Peter Serafinowicz, born Peter Szymon Serafinowicz on 10 July 1972 in Liverpool, England, is a versatile English actor, comedian, and writer renowned for his distinctive voice work and comedic timing. He rose to prominence with his memorable role as the voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in 1999, a performance that introduced him to a global audience and showcased his ability to bring iconic characters to life. Serafinowicz's career, however, spans far beyond that single role, encompassing a diverse array of live-action and voice performances across film, television, and video games.
Serafinowicz's early career was rooted in comedy, where he honed his skills as a performer and writer. He created and starred in the cult classic parody series Look Around You from 2002 to 2005, a deadpan spoof of educational films that earned critical acclaim for its meticulous attention to detail and absurdist humor. This success led to his own sketch show, The Peter Serafinowicz Show, which aired from 2007 to 2008 and further demonstrated his talent for impersonations and character work. His unique comedic voice also found a home in the United States, where he voiced characters and served as a creative consultant on the long-running animated series South Park from 2006 to 2015.
In film, Serafinowicz has appeared in a wide range of major productions. He played Pete in Edgar Wright's zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead in 2004, and later took on the role of Garthan Saal in the Marvel blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. He lent his voice to the character Big Daddy in the animated musical Sing in 2016 and its sequel Sing 2 in 2021, and delivered a memorable performance as The Sommelier in the action thriller John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017. He is also set to appear as Spitelout in the live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon in 2025. On television, Serafinowicz starred as the title character in the live-action adaptation of The Tick from 2016 to 2019, a role that earned him a dedicated fanbase. He also portrayed Edgar Covington in Parks and Recreation from 2013 to 2015 and voiced the Fisher King in an episode of Doctor Who in 2015.
Beyond his on-screen work, Serafinowicz has built an extensive career as a voice actor in animation and video games. He has lent his distinctive tones to episodes of Archer, Bob's Burgers, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, and American Dad!, and reprised his role as Garthan Saal in the second season of the animated series What If...?. In the gaming world, he has voiced characters in titles such as Dark Souls II, LittleBigPlanet 3, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Serafinowicz has also ventured into directing, creating music videos for acts like Hot Chip, and gained widespread attention in 2016 for a series of political satire videos in which he dubbed over speeches by Donald Trump with humorous accents. With a career defined by its breadth and wit, Peter Serafinowicz remains a distinctive and influential figure in entertainment.