Top 10 Simon Pegg Performances

Being a self-proclaimed geek, Pegg and “Doctor Who” are a match made in heaven, so a guest appearance by the funny man was bound to happen at some point. For Pegg’s Who outing he appeared as The Editor, an all-seeing, all-knowing pawn of the Jagrafess. Pegg’s ability to portray a smug baddy plays perfectly here, as the mind-reading Editor interrogates and intimidates our protagonists - and grows increasingly frustrated when he doesn't get what he wants. We just wish he was a permanent addition to the DW cast, because he fits the bill flawlessly.

Every secret agent needs their own ‘guy in the chair’, and for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, that’s Benji Dunn. Always on hand to deliver split-second, life-saving advice - or simply act as the terrified sidekick, Pegg’s loveable nerdiness shines here - mainly because a nervy, yet enthusiastic tech guru isn't far from the real life Pegg. With Cruise performing death-defying stunts left right and centre, Pegg’s Benji delivers much needed comic relief to the action-packed franchise. Here’s to more of Benji in the future.

It’s not very often that Pegg plays an out and out, backstabbing douchebag with no redeeming qualities whatsoever - but that’s exactly what he is in “Big Nothing”. A wannabe criminal mastermind that ropes David Schwimmer’s Charlie into blackmailing a Reverend, Gus isn't afraid of throwing his associates under the bus when it suits him. As the plot thickens, Gus learns that everyone may just be as conniving as him, and we watch as he reels off lies and deceit like nobody’s business. One thing's for sure, you don’t want to reach this guy at a call centre…

Ah yes, the first appearance of the dynamic duo Pegg and Frost, and here they play two travelling comic book fans who get a little more than they bargained for when visiting a UFO site. Encountering alien Paul, voiced by Seth Rogan, Graeme is a terrified, yet intrigued, goofball - and Pegg plays it brilliantly. Never quite sure whether he’s going to turn and face the music, or simply turn and run away, Pegg does what he does best, he shows us what the everyman would do given an E.T. encounter.

A fame-hungry journalist can be pretty dangerous - and if this movie is anything to go by, they can be pretty hilarious too. Pegg plays Sidney Young, a desperate British journalist who wants to make it at a big mag in New York CIty, and he’ll do near enough anything to do so. Whether it’s his inappropriate line of questioning, strong feelings about “Con Air” or his comical way of killing pets, we can’t help but love this irritating, dysfunctional sadsack. Oh, and wait till you see him dance.

We all know a Gary King. That guy we went to school with who refuses to grow up. And who better to play a big kid than Pegg. Determined to get his old mates together for a pub crawl, King sports the same goth stitches, obnoxious attitude and deluded self-importance as the old days, claiming he’s always on top of the situation even when he has no idea what’s going on. He’s loud, lewd and can’t take a hint, but when the locals go rogue, you’ll be glad he’s in your corner.

Another fanboy outing for Pegg as he boards the Starship Enterprise as reliable engineer Scotty. Together with his broad Scottish accent and affinity for worrying all the time, he’s the sensible companion you need when exploring the perils of space, although he can tussle and fend for himself when it comes down to it. And he gets into his own fair share of sticky situations, with Pegg’s hysterical mannerisms providing much of the franchise’s comedy and drama. Beam me up, er, Simon.

Nicholas Angel, or is it Angle, is an exemplary, by the book police officer who gets forced to work in the countryside - and he soon detects that something’s not quite right in his idyllic setting. His sharp, city-born edges make for some hilarious scenes against the backdrop of an everyone knows everyone village, and before long shootouts, murders and dramatic send off lines ensue. Pegg and Frost star alongside each other again here, but watching Pegg play the reserved, boring stickler, is a sight we rarely get to see.

In what is arguably Pegg’s truest portrayal of himself, Tim is a struggling comic book artist looking to make his mark, with useless flat mate Daisy along for the ride. From casually getting stoned in his flat to stubbornly debating “The Phantom Menace”, he’s simply a geek with too much time on his hands - so a relatable character for many. Flooded with pop culture references, “Spaced” was instrumental in launching Pegg’s career alongside director Edgar Wright, and it proved to the world that Pegg had a lot to offer the world of comedy.

The film that proved the zombie apocalypse can be funny and that the average Joe can survive it - given a decent cricket bat that is. Pegg plays Shaun, a 30-something loser with girlfriend problems and a dead-end job, who finds himself fighting for survival against the living dead. Throwing records, fleeing to the pub and doing his best zombie impression, Shaun has us saying “yep, I’d probably do that”, making him the perfect posterboy for the end of the world. But it's not all just laughs, Pegg shows us his dramatic acting chops too.