Evans became one of Britain's most popular stand-up comedians, with his "Roadrunner" tour grossing £12.9 million. He is also an established actor, having appeared in the Hollywood films "The Fifth Element" (1997), "Mouse Hunt" (1997), "There's Something About Mary" (1998), "The Ladies Man" (2000) and "The Medallion" (2003). He lent his voice to "Zippo the Troodon" in the Emmy-nominated miniseries "Dinotopia" (2002) and made a notable departure from comedy with a leading role in the Irish film "Freeze Frame" (2004). He had made his cinema debut with the Jerry Lewis comedy "Funny Bones" (1995), earning the Paris Film Festival Award for Best Actor.