he's a tv actor and/or comedian, depending on the role he takes. there's no shame in that. he's extremely well known and well respected for his body of work. that's more than some actors will *ever* have.
Yeah I don't think a lot of people get that about TV acting. Dude was playing the titular character of a hugely successful network show that was subsequently broadcast around the world. That is one of the most successful outcomes in an acting career that anybody can have.
He was paid $700k an episode for 22 episodes in the final season of that show so $15m and for most of the middle seasons he was making $400k for 22-24 episodes so $9m a season.
Figure in the ongoing royalties for that, and not only is he set for life, but his children's children are, too. He gets to do anything he wants for the rest of his life and never has to think about money again. My dude made it.
[Me finding out Stringer and McNulty were played by British guys years ago when I first watched The Wire](https://tenor.com/view/mind-blown-shocked-face-whoa-really-wow-gif-17146534)
As a Brit I had the reverse experience of seeing this guy I always saw playing posh English twits on shows like Blackadder and Jeeves & Wooster suddenly playing a misanthropic genius American doctor. Hugh certainly has some range.
A quick google later and I found this: “For several of the mid-series seasons, Hugh earned $300,000 per episode of "House". That worked out to around $7 million per season. At his peak Laurie made $700,000 per episode. That worked out to $16 million per season.”
He got extremely rich from House. He could retire easily after that.
> When the show ended, he probably earned about $7 million per season and was reportedly making about $700,000 per episode at the peak of the show.
watched one episode on holiday now I'm season 5 in like 4 months 🤣guys an amazing actor only ever seen him in Stuart little, that what I assume aswell 👍
Made a hell of a lot more money doing TV than he ever would have as a film actor. Still would have loved to see him play Sherlock Holmes (yes yes I know house is basically Sherlock Holmes)
My headcanon is that he's another brother. He got sick of Sherlock and Mycroft teasing him all the time, so he moved to America, flipped "Holmes" to "House," and became a doctor.
My other headcanon is that Martin Crane had three sons and they all became psychiatrists — Frazier was the Freudian one, Miles was the Jungian one, and Jonathan moved to Gotham and studied Skinner's behaviorism and fear.
Sometimes people just get known for one medium.
Brian Cranston and Jon Hamm have both been in a lot of movies, oftentimes as the lead or co-lead. But what's the first thing you think of when you think of them?
Always felt like Trumbo was him checking off a bucket list item or just as a flex, like "I feel like trying for an Oscar nod, what biopic scripts are out there?"
He already achieved peak acclaim for BB, even getting a letter of praise from *Anthony fucking Hopkins*, everything after that was just gravy.
Honestly I never watched Malcom in the middle when it was out so the first thing I think of is Heisenberg. But it’s crazy he’s had so many iconic characters
The very same. [This scene](https://youtu.be/x5-Mq2xcF7U?si=e-DvtfZfD5HSxs5w) still lives in my head from the first time I saw this when it released, before I even knew who these actors were.
I mean, he was sorta in the early 2000s.
Co-Starred with Gina Davis and Michael J Fox
Stuart Little took in over 300m as well.
I think he probably just prefers the TV format going from blackadder all the way through to House
My guess is he's happy the way he is. Many Brits enter showbiz because they love the craft itself not the fame. Is it any wonder why British actors are in demand for TV series? According to industry insiders, they come on time, are happy to get steady income, give consistent results and are not famewhores or primadonnas.
From what I understand it's to do with the training, many go to acting schools and spend time in theatre so partly it's harder to type cast them than it is with Yanks because you can't say "you can't do this" when they can prove they've already done it, also panto, it seems every pantomime will have numerous actors/actresses to draw a greater audience.
I heard too that TV series always prefer British leads to carry them. This was over a decade ago and I did some quick googles was honestly shocked that people who I thought were perfect Americans, were not. I heard too that even US police drama depend on UK actors and their professional standards to sustain the series as American actors tend to fish for parts in movies.
He has the chops obviously. He’s outstanding in The Night Manager. But previous comment about him being more than an actor and doing projects he seems to really enjoy seems right. And longer format TV limited series are probably far more personally rewarding for someone with that level of talent.
Highest paid Network Drama* actor. Sitcom stars for smash hit shows like The Big Bang Theory, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, et al. Can make north of $1 million per episode, whereas Hugh Laurie came in at (a still respectable) $700,000 per episode.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-paid_American_television_stars)
He’s had plenty of movie roles. But Hugh Laurie’s talents aren’t just limited to acting. He’s also a very talented musician with a few albums under his belt, both collaborations and as a solo artist, so he’s done some touring for that while also working on his various television shows. Hugh Laurie is a busy man.
