Simon Farnaby has become a significant figure in British screen comedy, combining memorable comic cameos with writing work on commercially successful films including the “Paddington” series and “Wonka”. His work matters because these films have collectively earned more than $1 billion, while his television work has also travelled internationally, illustrating the reach of his distinctive surreal and affectionate comic style.

Farnaby often plays characters named Barry, including an inept security guard in the first two “Paddington” films, although he says the name was probably suggested by collaborator Paul King. Farnaby created Hugh Grant’s flamboyant “Paddington 2” villain Phoenix Buchanan, initially envisaging Grant for the part, and has worked with King for more than 25 years; their forthcoming project is Sony’s live-action-and-CGI Labubu film.