Actor became a fan-favourite playing the mute character of .
But now, it looks as though there may have been a reason for the TV star to opt for a character that acted out his infamous awkward behaviour, instead of using words, as he’s battled with a stammer for many years.
The 69 year old TV and film star prefers to not give interviews as he reportedly has trouble pronouncing words that begin with the letter B, followed by a vowel.
According to reports he has to take a breath before attempting to say it. Back in 2007, in an interview with Time magazine, the much-loved star of films including Johnny English, explained: “I find when I play a character other than myself, the stammering disappears.”
He added: “That may have been some of the inspiration for pursuing the career I did.” Rowan knew he had a gift of comedy acting after he met screenwriter Richard Curtis at university.
Don’t miss…
Rowan Atkinson starring as Mr Bean (Image: PA)
Richard is well-known in the industry for films including and Four Weddings And A Funeral. Together the pair wrote and performed comedy together.
Rowan became a household name after he starred in the comedy TV show Blackadder II and later did the voiceover for Zazu in the Lion King, in 1994.
According to the NHS, stammering is a “relatively common speech problem in childhood”, which can also occur in adulthood.
Don’t miss…
Rowan Atkinson attends Westminster Abbey to honour Sterling Moss (Image: Getty)
Speaking about his love of comedy films when promoting his show Man vs Bee, he told GQ magazine in 2022: “Tragedy and comedy are extremely close bedfellows and you can’t really have one without the other.”
He added: ” Every joke has a victim, whether fictional or non-fictional or notional, ideological or human and therefore, there’s always someone suffering if there’s a joke. I suppose you have to accept that’s the way it is.”
Growing up, Rowan revealed that he was a “reasonably happy” child “but quite quiet.” He went on to admit: “I was quite a quiet, relatively introspective child who changed when he performed. I found a way of being extremely unshy.”