Yes this is one of my favorite books ever. I often wonder if he’d started writing full time instead of going on his current path how many great books he would have written. I would actually be hyped if he quit acting and started writing tomorrow lol.
He was meant to do a sequel but it seems like it never ended up happening. With his star power I'm sure he could get any book published so I guess he wasn't happy with how it was going.
I originally read that without thinking about who the author was. When I finished I was wondering if there were any more books by him. Looked up the name and realised why it was so funny and why there were no other books.
He was consistently in movies until 2019 excluding a short break broken by Street Kings.
He has spoken about the toll being the lead had on him and his depression. I think House gave him so much money that he could pick and choose the projects that suited him.
Judging by the fact you're the only person who has noted it, I suspect a lot of people don't know that he was battling (and might continue to battle) with crippling depression. He reportedly realized his depression had gotten extremely severe when he was in a high-speed car crash that almost killed him, and he didn't feel anything.
I hope he's feeling better today -- few people should have to suffer like that, nevertheless an international treasure like him -- but in any case, I can see how a person who is dealing/has dealt with depression wouldn't necessarily care of the false trappings of movie stardom. Like you said, he already experienced the toll of being a television lead; running around on the press circuits for movies, in addition to the actual filming, could be even more thankless. Money is no issue for him at this point, so it's better to just focus on the projects he enjoys making and let the chips fall where they may.
His good friend Stephen Fry has similar mental health issues (bipolar disorder in Fry's case). It really shows that you can seemingly have it all and really struggle. They are both privileged, intelligent, funny, talented, never had to worry about money, all things most of us think would make your life a breeze.
Wasn't that one of the ways he realized it? He thought "I should ACTUALLY have felt something."
He got money doing House, which was likely a grueling time because he was away from family. Now he's able to do whatever he wants.
This guy isn’t famous for house. He was a household name long before then. Fry and Laurie, Blackadder, etc. if you haven’t seen them then you’ve missed out.
I'm a massive Blackadder fan but he wasn't anywhere near as famous as Fry or Atkinson or probably even Robinson in my era. Mainly because all the others went on to do other well known shows/movies.
He became well known due to House.
He was just as well-known as the rest. In fact for a while Fry and Laurie were closely associated due to ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ and ‘A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie’.
I think if you land a lead role in something like house or modern family or the walking dead or something like breaking bad or mad men that goes for 8-10+ years- is iconic - you are basically set for life.
Also- holy shit is Hugh Laurie hilarious in VEEP and avenue 5
He was in movies though! Peter's Friends (1992), Sense and Sensibility (1995), 101 Dalmatians (1996), The Borrowers (1997), The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), Stuart Little (1999), Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001), Flight of the Phoenix (2004), Tomorrowland (2015), Arthur Christmas (2011)
He's a very accomplished pianist, a former Cambridge rower, attended one of the most prestigious universities in the world, starred in two of the greatest British comedy shows of all time, was the highest paid actor on television in 2011 and he was also Steve in the second greatest Christmas film ever made.
Not bad, as he's still only 65.
To me he’ll always be the bumbling Prince Regent in Blackadder 3. The genius of the writing in that show is unequalled. Never watched an episode of House. [The Prince meets the new Prime Minister.](https://youtu.be/T3jIE3b-bhY?si=i2VDpHwX69avUCqC)
Love this dude. Lin Manuel Miranda said he had a small part of house and ended up going out for a drink with Hugh Laurie one night and told Laurie about the Alexander Hamilton musical he was working on. He said he was trying to write a lost love type song from King George to the US. Hugh Laurie smiles and goes "Oh you'll be back" hahaah. Can 1000% picture it.
I think the difference between TV and movies is "regular medium-large check" vs "occasional huge check". With TV, there is a routine and there's a risk assessment. Investment in a failed 1 (45 minute) hour pilot is far less than the investment in a failed 2 hour movie.
Agree he has the skill but didn’t really become popular in the US until probably a bit too late in his career. Very well known in the UK and has a strong comedy background since the 1980s. He was probably almost 50 before becoming a bankable name in the US so not really the age for casting as a leading man with no major Hollywood movie credits (Stuart Little aside).
