Some describe him as “the Cypriot Banksy,” a nod to the decades he spent creating under the masked persona Wirrow. Toff Mazery is a UK Cypriot artist, writer, and show developer whose imaginative, emotionally resonant and wonderfully off-beat storytelling has reached audiences worldwide. Born in Cyprus to a father from Ayia Napa and a mother from Komi Kebir, Toff was originally named Xristoforos Xatzinikola — with “Toff” a natural shortening of his first name and “Mazery” taken from his father’s village. He moved to the UK at a young age, where his instinct for drawing, inventing and world-building quickly shaped his identity.

For more than twenty years, Mazery created under the enigmatic, mask-driven persona Wirrow, cultivating a devoted following through visually poetic, anti-conformist artwork and short-form stories that became a kind of quiet online folklore. As his work expanded into major studio collaborations, publishers and producers increasingly encouraged him to step forward. After years of anonymity, Toff agreed — a turning point that finally connected his real identity to a body of work that had already travelled far beyond him.

His career accelerated after sharing his illustrations and micro-stories on HITRECORD, the open creative platform founded by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his brother “Burning Dan.” It was here that Gordon-Levitt first encountered Toff’s work — immediately struck by its originality and emotional clarity. Their creative chemistry quickly sparked collaborations across HITRECORD projects, including the Emmy-winning series HitRECord on TV (2014–2015). Mazery’s distinct illustrative style also featured in Gordon-Levitt’s feature film Don Jon (2013).

That collaboration ultimately expanded into the globally published Tiny Book of Tiny Stories series with HarperCollins. Under the Wirrow name, Toff co-created all four volumes, pairing miniature narratives with evocative illustrations that resonated widely and helped define the Wirrow era.

He often notes, with affection, that one of his earliest memories with Gordon-Levitt involved taking him to the Finchley bowling alley in North London — a far cry from Hollywood, but a moment the two still laugh about.

THE WOLFBOY ERA

A decade of developing his Tiny Stories Universe culminated in Mazery’s signature creation: the Apple TV+ animated series Wolfboy and the Everything Factory, produced by HITRECORD. Wolfboy became the most complete expression of his artistic voice — imaginative world-building, sincere emotional depth and a playful streak of absurdity and whimsical humour.

Deeply personal and visually distinctive, Wolfboy draws heavily from Toff’s childhood — a boy daydreaming with his head in the clouds, who eventually learned that the qualities setting him apart were his greatest strengths.

“The weird parts of us — the parts outside the lines — that’s where our power is,” Toff says. “That’s what saved me as a kid, and that’s what Wolfboy is about.”

In the story, Wolfboy descends into the magical Everything Factory, a realm where sprytes create everything in existence — from clouds and trees to dreams, memories and even hiccups. The world reflects Toff’s instinct for originality: creatures and designs that resemble nothing else in animation — glowing dragons, crystalline geometry, and endless surprises tucked behind gem-like doors.

Mazery assembled a world-class creative team, including art director Beatrice Blue and animators such as Natalie Andrewson, whose contributions helped bring the universe to life.

One of Mazery’s most inspired creative decisions was inviting Joseph Gordon-Levitt to voice the eccentric mentor figure Professor Luxcraft.

Gordon-Levitt says:

“I’ve always loved magical mentor-sorcerer characters, but never had the chance to play one. Animation finally let me be that guy.”

Toff adds:

“When Joe became Luxcraft, everything shifted. He became younger, more energetic, wonderfully weird. It changed how I wrote him — more dimensional, more whimsical, and a much better character.”

In 2022, Mazery co-directed A Forest Haunt, a short animated film produced by HITRECORD in collaboration with Canon and shaped through contributions from creators around the world. His work continues to appear across imaginative projects, including the TV series Wildemount Wildlings (2025–) and collaborations with Critical Role, expanding his footprint into high-fantasy world-building.

Toff is also developing a new TV project with fellow Cypriot creative Yiotis Katsambas, Director of Technology at Sony Pictures Animation, whose influence helped shape aspects of the studio’s innovation pipeline.

Toff is known for the contrast between his expansive creative imagination and his easygoing, grounded nature. He divides his time between Los Angeles, the UK, and Cyprus, carrying the creative roots of all three homes with him. His guiding philosophy, the heart of Wolfboy, remains unchanged:

“Always keep your imagination alive. One day it might become your superpower.”