His comedy career kicked off around the same time, performing stand-up and bagging a role as a video journalist for MTV in 2000.
A few months later, Brand became embroiled in his biggest scandal yet.
Over the course of two decades in the spotlight, the British stand-up and presenter Russell Brand has put forward many different personas to the public.
Post-Perry split, Brand began his pivot into a new incarnation: as a self-styled political sage speaking truth to power.