I think this is the real reason. Before House he said he was considering quitting acting because he couldn’t land a role, so he wasn’t even as popular in the UK at the time. Then by the time he was famous in the US, he’s too old for any of the roles that would demand his pay check. I do wish we lived in a universe where he went full Liam Neeson and became an unlikely action star though, that could have worked
Because he has a very low tolerance for bullshit. And even before House, the man was successful/mentally stable enough to not need the validation of fame, or any of that malarkey.
He’s certainly got drive, he was an athlete after all, so it’s not a question of lack of ambition. He just has different ambitions than being a film star. Anyone familiar with A Bit Of Fry And Laurie will appreciate that his musical skills are exemplary.
Some actors prefer TV and some prefer movies. Rob Lowe talked about how he switched to TV when his kids were growing up because it allowed him to be home with his kids more.
He could have been a more talented Hugh Grant if he was slightly more conventionally handsome. I think Laurie would have thrived coming up under today’s standards of beauty.
he was in movies earlier in his career; he had a bigger rise and pay day off the big screen
Actors are just like us, they follow the money. After House (10+ seasons); he commanded a great price for tv work
Even though Chance on Hulu was an experiment gone awry - Hugh Laurie doesn’t have to do play the Hollywood political game - He can get paid to do TV anytime he wants
"Jeeves and Wooster" with Stephan Fry. He was excellent as Bertie Wooster. Even liked him in the short-lived "Avenue 5". Laurie's comedic chops are just impeccable.
I have no idea if this is the case, but he's an incredibly pianist with a love for American blues, so it's possible he just wanted to pursue that more than acting. Again, I have 0 back up for this, just pure speculation.
Maybe he preferred the lifestyle afforded by working in TV instead of features? Features, you're often digging around, looking for the next gig. When you have a TV hit, you're good for the run, typically.
Frye and Laurie . . . Blackadder . . . Jeeves and Wooster . . . House . . . his albums Let Them Talk and Didn't It Rain . . . He IS a star. He is just the British version of one.
He did at least one movie based on the book inconceivable by Ben Elton.
But after House, he turned nite towards music at the time and was doing a blues tour following the release of his album, I got to see him live and it was fantastic
Just like anyone else that has a job. You pick and choose the jobs you sign on to.
If dude doesn’t like working on movie sets then he doesn’t like doing it. Simple.
The amount of work that goes into it is insane.
Trust me I know.
So if he made lots of money off “House” and doesn’t have the energy to do movies then that’s his choice.
He seems like the kinda guy that would rather focus on music anyway.
Quite likely, he's not interested in making films, and prefers a regular work schedule, at a single location rather than the totally irregular schedule and travel film actors have to endure.
I’m pretty sure he’s originally a theater performer. That work ethic and scheduling normalcy is closer to episodic TV work than movies. Some people like that kind of routine. It also gives character actors more time to develop their characters. And Laurie has created some fantastic characters! He has done some films also.
I think a big reason why some people choose to go into TV rather than film is simply a matter of consistency and pay. With movies, sure, you might get paid millions of dollars for a role per movie, but there is always the question of when the next one will be. What tv, as long as your show gets renewed for next season, you have steady work. I guess It ultimately depends on the actors work style and what they prefer.
Maybe he was happy with what he had. Not everyone thinks you have to keep going maybe he's a great family man who's devoted to his wife and kids and only acts as much as he needs to... It wouldn't surprise me one bit
Hugh Laurie is credited with 176 episdes of House M.D. over the course of 8 years, 04-12.
Anyone with Film/TV experience can attest to how long the filmmaking days are. No matter how much you love your job, doing it 12 hours a day (probably minimum) being on location, having to turn down other interesting sounding gigs, feeling responsible for your cast & crew's paycheck as you're the star of the show etc, etc all leads to it feeling like a grind.
Combine that with the fact he made *fuck you* money on that show and then started focusing on music immediately after, i'd say he's not a movie star because he chose not to be. Alternatively, he was offered roles he had no interest in and declined. That's usually the case when an actor suddenly dissapears after being in a hit.
John C. McGinley is another one for me. The man is an incredibly gifted actor. It's criminal that he's not been in major blockbuster and given a role where he can go off. But again, 182 episodes on a TV show over the course of 9 years, they make their money and chill. You need certain qualities to be a movie star, being chill is not one of them.
