopefully Carey and Maggie do better by their children than their parents did.
I like the idea of people being honored for their noteworthy accomplishments but I wish the honours were presented by an elected official such as the Prime Minister rather than by a royal. In America, we have Medals of the Arts and Medals of Freedom which are presented by the President. And nobody bows to anybody at the presentation ceremonies.
And now I like him even more! He did a series with Nicola Walker, one of my favourite actresses, called The Split. Excellent work from both of them. (Nicola has followed a similar career to Stephen. Why she’s not in everything is beyond me.)
Are his parents from Northern Ireland? I’m a little confused about “Irish Republicans” I mean, with a few exceptions, aren’t they all?
Anyway sounds like his parents were a little more vocal about their thinking than my dad but I found he felt exactly the same. So good for Mangan for being public with his stance. Every time someone states what should be obvious like this, it’s another chip off the sheen.
Sweeping statement. There are republicans in all parts of Ireland and the use of the term confers a level of…commitment is as near as I can get…that is not necessarily shared by the majority of the population in the Irish Republic. Many who support Irish reunification would not describe themselves as republicans. My Irish father supported peaceful reunification of Ireland but would not have called himself a republican.