How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
A hapless British journalist lands a coveted gig at a top New York magazine and must navigate a whirlwind of social blunders, cutthroat colleagues, and cultural chaos just to prove he belongs.
“He's across the pond, and out of his depth.”
Synopsis
Sidney Young is a struggling journalist who gains unexpected attention after a notable incident involving a pig at a glamorous awards ceremony. His newfound notoriety catches the eye of Clayton Harding, the editor of the New York-based magazine *Sharps*, leading to an opportunity for Sidney at the prestigious publication. The British journalist relocates to New York City, where he encounters a series of missteps and challenges.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 295+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by David FreemanShot by Oliver StapletonScored by David ArnoldDesigned by John BeardSound by Glenn FreemantleCostumes by Annie HardingeStunts by Jamie EdgellVFX by Lorea Hoye
Box Office
2008 · Box office
📉 Underperformed — grossed 0.6× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$17.3M
US & Canada: $2.8M — 16% of worldwide · International: $14.5M (84%)
Opening weekend: $1.4M — 51% of its US run. Front-loaded — most of its money arrived opening weekend.
Opening week (7-day): $2.0M — 73% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 1,750 theaters
Also known as
- New York für Anfängerde
- How to Lose Friends and Alienate Peoplees
- Un Anglais à New Yorkfr
- (English)How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
- (English, alternative spelling)How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
- Star System - Se non ci sei non esistiit
- (Bulgarian)Как да губиш приятели и да дразниш хората
Release dates around the world5 countries · showhide
- United KingdomOct 3, 2008
- IrelandOct 3, 2008
- PolandOct 3, 2008
- United StatesOct 3, 2008
- BelgiumOct 9, 2008
Production & Distribution
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Cast & Crew
295 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Simon Pegg
as Sidney Young
Kirsten Dunst
as Alison Olsen
Megan Fox
as Sophie Maes
Kelan Guy
as Young Sidney
Janette Scott
as Sidney's Mother
Gillian Anderson
as Eleanor Johnson
Kelly Jo Charge
as Apollo Awards Presenter
Christian Maier Smith
as Apollo Awards Guest
Katherine Parkinson
as PR Woman
Danny Huston
as Lawrence Maddox
Felicity Montagu
as Clipboard Nazi
Thandiwe Newton
as Thandie Newton
Supporting cast
77John Lightbody
as Assistant Hotel Manager
Ian Bonar
as Post Modern Review Staff
James Corden
as Post Modern Review Staff
Fenella Woolgar
as Post Modern Review Staff
Chris O Dowd
as Post Modern Review Staff
Hugh Thompson
as Post Modern Review Staff
Emily Thorling
as Post Modern Review Staff
Jeff Bridges
as Clayton Harding
Miquel Brown
as Clayton's Assistant
Miriam Margolyes
as Mrs. Kowalski
Nathalie Cox
as Woman in Bar
Sam Douglas
as Barman
Charlotte Devaney
as Bobbie
Gillian King
as Sharps Assistant
Margo Stilley
as Ingrid
Isabella Calthorpe
as Anna
Hannah Waddingham
as Elizabeth Maddox
Diana Kent
as Rachel Petkoff
Max Minghella
as Vincent Lepak
Emily Denniston
as Maddox's Assistant
Jefferson Mays
as Bill Nathanson
Ashley Madekwe
as Vicky
Lisa Mcallister
as Sophie Maes' Assistant
Julia West
as Mother Superior -
Brona C Titley
as Nun -
Charles De Bromhead
as Young Priest -
Jane Perry
as Mrs. Harding
Connie Wheeler
as Harding Child
Lara Edmunds
as Harding Child
Allen Lidkey
as July 4th Party Guest
Robert B Weide
as July 4th Party Guest
Nathan Nolan
as July 4th Party Waiter
Andy Lucas
as Wizard, Dentist
Bill Paterson
as Richard Young
Alexandra Aitken
as Nightclub Girl
Sarah Mennell
as Flight Desk Attendant
Liat Baruch
as Couple on Blanket
Eivind Karlsen
as Couple on Blanket
Debbie Attwell
as Red Carpet Fan
Michael Berendt
as Award Winner
Cristobal Blanco Garcia
as Party Goer
Cris Blanco
as Night Club Patron
Jemma Bolt
as Sharpe's Girl
Lex Campbell
as Papparazzi
Lea Caprice
as Model
Serena Catapano
as Waitress
Heather Snow Clark
as Beautiful Girl
Toni Collette
as Toni Collette
Daniel Craig
as Daniel Craig
Giada Del Drago
as Fashion Party Girl
Joey Duke
as Photographer
Elli
as Newsstand Vendor
James Fiddy
as Party Goer
Dennis Jay Funny
as Office Lobby Concierge
Ricky Gervais
as Ricky Gervais
Tim Glanfield
as Bafta Awards Official
Brian Austin Green
as Party Guest
Mitchell Green
as Bouncer
Chris Jameson
as Apollo Awards Guest
Forbes Kb
as Hotel Security
Thor Knai
as Sharp's Party Celebrity
Chantal Lam
as July 4th Party Guest, Model
Edward Lemont
as Sharps Magazine Receptionist
Elizabeth Logan
as Model @ Party
Oliver Martin
as Maddox's Friend at Party
Ben Morris
as BAFTA Crowd Member
Sarah Jane Paige
as Female Fan
Daniel Pellegrino
as Daniel Pellegrino
David Petrucci
as Guest at party
Tracy Redington
as Model
Jenny Rieu
as Girl on Blanket
James Schram
as Doorman, Bouncer
Robert Stone
as BAFTA Security
Ashton Swinford
as Glamorati
Vesna Vujat
as Sharpe's Girl
Michael T Walker
as Movie Goer
Kate Winslet
as Kate Winslet
Directors
1Writers
2Producers
20Brian Gilmore
executive producer
Carrie Fix
line producer: New York
Elizabeth Karlsen
Producer, Producers
Gary Smith
executive producer
Jimmy Price
line producer: second unit, NYC
Jon Diamond
executive producer: LipSync
Katja Hollmann
producer: LipSync Post
Laurie Borg
co-producer
Lila Yacoub
line producer: second unit, LA
Lorea Hoye
visual effects producer
Mark Brooke
executive producer (uncredited)
Norman Merry
executive producer: LipSync
Paul White
executive producer
Peter Hampden
executive producer: LipSync
Richard Hewitt
line producer
Robin O Hara
associate producer
Simon Fawcett
Producers, executive producer
Stephen Woolley
Producer, Producers
Tessa Ross
executive producer
Toby Young
co-producer
Other crew
194Milton Holman
action vehicles coordinator
Stewart Homan
action vehicles coordinator
Jeffrey Rebelo
additional hair stylist: New York (as Jeffery Rebelo)
Jane Dipersio
additional makeup artist: New York
Persefone Karakosta
additional makeup artist: New York
Ethan Anderson
additional second assistant director
Steve Finnigan
adr recordist
Chloe Berthier
Alison Olsen
Anthony Gasparro
Art Directors
Susan Chika Anisiobi
assistant accountant
Rachel Carberry
assistant adr recordist
Tim Browning
assistant art director
Parents Guide
AI Personalities
Advisory Bot AI
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