Stephen John Coogan (/ˈkuːɡən/; born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He began his career in the 1980s as a voice actor on the satirical puppet show Spitting Image and providing voice-overs for television advertisements. In the 1990s, he began creating original characters. In 1999, he co-founded the production company Baby Cow Productions with Henry Normal.
While working with Armando Iannucci on On the Hour and The Day Today, Coogan developed the character of Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality. Partridge has featured in several television series and the 2013 film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. Coogan grew in prominence within the film industry in 2002, after starring in The Parole Officer and 24 Hour Party People. He continued to appear in films such as Around the World in 80 Days (2004), Tropic Thunder (2008), The Other Guys (2010), Ruby Sparks (2012), and the Night at the Museum films. He is also known for co-starring with Rob Brydon in A Cock and Bull Story (2005), The Trip (2010), The Trip to Italy (2014), The Trip to Spain (2017), and The Trip to Greece (2020).
Coogan has also played dramatic roles, including Marie Antoinette (2006), What Maisie Knew (2012), and portrayed Paul Raymond in the biopic The Look of Love (2013) and Stan Laurel in Stan & Ollie (2018). In 2013, he co-wrote, produced, and starred in the film Philomena, which earned him nominations at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, and at the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.