October 21st 2024.
Richard E Grant, a legendary actor, recently opened up about his most chaotic film experience. Despite his successful career, he revealed that one of his most memorable films was actually an ‘absolute nightmare’ to film. It was a box office bomb at the time, which came as a surprise to audiences and critics alike.
Richard made his big screen debut in 1987 in the British cult classic Withnail and I, and has since cemented himself as one of the greats of cinema. Now, 37 years later, he is taking on a new project called The Franchise, which takes a humorous and satirical look at the movie-making business. The film provides a glimpse of the chaos that can unfold among the cast and crew on the set of a big superhero blockbuster.
In a recent interview with Metro, the 67-year-old actor discussed his role as Peter, a ‘complete narcissist’ actor in The Franchise. He also talked about his wider career, including his scene-stealing turn in Loki and the possibility of joining the Harry Potter TV reboot. The Franchise, which also stars Lolly Adefope, Himesh Patel, Billy Magnussen, and Daniel Brühl, is a tale of everything that could go wrong on a film set and how the team behind the scenes works together to keep the production going.
Richard was drawn to the project thanks to director Sam Mendes, creator Jon Brown, and executive producer Armando Iannucci. His role as a diva actor with no redeeming qualities was a challenging one, but he was excited to take on the role. He described his character as ‘an absolute arse’ who was mean to everyone in the story. Playing such a character in an ensemble film felt alienating, but Richard understood that it was just a bleed-over and it was all part of the job.
While the chaos depicted in The Franchise may be fictional, Richard has personally experienced the mayhem that can occur on a film set. He recalled his experience working on the disastrous Hudson Hawk with Bruce Willis in 1990. Everything that could go wrong did, and the film turned out to be a massive box office bomb when it was released in 1992. Looking back, Richard finds it amusing, but at the time, it was an absolute nightmare.
Despite the chaotic experience, Richard has been a part of some of the most talked-about films and TV shows in recent years. He starred as Sir James Catton in Saltburn, which stirred up a strong reaction among audiences with its controversial and sexual scenes. Richard also appeared as Classic Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s TV series Loki, and his performance quickly became a fan favorite.
When asked if he would return to the MCU as Classic Loki, Richard said he would do it ‘in a heartbeat.’ However, he jokingly mentioned the one caveat he had about the role – not being able to wear a muscle suit. He eventually came to a compromise with the producers and was allowed to wear a cape most of the time to cover up his lack of muscles.
Despite his success, Richard still feels a sense of paranoia whenever he starts a new job. He confessed that he has an ‘abiding paranoia’ about being fired, as it does happen in the industry. This feeling keeps him hungry for new projects and drives him to do his best work.
As for the future, Richard has several projects lined up, including Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, Savage House with Claire Foy, Nuremberg with Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, and Death of a Unicorn with Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd. Some people have even suggested that he would be perfect for a role in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot, but Richard clarified that he has not been approached for it yet.
Aside from his on-screen work, Richard is also known for his frequent video updates on social media. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, his videos brought comfort to many people. He shared that his experience with social media has been largely positive, and he can always block toxic people if needed.
The Franchise is now available on Sky and NOW. Fans can look forward to seeing Richard in this hilarious and chaotic film.
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