Mackenzie Crook: The Biography

Mackenzie Crook (born Paul James Crook, 29 September 1971) is an acclaimed English actor, director, and writer known for his roles in major television and film productions. He gained widespread fame portraying Gareth Keenan in the iconic British sitcom The Office and went on to play the comical, wooden-eyed pirate Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. He further showcased his range with roles such as Orell in HBO's Game of Thrones and the title character in the reboot of Worzel Gummidge. As the creator and star of BBC Four's Detectorists (2014-2022), Crook earned two BAFTA awards, establishing himself as a significant figure in British television. Early Life Crook was born in Maidstone, Kent, and grew up in Dartford. He is the son of Michael Crook, a British Airways employee, and Sheila Crook, a hospital manager. Diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency in childhood, he underwent hormone therapy for three years. He attended Sutton-at-Hone Primary School and Wilmington Grammar School for Boys, joining a local youth theatre due to the absence of a drama department at school. Following summers spent on his uncle's farm in Zimbabwe, Crook developed a love for painting. Early jobs included working at Pizza Hut and Halfords while he awaited his breakthrough into acting. In his early twenties, Crook moved to London, performing comedy as the characters Mr. Bagshawe and Charlie Cheese, gaining visibility on the comedy circuit and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he was noticed by comedian Bob Mortimer.