Nick Frost
About
Biography
Biography
British comic actor Nick Frost made a quick name for himself in a one-two-three punch series of British comedy efforts from director Edgar Wright and writer-actor Simon Pegg. Frost became a familiar face in the U.K. as a supporting player alongside Pegg on the acclaimed hit sitcom "Spaced" (Channel 4, 1999-2001), directed by Wright. He continued the rise to glory in the genre-busting feature comedies "Shaun of the Dead" (2004) and "Hot Fuzz" (2007), each another Pegg-Wright collaboration. By then a popular commodity on British television, Frost starred as Commander Henderson on the sci-fi sitcom "Hyperdrive" (BBC2, 2006-07) and appeared with an all-star cast in the raucous dramedy "Pirate Radio" (2009). Once again working with Pegg, he co-wrote and starred in the sci-fi comedy "Paul" (2011), as well as striking out on his own in projects as varied as the cult-favorite monster movie "Attack the Block" (2011) and the action-fantasy "Snow White and the Huntsman" (2012). Having instantly won the hearts of movie and pop-culture geeks on both sides of the Atlantic, Frost was quickly establishing himself as a talent in his own right, rather than merely a component of Team Pegg-Wright.
Born March 28, 1972, in Essex, England, Nick Frost was an aspiring comedian working as a waiter in a Mexican restaurant when he was introduced through a mutual friend to Simon Pegg, an up-and-coming comedian and actor. The two became fast friends before sharing an apartment, where Frost would go on to credit Pegg with exposing him to the films of Woody Allen and making him more cultured overall. It was during the time they lived together that Frost invented the character of Mike Watt, a "weapons expert" obsessed with the military, just to make Pegg laugh. Convinced that the character was worthy of a real show business outlet, Pegg persuaded Frost to act in his comedy series, "Spaced" (Channel 4, 1999-2001), in which he starred under young director Edgar Wright. Frost portrayed the character of Mike as a childhood friend of Pegg's main character, Tim.
Previously, Frost had only appeared in background roles and bit parts, in such British shows as the medical drama "Casualty" (BBC, 1986) and in a few episodes of Pegg's previous series, "Big Train" (BBC, 1998-2002), where he played a construction worker, often uncredited. After "Spaced," however, he found himself in high demand. In 2002, he co-hosted "Danger! 50,000 Volts and "Danger! Incoming Attack" (Britain's Channel 5) - spoofs on the outdoor survival show genre. He also popped up as a security man in an episode of "Black Books" (Channel 4, 2000-04). It was in "Shaun of the Dead" (2004) where Frost was first exposed to U.S. audiences - quite literally, considering his nude scene - as Ed, the bumbling best friend of Shaun (Pegg). The story followed Shaun's efforts to ward off a zombie attack and win back his ex-girlfriend, both at the same time. Directed by Wright, who worked with them on "Spaced," the film was a self-described "zom-rom-com," or zombie-romantic comedy. Released in the United States on the heels "Dawn of the Dead" - itself, a remake of the sequel to its inspiration, "Night of the Living Dead," (1968) - "Shaun" was a critical success and became a cult hit.
Frost next appeared in the flamboyant film, "Kinky Boots" (2005) and went on to star in various episodes of the sketch comedy show, "Man Stroke Woman," (BBC3, 2005-07) and appeared in small doses on the medical comedy series, "Green Wing" (Channel 4, 2004-06), as well as "Twisted Tales" (BBC, 2005) and "Look Around You" (BBC, 2002-05). He then played the starring role of Commander Henderson on the sci-fi sitcom, "Hyperdrive" (BBC, 2006-07). Frost worked again with Pegg and Wright for their follow-up project, "Hot Fuzz" (2007). Inspired by American action films of the 1990s by such directors as Michael Bay and Tony Scott, the film told the story of a super cop (Pegg) who is so good at his job, he makes the rest of the force look bad by comparison, so is demoted to a backwater division in quiet Gloucestershire. It is there that he reluctantly partners with a bumbling cop, Danny Butterman (Frost). When grisly murders start to happen in the quiet rural town, the two must work together. Like their previous efforts, "Hot Fuzz" effortlessly combined both real action and characters with brilliant comedy. The film fell just short of a spoof, making it another Wright-Pegg-Frost hit with audiences and critics alike on both sides of the Atlantic.
