Actor Richard E Grant On Girls, Meryl Streep And Cooking For Nigella
www.newstalk.ie – 20th January, 2014
The Green Room
Sorcha Heron
The Withnail and I actor reflects on working with Lena Dunham, his friendship with Meryl Streep, making dinner for Nigella Lawson and his favourite Irish hotel.
Richard E Grant reached a compromise with Lena Dunham, writer, director and star of the TV show Girls when the 27 year old asked him to go topless on the latest series of the show. He wore a vest.
“I said, look I’m about to be 57 years old, you’re all half my age. Just for the viewers alone can I please wear what they call a singleton or what we call a vest – I thought it would be too gruesome to show my old plank with 2 raisins, my torso on screen.”
The Swaziland born actor is talking to The Green Room about his upcoming appearance on the hugely popular show.
Meryl Streep
In Girls he develops a crush on one of the four main characters. In real life, Grant admits one of his greatest crushes was on his co-star in The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep. The crush developed into a longstanding friendship as Streep rented a house near Grant’s recently in London and he cooked dinner for the Oscar winner.
Cooking for Nigella
Cooking for friends is part of the norm in the actor’s life. Nigella Lawson who is a close friend is attending dinner at the Grant residence tonight. And what’s on the menu?
“Chicken. Nigella loves chicken. It’s from a cook called Sean who owns Sean’s Panorama on Bondi Beach. He’s a good friend of mine and he does a great chicken recipe.”
Best hotel worldwide
The actor toured the world with the TV show Hotel Secrets but said it was an Irish hotel that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
“Ballyfin. It was like stepping back in the past without the inconvenience of no electricity. The personal attention…the welcome of the people, the setting, the food, I should be their PR manager.”
To hear the full interview with Richard E Grant tune into The Green Room with Orla Barry this Saturday from 9pm-11pm
Richard E Grant appears on Season Three of Girls now showing on Sky Atlantic
