Ricky Gervais recreates Muhammad Ali moment

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He's had to box clever to join the Hollywood heavyweights. Now Ricky Gervais shows he is among the big hitters by recreating a famous Muhammad Ali pose.

Ricky Gervais recreated the iconic Muhammad Ali cover from 1968. The November issue is on sale Thursday 8th October.

The comic and writer is one of four guest editors for Men's magazine Esquire, but only agreed to take part on condition he could reprise the Ali shot.

Gervais joked: "I sting like a butterfly and I'm shaped like a bee. So close enough."

The actor, who has just made his directorial debut with The Invention Of Lying, chose to restage a 1968 cover shot of Ali cover which showed boxer with six arrows piercing in his body.

Gervais, has guest-edited the publication alongside respected photographer Rankin, the author Nick Hornby and Radio 4's Today programme presenter - and Dragon's Den host - Evan Davis.

Gervais told Esquire how he lured Philip Seymour Hoffman to appear in his film with a gag about testicles.

"I sent him an email saying, 'Dear Mr Hoffman, please be in my new movie. It's a cameo and I've never directed before and there is no money because I spent it on a testicular enhancement.

"'However, if you do this movie, please don't consider them my testicles, consider them our testicles.' That was my pitch to him. And it worked," Gervais claimed.

He said it was his role in BBC fly-on-the-wall comedy The Office which was at the root of his access to Hollywood stars.

"That's the best thing about fame: the access. I'd like to think that I'd be their friend if I'd just written and directed The Office and had not been in it, but I probably wouldn't have been on their radar. Everything has come from The Office."
The new edition of Esquire is on sale on Thursday, October 8.

 

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