BreakingNews.ie – 15th March, 2015

Richard E Grant has said that even as such a well-known name, he still has to pinch himself when he thinks about all of the famous people he has worked with.

The Withnail & I star said that even though he had worked in Hollywood for many years, he had still not become accustomed to knowing so many celebrated directors.

He said: “Carrie Fisher once said to me, ‘You are no longer a tourist, you’re one of the attractions’. I know what she means, but at the same time, I have never stopped pinching myself when I have met or got to work with people whose talents I have long admired.”

“It still seems surreal to me. Watching the Oscars the other night, I realised the sheer number of famous people I have met and it sometimes feels like a parallel reality.”

Talking about the time in his career when he was happiest, Richard revealed: “Writing and directing Wah-Wah (his autobiographical film) in Swaziland as it was so all-encompassing and I liked being asked a thousand questions a day and having to find solutions to a multitude of problems.”

“Revisiting my troubled family history from the safety and perspective of being middle-aged was revelatory and hugely enjoyable. An unforgettable experience, despite the horrendous obstruction and ineptitude of the French producer.”

Richard E Grant’s new series Seven Deadly Sins, which looks at human and animal behaviour, can be seen on the Discovery Channel on Fridays at 9pm.