.png)
9 Facts About Rowan Atkinson: A Man Who Made the Whole World Laugh Without Saying a Word
It doesn’t matter that he has more than 50 credits on his acting resume, the world knows Rowan Atkinson by his legendary role as Mr. Bean. This iconic comedian has come a long way from skipping his doctoral to pursuing his career in comedy.
In order to honor his achievements in the entertainment industry, Bright Side found the lesser-known facts about our very own Rowan Atkinson.
1. He has his own Heavy Goods Vehicle license.
We’ve all grown up seeing Mr. Bean riding his Mini or rolling up at red carpet events with lavish sports cars, but what’s even more surprising is that he has a legitimate HGV license as well! This license lets him drive while carrying up to 3.5 tons. How cool is that!
2. He’s obsessed with cars and often writes for CAR Magazine.
He is a self-confessed petrol head. He loves cars and usually writes for CAR Magazine, sharing his passion for motors with the world. He has an impressive collection of cars, which include an Audi A8, a Škoda Superb, and even a rare McLaren F1. But he’s not a big fan of Porsche, claiming that they are wonderful cars, but he doesn’t see himself living with one.
3. He has Masters in Electrical Engineering.
It can be hard to imagine Atkinson, apart from Mr. Bean, but the actor studied electrical engineering at Newcastle University and progressed to The Queen’s College, Oxford, for a Masters degree. He briefly began his doctoral work, when he decided to dedicate himself to comedy full-time.
4. He was Tony Blair’s classmate.
Atkinson attended primary school at a prestigious private school in Durham called The Chorister School, where Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister, was his classmate, who was 2 years older than him.
5. He is a frequent guest at Royal events.
Rowan Atkinson is friends with very powerful people. He was even invited to Prince Charles’ and Prince William’s weddings.
He also appeared in charity show that donated to The Prince’s Trust.
6. Rowan Atkinson used his own Aston Martin in his movie Johnny English.
In his movie, Johnny English, Atkinson used his own powerful and expensive car, an Aston Martin V8 Vantage Oscar India.
7. Atkinson has suffered from a mild stammer for many years.
It’s no wonder that his role for Mr. Bean was silent most of the time and that he rarely shows up for any interviews. He has difficulty pronouncing words that have the letter ’B’ or ’P’ in them. He takes a slight pause before saying these words.
8. He saved his family from an airplane crash.
While he was traveling with his family across Kenya, the pilot of a private plane passed out. Atkinson had to take control of the plane and luckily, after several slaps by Atkinson, the pilot came to his senses and managed to land the plane safely.
9. Mr. Bean was not the original name of the show.
The show was first called Mr. White, then the show creators kept suggesting vegetable names. Then, it was changed to Mr. Cauliflower, eventually, Mr. Bean was finalized. Only 14 episodes of this show were produced. Later 2 movies, an animated series, some books, and a video game were released.
Which Mr. Bean episode was your favorite? Did we miss out on any of his facts? Share with us in the comments below.
Preview photo credit Jon Furniss / Contributor / Getty Images