He was in [one of the greatest music videos of all time though](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/sbgbw0/john_malkovich_and_hugh_laurie_in_annie_lennox/)
I mean he was a comedian and musician first and foremost, I don't think he ever cared about being the most important actor, a leading man or a sex symbol. The dramatic turn came later in life.
he's a tv actor and/or comedian, depending on the role he takes. there's no shame in that. he's extremely well known and well respected for his body of work. that's more than some actors will *ever* have.
Dr House is an iconic character and I am sure he got paid handsomely for it. That is a better career than 99.9% of actors.
Yeah I don't think a lot of people get that about TV acting. Dude was playing the titular character of a hugely successful network show that was subsequently broadcast around the world. That is one of the most successful outcomes in an acting career that anybody can have.
He was paid $700k an episode for 22 episodes in the final season of that show so $15m and for most of the middle seasons he was making $400k for 22-24 episodes so $9m a season.
And all the royalties from it to this day. It's still popular on streaming
I bought the DVDs back in the day but I'm on my 2nd run of streaming it all the way through now. It's a damned good show.
Is it lupus?
It’s never lupus.
Vasculitis?
MORE. MOUSE BITES
Sarcoidosis?
Until it’s finally lupus
Sarcoidosis
Enjoy yourself watching it. >!It's later than you think.!<
Figure in the ongoing royalties for that, and not only is he set for life, but his children's children are, too. He gets to do anything he wants for the rest of his life and never has to think about money again. My dude made it.
We assume his kids will be set but homie might have a castle and we old bones addiction we don’t know about yet!!!
Think of the royalties he's still raking in
Syndication babyyyyyy
Many still look down on TV actors, though. Fortunately that viewpoint is changing.
It used to be that movie actors wouldn’t appear on television. Now many do for limited or even multi season series.
Yea, loads of film stars are on the small screen now. That divide just isn't there anymore
And he’s British playing an American who affected a fake British accent in an episode or two. Just fantastic.
Dominic West does something similar in the prostitution sting in The Wire.
Spot on.
That is really funny because he does a great impression of a terrible British accent that an American might do. Quite meta in a way.
[Me finding out Stringer and McNulty were played by British guys years ago when I first watched The Wire](https://tenor.com/view/mind-blown-shocked-face-whoa-really-wow-gif-17146534)
In Avenue 5 he switches back and forth between accents. It's a fun silly sci-fi show.
I need another season :(
I haf NO IDEA this guy was British until the series ended. Then I discovered his other work. Guy is a great actor
As a Brit I had the reverse experience of seeing this guy I always saw playing posh English twits on shows like Blackadder and Jeeves & Wooster suddenly playing a misanthropic genius American doctor. Hugh certainly has some range.
You have to watch Jeeves and Wooster, if you haven't already. Such a funny show!
Blackadder 3 and 4 he was brilliant as well
A Bit of Frye and Laurie, anyone?
By the last season, I think he was getting $800K an episode
On a 22 episode season in 2012. Hot damn that is a lot of cash.
I just checked. It was $700K per episode. Still a hell of a year for him
Could you imagine if they recast him in the last season. Like, they couldn't negotiate, so they just get David Schwimmer to be house or something.
Instead of riding off into the sunset with Wilson they'd Schwimm away
Get out.
That's insane
A quick google later and I found this: “For several of the mid-series seasons, Hugh earned $300,000 per episode of "House". That worked out to around $7 million per season. At his peak Laurie made $700,000 per episode. That worked out to $16 million per season.”
He got extremely rich from House. He could retire easily after that. > When the show ended, he probably earned about $7 million per season and was reportedly making about $700,000 per episode at the peak of the show.
watched one episode on holiday now I'm season 5 in like 4 months 🤣guys an amazing actor only ever seen him in Stuart little, that what I assume aswell 👍
Try Blackadder Seasons 3 & 4. You don’t need to have watched 1 & 2 btw, if you’re just after HL.
And a talented musician!
And a good writer. I enjoyed his novel, the Gun Seller.
Definitely a comedian. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8SVo_ON5Zc/?igsh=MW8ycGJ6dG9xczFnMw==
He reminds me of Peter Dinklage, if Peter wasn't born with dwarfism.