Frost also appeared onscreen with Pegg in Wright's fake trailer from "Grindhouse" (2007), Robert Rodriguez' and Quentin Tarantino's ode to 1970s exploitation movies. The trailer for their fictional movie, "Don't" was humorously made in the spirit of British coming attractions of decades ago, eschewing dialogue to avoid turning young Americans off to English accents. Frost appeared briefly in the fish-out-of-water teen-comedy "Wild Child" (2008), as well as another small turn in the quirky fantasy-romance "Penelope" (2008). He played a larger role in the quasi-historical music industry comedy "Pirate Radio" (2009), as a well-intentioned disc jockey on a floating radio station off the coast of England in the 1960s.
Alongside Pegg, Frost co-wrote and starred in "Paul" (2011), starring as a science-fiction fan who, while on a road trip with his best friend (Pegg), is shocked to find himself aiding and abetting an alien (voiced by Seth Rogan) on the run from a shadowy government agency. Busier than ever, the actor also picked up a supporting role as a well-connected pot dealer in "Attack the Block" (2011), a wry monster movie pastiche that quickly gained cult film status. Rounding out the year, Frost lent his voice to Steven Spielberg's animated action-adventure "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011) before being digitally shrunk down to play a dwarf in the violent fable "Snow White and the Huntsman" (2012). He could also be heard in the animated sequel "Ice Age: Continental Drift" (2012) as the voice of Flynn, a 4,000 pound elephant seal.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Art Department (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1994
Played bit role on the BBC series "Casualty"
1998
Appeared in episodes of Simon Pegg's BBC series "Big Train"
1999
Played Tim's Army-obsessed best friend Mike on the British comedy "Spaced" (Channel 4), written by and co-starring Simon Pegg
2002
Co-hosted and wrote the British spoof "Danger! 50,000 Volts" for Channel Five
2002
Co-wrote and starred in "The Sofa of Time" with Matt King
2004
Re-teamed with Pegg for "Shaun of the Dead," co-written by Pegg and Edgar Wright
2005
Played various roles on the sketch comedy show "Man Stroke Woman" (BBC3)
2005
Narrated the U.K. and American version of "Supernanny" (aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. and ABC in the U.S.)
2005
Appeared in the British comedy film "Kinky Boots"
2006
Played the lead role of Commander Henderson on the sci-fi sitcom "Hyperdrive" (BBC2)
2007
Once again teamed with Pegg and Wright for "Hot Fuzz," playing bumbling Constable Danny Butterman opposite Pegg's dynamic Nicholas Angel
2009
Co-starred in the British comedy film "The Boat That Rocked"
2011
Lent his vocal talent in "The Adventures of Tintin," directed by Steven Spielberg
2011
Re-teamed with Pegg to co-star and co-write the sci-fi comedy "Paul"
2011
Starred as Ron in "Attack the Block"
2012
Cast as one of the eight dwarfs in "Snow White and the Huntsman" opposite Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron
2012
Voiced the character Flynn, a 4000 pound English elephant seal in "Ice Age: Continental Drift"
2013
Re-teamed with Pegg and Wright for "The World's End"
2014
Starred on British comedy series "Mr. Sloane"
2014
Voiced Mr. Trout in Laika's stop-motion feature "The Boxtrolls"
2014
Voiced Obelix in "Asterix and Obelix: Mansion of the Gods"
2014
Played Santa Claus on "Doctor Who"
2016
Appeared in "The Huntsman: Winter's War"
2017
Began playing Dr. Iain Glennis on "Sick Note"
2017
Cast as Bajie on adventure series "Into the Badlands"
2018
Had an uncredited role in "Tomb Raider" reboot
2019
Appeared in Stephen Merchant's "Fighting with My Family"
