Funnyman Chris O’Dowd sees profits jump 54%

Accumulated profits at Roscommon funnyman Chris O’Dowd’s UK production firm last year jumped by 54% to £546,244 (€639,374).

Mr O’Dowd’s Hot Cod Productions is one of the companies behind his very successful Moone Boy series broadcast in recent years to critical and popular acclaim.

The upturn in the company’s fortunes has coincided with the continuing success of the semi-autobiographical series and the 36-year-old’s continuing rise in Hollywood.

The value of the firm’s investments during the 12 months to the end of last October increased from £148,931 to £293,284, accounts show.

Mr O’Dowd is a favourite of one of the most influential directors in Hollywood, Judd Apatow, and has starred in Apatow movies Bridesmaids and This is 40, while he has also had a starring role in the HBO series Girls.

He is part of a star-studded cast including Samuel L Jackson, Judi Dench, Eva Green, and Rupert Everett starring in Tim Burton’s upcoming fantasy adventure film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

He is currently filming The God Particle, which is being directed by JJ Abrams of Star Wars fame and is due for release next year.

Last year, the actor enjoyed positive reviews for his portrayal of journalist David Walsh in his pursuit of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong in the movie The Program.

He first came to notice in RTÉ’s The Clinic, before his UK breakthrough in comedy The IT Crowd.