Russell Brand is a person.
Russell Edward Brand ( born 4 June 1975 ) is an English comedian , actor , radio host , author , and activist . He also worked as a voice actor in the animated films Despicable Me in 2010 , Hop in 2011 , and Despicable Me 2 in 2013 , and played the title character of the 2011 remake of the romantic comedy Arthur . In 2014 , Brand launched his political-comedy web series The Trews , released a book entitled Revolution , and began work on a documentary about financial inequality with Michael Winterbottom . Over the course of his career , Brand has been the subject of frequent media coverage and controversy for issues such as his promiscuity and drug use , his outrageous behaviour at various award ceremonies , his dismissal from MTV and resignation from the BBC , and his two-year marriage with singer Katy Perry .