Rowan Atkinson may have built a global empire playing Mr Bean, but the actor has made it clear he wouldn’t want the character anywhere near his dinner table. Speaking at a London screening of his Netflix comedy Man Vs Baby, Atkinson offered one of his bluntest assessments yet of the famous buffoon who made him a household name worldwide.
“I Would Never Have Dinner With Him”
While discussing the evolution of his comedy career, Atkinson said he’s never viewed Mr Bean as a pleasant person — even if millions adore him.
“I dislike Mr Bean as a person… I certainly would never like to have dinner with him,”
he admitted, calling the character “selfish, self-serving and anarchic.”
That surprising candour has sparked a wave of conversation online, especially since Bean remains one of Britain’s most beloved comedy exports.
A Global Phenomenon Built on Childlike Chaos
Launched in 1990, Mr Bean became a cultural juggernaut. The series and its expansions have aired in over 190 countries, and the character’s official YouTube channel boasts 35 million subscribers with 12 billion views. Atkinson acknowledged that Bean’s wordless, physical humor is what made him so universally accessible — but he still doesn’t consider him a “nice guy.”
The actor said the only reason the character resonates with him at all is because Bean resembles a heightened version of his own childish quirks at age 10. Even then, he added with a laugh, “I wouldn’t want him in my house.”
Comparing Bean to His Other Iconic Roles
During the conversation, Atkinson reflected on the personalities he has embodied over the years, and he didn’t shy away from judging them either:
- Blackadder: “sarcastic, sardonic… a basically negative force”
- Johnny English: “vain and charmless”
- Mr Bean: “a selfish, anarchic child”
Against that line-up, he believes his new Netflix character, Trevor Bingley, is refreshingly wholesome.
“Trevor is one of the nicest people I’ve ever played,”
Atkinson said, noting that he rarely gets to play a hero without a dark twist.
What’s Next for the ‘Man Vs…’ Universe?
While fans are asking about a third season of Man Vs Baby, Atkinson said no decision has been made yet — and it won’t depend on reviews. He revealed he hasn’t read a critique of his own work “since the 20th century.”
For him, there’s only one measure that counts:
“The only thing that interests me is how many people watch this, and would they like to watch more? That’s the litmus test.”
Final Words
Rowan Atkinson’s brutally honest take on Mr Bean adds an unexpected layer to the character’s legacy — proving that even global icons can be hard to live with in real life. But while Atkinson may not want him at dinner, audiences clearly still do, and his comedic creations continue to thrive across generations.
