The short answer to your question seems to be that he's having a ball.

I don't mean to imply that an actor's job isn't difficult, but a highly respected, A-list comedy star seems to have it easier than most, and Hugh Laurie (best known on these shores as the star of Fox's "House") seems to be using his stature to only take gigs that look like fun.

For starters, he's continuing work on his own sitcom, HBO's "Avenue 5," which was created by industry darling Armando Iannucci ("Veep"). Its second season is due out later this year.

Laurie also recently wrapped work on two feature-length animated comedies: "The Amazing Maurice," based on a novel by beloved children's author Terry Pratchett, and "The Canterville Ghost," based on a short story by Oscar Wilde. The latter film reunites him with longtime comedy partner Stephen Fry ("Gosford Park," 2001).

Laurie was also recently booked for a leading role in "All the Light We Cannot See," a miniseries adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name — a series that's sure to attract awards-season attention.

And in case you missed it, he also worked behind the scenes as director and screenwriter of "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?," a miniseries adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel. (What patriotic Englishman wouldn't do that if he had the chance?) That series was released last month on the streaming service BritBox.

These roles cover the full range from goofy to prestigious, and so they're just the kinds of things we should expect from Laurie at a time in his career when he can more or less do whatever he likes.

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