Phil Hanley

Phil Hanley is a Canadian-American stand-up comedian and actor. He had a half-hour special on Comedy Central in 2015 and released an hour-long stand-up special Ooh La La on his YouTube channel in 2022. Time Out described him as a "master of crowdwork".

Early life

Phil Hanley was raised in Oshawa, Ontario. He was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 10 and used comedy as a way to cope with his learning disability.

Career

Prior to performing stand-up, Hanley worked as a model in New York and Europe for clients such as Giorgio Armani, Levi's, Fred Perry, and British GQ. He had his first screenwriting credit for the 2006 film Air Buddies. In 2015, he had a half-hour special released on Comedy Central. The film was written and directed by Pavan Moondi and also starred Tim Heidecker and Luke Lalonde. Prior to the role, Hanley had no acting experience.

In 2018, Hanley released a comedy album, Please Don't Chit Chat While I'm Pursuing My Dream.

In March 2025, Hanley published his first book entitled Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith.

Reception

His stand-up performances feature extensive audience interaction, and Time Out described him as a "master of crowdwork". The Georgia Straight describe his stage presence as portraying a "nebbishy persona with a misplaced confidence".

Personal life

Hanley is an ambassador for organizations that address learning disabilities, including Eye to Eye, Dyslexia Canada, and Choose Your Own ADDventure.

Hanley is a fan of The Grateful Dead.

Filmography Films

Television

Stand-up