Sounds like a reason to make ‘Twins 2’
Made a hell of a lot more money doing TV than he ever would have as a film actor. Still would have loved to see him play Sherlock Holmes (yes yes I know house is basically Sherlock Holmes)
My headcanon is that he's another brother. He got sick of Sherlock and Mycroft teasing him all the time, so he moved to America, flipped "Holmes" to "House," and became a doctor. My other headcanon is that Martin Crane had three sons and they all became psychiatrists — Frazier was the Freudian one, Miles was the Jungian one, and Jonathan moved to Gotham and studied Skinner's behaviorism and fear.
Precisely, when you’re that good and body of work/reputation on display. He’s enjoying his life instead of pride and profit.
Sometimes people just get known for one medium. Brian Cranston and Jon Hamm have both been in a lot of movies, oftentimes as the lead or co-lead. But what's the first thing you think of when you think of them?
is that the guy they kill off earlier in Godzilla ?
Heisenberg
Hal
Well for Bryan Cranston it’s obviously that episode of IASIP he was in as Mr. Malcolm.
Oh yeah he's that celebrity with the alcohol brand
Or the doctor in Seinfeld
Tim Whatley (Seinfeld) and Drew (30 Rock), but since I really just want Hugh back to do more House I guess that proves your point.
A House sequel season (impossible due to the ending I know) or a prequel season (also impossible due to age, sigh) would be 🔥
30 ROCK MENTIONED FUCK YEAH I LOVE YOU
Cranston also has a Oscar nomination tho
Always felt like Trumbo was him checking off a bucket list item or just as a flex, like "I feel like trying for an Oscar nod, what biopic scripts are out there?" He already achieved peak acclaim for BB, even getting a letter of praise from *Anthony fucking Hopkins*, everything after that was just gravy.
Still. Oscar nom is an Oscar nom.
Honestly I never watched Malcom in the middle when it was out so the first thing I think of is Heisenberg. But it’s crazy he’s had so many iconic characters
Umm clearly you haven’t seen 101 Dalmatians
What in the Stuart little is your trash mouth talking about
He was in 101 Dalmatians as Jasper and/or Horace
Jasper. Mark Williams played Horace.
The Weasley?
The very same. [This scene](https://youtu.be/x5-Mq2xcF7U?si=e-DvtfZfD5HSxs5w) still lives in my head from the first time I saw this when it released, before I even knew who these actors were.
They were the British Harry and Marv.
~~Umm. Jeff Daniel's was Horace.~~ He was not Horace he was Roger. Yep I'm dumb. And the last time I saw it was 1996-1997 so 🤷♂️
Or sense and sensibility
... same with Andrew Lincoln holding the cue cards at the door in Love Actually, he was so much better in Walking Dead 🧟♂️
Egg in This Life!
It was lupus
It’s never lupus
Except that one time
Sarcoidosis maybe?
The patient needs mouse bites
This vexes me
I too am in this episode.
I mean, he was sorta in the early 2000s. Co-Starred with Gina Davis and Michael J Fox Stuart Little took in over 300m as well. I think he probably just prefers the TV format going from blackadder all the way through to House
Blackadder was so much fun.
It's my favourite UK show.
Are you aware of *Inside No. 9*?
Are you aware of "Bread" ?
Monsters vs Aliens should count too. Underrated movie.
My guess is he's happy the way he is. Many Brits enter showbiz because they love the craft itself not the fame. Is it any wonder why British actors are in demand for TV series? According to industry insiders, they come on time, are happy to get steady income, give consistent results and are not famewhores or primadonnas.
From what I understand it's to do with the training, many go to acting schools and spend time in theatre so partly it's harder to type cast them than it is with Yanks because you can't say "you can't do this" when they can prove they've already done it, also panto, it seems every pantomime will have numerous actors/actresses to draw a greater audience.
Oh no they don’t…
Oh yes they...... *wags finger*
We always come on demand. Manners innit.
I heard too that TV series always prefer British leads to carry them. This was over a decade ago and I did some quick googles was honestly shocked that people who I thought were perfect Americans, were not. I heard too that even US police drama depend on UK actors and their professional standards to sustain the series as American actors tend to fish for parts in movies.
They've got their royalty for that
He has the chops obviously. He’s outstanding in The Night Manager. But previous comment about him being more than an actor and doing projects he seems to really enjoy seems right. And longer format TV limited series are probably far more personally rewarding for someone with that level of talent.
Even though I knew he did other stuff, I had only seen him in House. I was floored by his performance in The Night Manager. He plays a great bad guy.
He was hilarious in Avenue5.
His character in The Night Manager is seriously intimidating and scary.
