Rowan Atkinson was a comedy star before Mr. Bean came along. But his rubber-faced, teddy bear-loving creation certainly put him on the map. Bean’s chaotic misadventures began on the small screen, before forming the basis of two hit movies. However despite his unique appearance, the character remains a mystery of sorts.
Where did he come from? What inspired him, and what are the facts behind the slapstick-laden fiction? Here are five things people don’t know about Mr. Bean…
He’s based on a young Atkinson
The seed for the character was planted while Atkinson was a student at Oxford University. He originally had a different career in mind — that of an electrical engineer, for which he was doing a Master’s Degree.
But a funny fate awaited him when he performed a sketch at a local theater. Seeking inspiration for this, he simply stood in front of a mirror and began contorting that unmistakable face. The rest evolved from there.
The process involved reaching back into his childhood. A 1998 profile in The Independent states, “Atkinson based Bean on what he was like as a nine-year-old. At school he was mercilessly teased by playground bullies who thought he looked like an alien…. ‘There’s a lot of Mr Bean in me,’ says Atkinson. ‘He’s socially inept, selfish and has no manners — yet he can be sweet, innocent and well-meaning.’”
Keep reading to learn more…
