‘I gave up my dream to conquer Hollywood to do Gavin & Stacey,’ star reveals-Robert Oliver-Entertainment – Metro

Gavin and Stacey gave one star a massive change of heart (Credits: Baby Cow / BBC)

Gavin & Stacey returns one last time on Christmas Day – and one of its biggest stars has revealed how the show ended his Hollywood ‘dreams’.

The hit BBC comedy, which started in 2007, gradually became one of the most popular and beloved British sitcoms of all time through the 2010s.

2019’s Christmas special episode was watched by 18 million people as the James Corden and Ruth Jones sitcom hit an all-time viewer high.

Which means that Rob Brydon’s decision to abandon any hopes of becoming a Hollywood star has surely been vindicated at last.

Speaking ahead of the 2024 Christmas special, the Welsh actor confessed that he still had Al Pacino on the brain when presented with the first Gavin and Stacey script.

He said: ‘My earliest Gavin and Stacey memory is sitting on a bench at Manley Beach in Sydney, Australia. I was over there filming a series I did called Supernova for the BBC.

Rob accepted James Corden and Ruth Jones’ offer (Picture: BBC/GS TV Productions Ltd/Tom Jackson)

‘James was [also in Australia]. He was doing the History Boys world tour, and I was umming and ahing about doing Gavin and Stacey.’

He continued: ‘I thought there were some similarities between Bryn and [another of Rob’s characters] Keith Barrett. And at that point, I still harboured dreams of being Al Pacino.

‘[I wanted to] play this wide range of parts, [but] James and I sat together on the bench and talked about Gavin and Stacey.’

Uncle Bryn is one of Gavin and Stacey’s most beloved characters (Picture: BBC / BABY COW)

‘I still harboured dreams of being Al Pacino.’ (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

In the end, Rob made the best decision for his career, becoming one of the most recognisable faces on British TV and receiving an MBE in 2013.

Despite starting as an actor in 1985, aged 20, it wasn’t until he was in his 30s that Rob started being given bigger roles and long-term work in TV and film.

But from the mid-2000s onwards, helped by Gavin and Stacey, Rob has become a beloved comedy actor – so beloved, in fact, that it actually helped him secure some Hollywood roles after all.

It was revealed in July 2023 that Rob landed his role in the international box office smash hit Barbie after lead actress Margot Robbie saw him in Gavin and Stacey and fell in love.

‘According to Rob, the Australian actress and producer, 33, was a ‘huge fan of Uncle Bryn’ when she sat down to watch the sitcom.

Speaking to Virgin Radio at the time, he said: ‘I had a message a few years ago that Margot Robbie was a big Uncle Bryn fan and would I record a message for her birthday.’

‘I think maybe this part is her way of saying thank you,’ he said, after his appearance at the film’s premiere surprised some Gavin & Stacey fans.

He also gave details about the Wolf of Wall Street actress’ special birthday video: ‘I said, “Hello Margot. I’ve loved you in all your films and I’ll tell you for why…”‘

When the pair met each other on the set of the upcoming Greta Gerwig movie, Rob says Margot thanked him, describing the interaction as ‘quite nice’.

The Gavin & Stacey Christmas special returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day.

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