Empire Online 2002

Candidate:

Richard E Grant – Withnail & I
1996 (sic)
Director: Bruce Robinson

Description:

Teetotal, non-smoker Grant probably wouldn’t have been anybody’s first choice for the role of the foul-mouthed, lighter-fuel-swigging Withnail. But, caught out in the rain before the audition, he clearly looked the part and director Bruce Robinson cast him anyway. Actually allergic to alcohol and thus free from its evil clutches, Grant did take the plunge to get in the right frame of mind for his role and “filled a tumbler with vodka and topped it off with a bit of Pepsi.” The resulting show was apparently so funny, co-star Paul McGann joked that he’d never be able to top it on film.

Verdict:

The finest wine available to humanity