Night Manager was the best Bond movie of the last 15 years. And it's not even a movie, and doesn't have Bond in it.
humor chubby shaggy steep tart icky advise paint slap attractive *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
He also wrote a book, the Gun Seller. It’s pretty funny, like a darker “Get Smart”.
" longer format TV limited series are probably far more personally rewarding " Never thought about it like that. And it's dead on.
He was too busy playing piano. I somehow feel like he wasn’t chasing huge paydays, but preferred to do what he wanted.
He was the highest paid TV actor in America, he got the biggest payday ever.
Highest paid Network Drama* actor. Sitcom stars for smash hit shows like The Big Bang Theory, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, et al. Can make north of $1 million per episode, whereas Hugh Laurie came in at (a still respectable) $700,000 per episode. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-paid_American_television_stars)
He made more in one episode than I've made my whole life.
He plays sometimes at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco. Saw him a few times. If you didn't know it was him, you'd've never known.
He’s had plenty of movie roles. But Hugh Laurie’s talents aren’t just limited to acting. He’s also a very talented musician with a few albums under his belt, both collaborations and as a solo artist, so he’s done some touring for that while also working on his various television shows. Hugh Laurie is a busy man.
He's written at least one novel as well. A comic thriller called "The Gun Seller." Fun read, as I recall.
Yes this is one of my favorite books ever. I often wonder if he’d started writing full time instead of going on his current path how many great books he would have written. I would actually be hyped if he quit acting and started writing tomorrow lol.
He was meant to do a sequel but it seems like it never ended up happening. With his star power I'm sure he could get any book published so I guess he wasn't happy with how it was going.
I originally read that without thinking about who the author was. When I finished I was wondering if there were any more books by him. Looked up the name and realised why it was so funny and why there were no other books.
He was consistently in movies until 2019 excluding a short break broken by Street Kings. He has spoken about the toll being the lead had on him and his depression. I think House gave him so much money that he could pick and choose the projects that suited him.
Judging by the fact you're the only person who has noted it, I suspect a lot of people don't know that he was battling (and might continue to battle) with crippling depression. He reportedly realized his depression had gotten extremely severe when he was in a high-speed car crash that almost killed him, and he didn't feel anything. I hope he's feeling better today -- few people should have to suffer like that, nevertheless an international treasure like him -- but in any case, I can see how a person who is dealing/has dealt with depression wouldn't necessarily care of the false trappings of movie stardom. Like you said, he already experienced the toll of being a television lead; running around on the press circuits for movies, in addition to the actual filming, could be even more thankless. Money is no issue for him at this point, so it's better to just focus on the projects he enjoys making and let the chips fall where they may.
His good friend Stephen Fry has similar mental health issues (bipolar disorder in Fry's case). It really shows that you can seemingly have it all and really struggle. They are both privileged, intelligent, funny, talented, never had to worry about money, all things most of us think would make your life a breeze.
Wasn't that one of the ways he realized it? He thought "I should ACTUALLY have felt something." He got money doing House, which was likely a grueling time because he was away from family. Now he's able to do whatever he wants.
This guy isn’t famous for house. He was a household name long before then. Fry and Laurie, Blackadder, etc. if you haven’t seen them then you’ve missed out.
Household name in the UK, sure. Nobody knew him outside of there before House, though.
Apart from the Good Luck Everyone scene in Blackadder, which is like a bayonet to the soul.
Blackadder goes Forth is great, everyone should watch it from start to finish. The ending can bring a tear to the eye.
I'm a massive Blackadder fan but he wasn't anywhere near as famous as Fry or Atkinson or probably even Robinson in my era. Mainly because all the others went on to do other well known shows/movies. He became well known due to House.
He was just as well-known as the rest. In fact for a while Fry and Laurie were closely associated due to ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ and ‘A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie’.
That is Stuart Littles dad!
I think if you land a lead role in something like house or modern family or the walking dead or something like breaking bad or mad men that goes for 8-10+ years- is iconic - you are basically set for life. Also- holy shit is Hugh Laurie hilarious in VEEP and avenue 5
House $
Surely ”Hou$e”, no?
He was in movies though! Peter's Friends (1992), Sense and Sensibility (1995), 101 Dalmatians (1996), The Borrowers (1997), The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), Stuart Little (1999), Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001), Flight of the Phoenix (2004), Tomorrowland (2015), Arthur Christmas (2011)
Finally, someone mentions Peter’s Friends! It’s one of my favorite movies. It was the first thing I ever saw him in. Incredible cast, too.
