So You Think You Know... Ricky Gervais
The Invention Of Lying’s funny man on life, lies and lateness...
On telling lies in everyday life...
I lie all the time, but to protect people’s feelings. If somebody asks me, “Can you come to my baby’s christening?” I’ll say, “I’m busy,” not, “That doesn’t sound like a great day out!” And those fat little babies that look like Winston Churchill... It makes you a good person when you can choose to tell a good lie.
On reading porkies in the press...
I’m not on the same level of fame as the other guys in this movie [Jennifer Garner; Rob Lowe], so people don’t say much about me! The tabloids did say I was pregnant... they caught me standing a certain way and ran the photo with the headline, ‘Is Ricky pregnant?’
On the harsh truth...
When I was eight years old, I was doing my Bible studies and my brother came in. He asked me why I believed in God. And I just thought and thought... and within an hour, I was an atheist. Then he told me the Easter Bunny was dead!
On the subject of religion within the movie...
We made the decision to include religion in this world, but I don’t think people who believe in God should leave the movie feeling that their faith is challenged. It’s nothing more than an artistic choice. But the determinists may go crazy about free will...
On his pet hates on set...
I’m anal about lateness. Oh, and people chewing loudly. I think I was always worried about being late, so I would be early. When I was really early, everybody seemed even more late! And you know, I can’t believe anyone wouldn’t rush to see me.
This interview first appeared in the Sky Movies magazine, Sept/Oct 2010
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