Eddie Izzard is a British stand-up comedian, actor and activist born in Aden, Yemen, on 7 February 1962.
She is known for her surreal and off-kilter monologues and pantomimes as well as her roles in films such as Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, Valkyrie and The Lego Batman Movie.
She has also performed on stage in plays such as The Cryptogram, Edward II, Lenny and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg.
She won two Emmy Awards for her comedy special Dress to Kill and was nominated for a Tony Award for her Broadway performance in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg.
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- Full name: Edward John Izzard
- Date of birth: February 7, 1962
- Age: 61 years old
- Gender: Transgender woman
- Place of birth: Aden, Yemen
- British nationality
- Profession: Stand-up comedian, actor, activist
- Height: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
- Parents: Harold John Izzard (father), Dorothy Ella Izzard (mother)
- Siblings: Mark Izzard (older brother)
- Spouse: Not applicable
- Children: Not applicable
- Relationship status: single
- Net worth: 20 million USD
Early Life & Education
Eddie Izzard was born on February 7, 1962 in Aden, Yemen, where her father, Harold, worked as an accountant for British Petroleum.
Her mother, Dorothy, was a nurse and a midwife. She has a younger brother, Mark, born in 1963. Her parents are British and follow the Church of England. She was of French Huguenot descent on her mother’s side.
When she was six, her family moved to Northern Ireland, where they lived in Bangor for a year. They then moved to Skewen, Wales, where they remained until she was 12 years old. She attended St John’s Primary School and Penyrheol Comprehensive School.
She lost her mother to cancer when she was eight years old, and the disease had a profound impact on her life. She later said that her mother’s death made her “feel like she had to do something with her life” and that she subsequently “became more of a performer”.
Monty Python, The Goon Show and The Beatles inspired her. She also enjoys reading books, especially science fiction and fantasy books.
She was fascinated by history, geography and language. She learned to speak French by listening to language recordings. She also taught herself some German, Spanish and Arabic.
She moved to East Sussex, England, when she was 13 years old and attended Eastbourne College, a boarding school. She was unhappy there and felt isolated and bullied.
She goes against the school’s strict rules and regulations and often gets into trouble. She participated in several school plays and joined the cadet force.
She also began experimenting with cross-dressing styles and makeup, which she kept secret from her classmates and teachers.
She later said that she realized she was transgender when she was 4 years old, but did not come out until later.
She left school at 16 and applied to join the Royal Air Force but was rejected because of poor eyesight. She then decided to pursue a career in comedy and acting.
She enrolled at the University of Sheffield, where she studied financial management and accounting. She joined the student drama society and performed in many different shows.
Personal life
Eddie Izzard is a transgender woman who uses her own pronouns and identifies as lesbian. She publicly announced that she was transgender in 1985 when she was 23 years old.
She says she is “half boy” and has “boy and girl genetics”. She also said that she is “not a drag queen” but “a transgender or a male lesbian”.
She describes her gender identity as “somewhat masculine and somewhat feminine” and her sexuality as “a straight transgender or a male lesbian”.
She says she is attracted to women and that she has dated both cisgender and cisgender women.
She has been open and honest about her gender identity and expression throughout her career. She often performs in women’s clothing and makeup, which have become part of her signature style.
She says she wants to “break down barriers between men and women” and that she hopes to “make people more comfortable about gender and sexuality”.
She also said she wants to “use comedy to promote human rights” and believes in “universal human values.”
She is a vocal supporter of the LGBT+ community and has campaigned for various causes and charities. She has also been involved in politics and activism. She is a member of the Labor Party and is pro-European.
She campaigned for the UK to stay in the European Union. She has expressed interest in running for mayor of London or member of parliament in the future.
She has also run several marathons for charity, raising millions of pounds for causes such as Sports Relief, UNICEF and Amnesty International.
She is currently single and has no children. She says she wants to have children someday but is still determining how to do it.
Career
Eddie Izzard’s career as a comedian and actor spanned more than three decades. She began performing stand-up comedy in London in the late 1980s, where she developed her unique style of surreal and off-color humor.
She often improvises on stage and uses a variety of accents and languages. She also incorporated elements of mime, pantomime and comedy into her performance.
She became famous and recognized in the 1990s when she performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and won a Perrier Comedy Award in 1993.
