Ricky Gervais' Hollywood Directorial Debut

Ricky Gervais, British jack-of-all-trades is set to make his Hollywood directorial debut with "The Invention of Lying", which previewed at the Toronto Film Festival to positive and occasionally ecstatic reactions.

Time Magazine spoke to the man most famous for David Brent and the original incarnation of The Office, and found him slightly nervous. "This is the real test. If this tanks, I will only ever be the guy who did The Office. What else have I done? Cameos. Extras was good, and the stand-up was good — but you never get to escape something like The Office unless you keep your momentum up."

Rob Lowe, co-star of Gervais' new film, is clearly a fan. On a cold day spent filming in a quarry Lowe waved away suggestions that any on set experiences could be less than a joy, "Anything Ricky Gervais does," he shrugged. "We've just had the second series of Extras — which he didn't ask me to be on, damn him. He's so enthusiastic and appealing. I get to play his nemesis, and I get to dress up as a caveman and everything. What's not to like?"

The premise is simple: In a world where nobody has ever learnt to lie, Ricky Gervais plays a man who discovers one day that he doesn't have to tell the truth. This brings obvious advantages, and Gervais' character uses his new "superpowers" to try and "get the girl".

It's a story that allows for the application of plenty of Gervais' recognisably British humour, and for his character Mark Bellison to invent God, scribbling a version of the ten commandments on a pizza box.

Gervais has accumulated many awards on both sides of the Atlantic during his carrer to date, including seven BAFTA Awards, four British Comedy Awards, three Golden Globes, two Emmys and the 2006 Rose D'Or, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

The Invention of Lying is released October 2nd