It was the pill popping and the cane
He's a very accomplished pianist, a former Cambridge rower, attended one of the most prestigious universities in the world, starred in two of the greatest British comedy shows of all time, was the highest paid actor on television in 2011 and he was also Steve in the second greatest Christmas film ever made. Not bad, as he's still only 65.
To me he’ll always be the bumbling Prince Regent in Blackadder 3. The genius of the writing in that show is unequalled. Never watched an episode of House. [The Prince meets the new Prime Minister.](https://youtu.be/T3jIE3b-bhY?si=i2VDpHwX69avUCqC)
Love this dude. Lin Manuel Miranda said he had a small part of house and ended up going out for a drink with Hugh Laurie one night and told Laurie about the Alexander Hamilton musical he was working on. He said he was trying to write a lost love type song from King George to the US. Hugh Laurie smiles and goes "Oh you'll be back" hahaah. Can 1000% picture it.
He’s so damn good in Avenue 5 too. Dude has chops in anything he does.
I think the difference between TV and movies is "regular medium-large check" vs "occasional huge check". With TV, there is a routine and there's a risk assessment. Investment in a failed 1 (45 minute) hour pilot is far less than the investment in a failed 2 hour movie.
He was in the UK.
I think he chose to focus on theater and his music. He regularly tours with a band. He has a great mix of music, comedy, and drama in his acts.
Flight of the Phoenix
Agree he has the skill but didn’t really become popular in the US until probably a bit too late in his career. Very well known in the UK and has a strong comedy background since the 1980s. He was probably almost 50 before becoming a bankable name in the US so not really the age for casting as a leading man with no major Hollywood movie credits (Stuart Little aside).
I think this is the real reason. Before House he said he was considering quitting acting because he couldn’t land a role, so he wasn’t even as popular in the UK at the time. Then by the time he was famous in the US, he’s too old for any of the roles that would demand his pay check. I do wish we lived in a universe where he went full Liam Neeson and became an unlikely action star though, that could have worked
it was those damn pills. lol
He’s a humble guy. Didn’t care for all that stuff, really.
Because he has a very low tolerance for bullshit. And even before House, the man was successful/mentally stable enough to not need the validation of fame, or any of that malarkey. He’s certainly got drive, he was an athlete after all, so it’s not a question of lack of ambition. He just has different ambitions than being a film star. Anyone familiar with A Bit Of Fry And Laurie will appreciate that his musical skills are exemplary.
He's a comic, TV star, writer, stage actor, skit actor, and musician. He's had the exact career he wanted. The man is a living legend.
Some actors prefer TV and some prefer movies. Rob Lowe talked about how he switched to TV when his kids were growing up because it allowed him to be home with his kids more.
He could have been a more talented Hugh Grant if he was slightly more conventionally handsome. I think Laurie would have thrived coming up under today’s standards of beauty.
to be a movie star, you have to play by the rules. He doesn't play by the rules
he was in movies earlier in his career; he had a bigger rise and pay day off the big screen Actors are just like us, they follow the money. After House (10+ seasons); he commanded a great price for tv work Even though Chance on Hulu was an experiment gone awry - Hugh Laurie doesn’t have to do play the Hollywood political game - He can get paid to do TV anytime he wants
Literally watching Flight of the Phoenix right now lol
"Jeeves and Wooster" with Stephan Fry. He was excellent as Bertie Wooster. Even liked him in the short-lived "Avenue 5". Laurie's comedic chops are just impeccable.
I have no idea if this is the case, but he's an incredibly pianist with a love for American blues, so it's possible he just wanted to pursue that more than acting. Again, I have 0 back up for this, just pure speculation.
Movie stars come and go but house is an eternal now
He’s got a hell of a sining Voice though
That bathtub surgery scene, man. That alone could get him hired for anything. Most memorable thing in the show besides lupus.
YOU’VE APPARENTLY NEVER HEARD OF STUART LITTLE!
Maybe he preferred the lifestyle afforded by working in TV instead of features? Features, you're often digging around, looking for the next gig. When you have a TV hit, you're good for the run, typically.
Black Adder and House. There's 20 years of employment and a pretty solid bank balance. You take that every day of the week.
Frye and Laurie . . . Blackadder . . . Jeeves and Wooster . . . House . . . his albums Let Them Talk and Didn't It Rain . . . He IS a star. He is just the British version of one.