She also appeared on television shows such as The Comic Strip Presents, Have I Got News for You, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?
She made her breakthrough in the United States in 1998 when she performed the comedy special Dress to Kill in San Francisco.
The show was filmed and aired on HBO, receiving critical acclaim and winning two Emmy Awards.
She then performed several more comedy specials such as Glorious, Circle, Sexie, Stripped, Force Majeure and Wunderbar.
She also performs her monologues in multiple languages, including Arabic, French, German, Russian and Spanish.
She said she wants to “make people laugh in different languages” and hopes to “spread goodwill around the world” through comedy.
She also pursued an acting career, both on stage and screen. She made her film debut in 1996 playing a small role in The Secret Agent.
She then appeared in several films such as Velvet Goldmine, The Avengers, Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, Valkyrie, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Victoria & Abdul, And The Lego Batman Movie.
She also voiced characters in animated films such as The Wild, Igor, Cars 2, And Lion King. She received positive reviews and awards for her performances, especially as Elizabeth I in the miniseries Elizabeth I and Lenny Bruce in the play Lenny.
She has also performed on stage in various plays, such as Code, Edward II, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Wealth, Race, And The Iceman arrives.
She has also written and produced several of her own shows, such as The Cat and the Canary, What About Dick?, and Six Minutes to Midnight.
She has been nominated for several awards for her theater work, including the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Olivier Award.
She is considered by many to be one of the most unique and influential comedians of her generation. She is praised for her intelligence, creativity, flexibility and courage. She is also admired for her positivity, humanitarianism and personal style.
She has influenced and inspired many other comedians and performers, such as Ricky Gervais, Russell Brand, Sarah Silverman and John Oliver.
She has also received a number of honors and awards for her contributions to comedy, culture and society, such as the British Comedy Awards’ Outstanding Achievement Award.
Death
Eddie Izzard is still alive and well as of 2023. She has not been involved in any fatal accidents or illnesses.
However, she has faced several health challenges and risks in her life. She has dyslexia, which affects her ability to study and read.
She has also received a number of death threats and hate messages from some people who disapprove of her gender identity and expression.
However, she overcame these obstacles and challenges with courage and resilience. She has said that she is not afraid of death and that she believes in reincarnation.
Argumentative
Eddie Izzard has been involved in a number of controversies and criticism throughout his career. Some of them are:
- In 2000, comedian Sean Lock accused her of plagiarism, claiming that she copied some of his jokes and routines. She denied the allegations and said she never witnessed Lock’s actions. She also said that she had been developing her material for many years and had no intention of stealing from anyone.
- In 2008, she was criticized by some animal rights activists for wearing a fur coat during her Stripped tour. She defended her choice, saying she bought the coat from a thrift store and does not support the fur industry. She also said she is a vegetarian and cares about animals.
- In 2016, she got into a heated debate with Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, on the BBC’s Question Time programme. She challenged Farage’s views on immigration, Brexit and the European Union.
She also wore a pink beret and a badge emblazoned with the EU flag, which Farage mocked and called “a comedy”.
She responded that she was proud to be European and wanted to stand up for people’s rights.
- In 2019, she caused some controversy when she announced she would use her pronouns and identify as a transgender woman. Some people praised her for her courage and honesty, while others questioned her decision and accused her of being confused and attention-seeking.
She said she always felt like a woman and wanted to be honest with herself and the world. She also said that she respects the opinions of others and she hopes to receive respect from others.
Social Media
- Twitter name: @eddieizzard
- Instagram handle: @eddieizzard
Filming
- Secret agent
- Velvet gold mine
- Avengers
- A secret man
- The shadow of the vampire
- Caterwaul
- Twelve oceans
- Ocean’s Thirteen
- In the universe
- Valkyrie
- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
- Igor
- Wild
- Car 2
- Lego Batman Movie
- Victoria & Abdul
- Six minutes to midnight
CD
- unrepeatable
- Definite article
- glory
- Dressed very beautifully
- Circle
- charming
- Stripping
- Live from Wembley
- Majeure
- Wunderbar
Net value
Eddie Izzard has an estimated net worth of $20 million. She has earned her wealth from her successful career as a comedian, actress, and activist.
She has performed in many comedies, films, and stage specials, which have brought her significant income.
