Eddie Izzard‘s motivation came from losing his mother
Eddie Izzard’s drive and struggle to become a successful comic came from the fact that he had lost his mother when he was 6 years old, a documentary about his life reveals.
In the film, called “Believe”, Eddie confesses that he would say that if he “did enough things maybe she would come back”.
About his ambition, he said: “I seem to have the determination gene. I don’t know if that’s to do with my mum or whether that’s built in.”
“I am just a tenacious idiot… After mum died I thought the applause of the audience was something I swapped for my mum’s affection.”
“That is how I analyse it. I’m not sure what a psyschiatrist would say.”
John Cleese described him as the “lost Python” but Izzard is also curiously private and not much is known about him other than what he wants people to see.
Film-maker Sarah Townsend, a friend of Izzard’s, said, “The problem we had, is he [Eddie] is so well-versed in interview and so able to divert from difficult questions and so good at presenting himself… with all aspects of his life including that most difficult – transvestitism – it is very hard to get underneath that. ”
“He only tells you what he believes you should know and he will never reveal himself, which is fine but no good for a film when you need a real story with a real drama. ”
“When he spoke about his mother, the room fell silent for 10 minutes. It was a magical moment.”
In the beginning of his career, he would play to empty theatres and get booed off stage but still believed that there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
He says: “It’s people being ambitious. If you are positive, ambitious and learn how to fight in a positive way – that’s good.”
In addition to these, Izzard had something to say about Prince William and his future wife: “They look like they’ve done it well. Even though they’ve taken a long time to get married I think it’s absolutely right.
“It is a weird burden being in that full-on spotlight that just switches on and stays on.
“The fact they’ve split up and came back together is good. So good for them and go for it – I just think there shouldn’t be a monarchy.”
The film is mainly about determination and ambition, traits that he demonstrated last year as well when he ran 43 marathons in 51 days for charity.