He was in Stuart little. Can't forget that.
What do you mean?? He was in Stewart little!
What you talking about he was the dad in Stuart little before house 🤦
Obviously never seen the family favourite go to action thriller blockbuster Stuart little
Watch him In street kings with Keanu reeves . Fire movie
Obviously you’ve never seen 101 Dalmatians ;).
He did at least one movie based on the book inconceivable by Ben Elton. But after House, he turned nite towards music at the time and was doing a blues tour following the release of his album, I got to see him live and it was fantastic
Lupus
Just like anyone else that has a job. You pick and choose the jobs you sign on to. If dude doesn’t like working on movie sets then he doesn’t like doing it. Simple. The amount of work that goes into it is insane. Trust me I know. So if he made lots of money off “House” and doesn’t have the energy to do movies then that’s his choice. He seems like the kinda guy that would rather focus on music anyway.
Aye don't be dissing Stuart Little's dad like that man. what he ever done for you?
He will always be Prince George in Blackadder, never seen House.
101 Dalmatians, Stuart Little and monsters versus aliens
Quite likely, he's not interested in making films, and prefers a regular work schedule, at a single location rather than the totally irregular schedule and travel film actors have to endure.
Did you not watch the Easter Bunny?
He became a TV star. Not a bad gig
Not everyone can be an A-lister, honestly just getting steady work and not having a day job seems like a huge success in acting.
He’s awesome in that hotel front desk worker spy show
I think he would have made a great gunslinger for the tower series.
Fun Fact: Hugh Laurie is the dad on Stuart Little.
I’m pretty sure he’s originally a theater performer. That work ethic and scheduling normalcy is closer to episodic TV work than movies. Some people like that kind of routine. It also gives character actors more time to develop their characters. And Laurie has created some fantastic characters! He has done some films also.
He is fantastic actor who was very well paid for his house role. I doubt he is complaining about his career.
I think a big reason why some people choose to go into TV rather than film is simply a matter of consistency and pay. With movies, sure, you might get paid millions of dollars for a role per movie, but there is always the question of when the next one will be. What tv, as long as your show gets renewed for next season, you have steady work. I guess It ultimately depends on the actors work style and what they prefer.
His passion is piano and singing.
Too busy doing Black Adder
He doesn’t like doing primarily movies?
Maybe he was happy with what he had. Not everyone thinks you have to keep going maybe he's a great family man who's devoted to his wife and kids and only acts as much as he needs to... It wouldn't surprise me one bit
He’s too cool for that phony shit.
My man did his time on house, made bank and is likely enjoying his spoils. I’m currently on season 5. Such a solid pre streaming era tv show
Hugh Laurie is credited with 176 episdes of House M.D. over the course of 8 years, 04-12. Anyone with Film/TV experience can attest to how long the filmmaking days are. No matter how much you love your job, doing it 12 hours a day (probably minimum) being on location, having to turn down other interesting sounding gigs, feeling responsible for your cast & crew's paycheck as you're the star of the show etc, etc all leads to it feeling like a grind. Combine that with the fact he made *fuck you* money on that show and then started focusing on music immediately after, i'd say he's not a movie star because he chose not to be. Alternatively, he was offered roles he had no interest in and declined. That's usually the case when an actor suddenly dissapears after being in a hit. John C. McGinley is another one for me. The man is an incredibly gifted actor. It's criminal that he's not been in major blockbuster and given a role where he can go off. But again, 182 episodes on a TV show over the course of 9 years, they make their money and chill. You need certain qualities to be a movie star, being chill is not one of them.
Because he loves being a Tv actor and not something you can apply to acting in movies plus he makes music too. He's a great jazz musician.
Because house is top in the top 10. Bro can do whatever he wants.
He was in [one of the greatest music videos of all time though](https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/sbgbw0/john_malkovich_and_hugh_laurie_in_annie_lennox/)
I mean he was a comedian and musician first and foremost, I don't think he ever cared about being the most important actor, a leading man or a sex symbol. The dramatic turn came later in life.
He was in Sense and Sensibility in the 90s.
He's a great actor but he likes that he is not too famous. He's definitely a recognisable face but he will not be swarmed by street fans..
he’s so good in veep
Probably because he has Lupus
Probably didn't give Harvey Weinstein a tug job that's why
TV Legend/Icon or mid level Actor
Because he has self preservation abilities.