Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) gives up his job at age 40 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional actor. Because of his age and “blend-in appearance,” Andy has a hard time landing any decent parts. He and his friend Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen) work much of the time as extras in various film projects. While Maggie spends her time on set looking for dates, Andy searches for ways to get bigger roles, often with no success.