Rob Delaney

In Furious (2026), Rob Delaney plays Oliver Charles without asking for a laugh. We were pleasantly surprised by his restraint in this revenge thriller, where the casting takes him a long way from comedy. This is a supporting performance, but it makes us want to see him in more parts that have no use for his comic reputation. The familiar helpful or hapless man is only one of the things he can do.

Catastrophe (2015–2019), which he co-created with co-star Sharon Horgan, gave him much more room as Rob Norris. His timing with Horgan makes the crude jokes work without squeezing out the affection. He is willing to let a character look foolish, although the bodily jokes can tip into the juvenile. The move into blockbuster cameos began with Deadpool 2 (2018). That offered a different use for his comedy, though less time for the awkward dealings between people that suit him.

He returns as Peter in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), a film with some good jokes and long stretches we could do without. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are good company, but the jokes about the studio soon become too much of the evening. Delaney's presence is no reason to overlook that, nor is the film's thinness a useful measure of him. We would sooner watch him sustain a difficult exchange with another actor than encounter him among another round of familiar faces.

Dying for Sex (2025), with Delaney as Neighbor Guy opposite Michelle Williams, makes better use of his capacity for tenderness alongside comedy. The central friendship, played by Williams and Jenny Slate, is the programme's chief strength, and Delaney is part of its supporting company rather than its centre. The writing can be too pleased with its frankness, but there is enough care for the people to earn our recommendation. Start there; choose Furious when nobody needs cheering up.