Women’s Own Magazine – 16th December 2002

By Shoba Vazirani.

I’m chatting to Richard E Grant on the Isle of Man-based set of BBC 1’s Christmas spectacular, The Hound of Baskervilles, and he’s under pressure. Always in huge demand, Richard is hours away from a flight to Cape Town, where he is starring in a movie about Napoleon, Monsieur N – yet he insists on honouring our scheduled interview, and is nothing less than polite and attentive.

“This is a fantastic job, even if you do finish at one or two in the morning sometimes,” he insists. “It’s not like going down the Siberian salt mines.”

“If people recognise me and bother to come over and chat, I’ll happily sign autographs. I reply to every fan letter personally and, while working, I’d never throw a tantrum or be difficult.”

Ever since he shot to fame as the demented, out-of-work actor in the cult movie Withnail and I in 1985, work has been pouring in for the 45-year-old star, who has had roles in more than 50 films.

“I love variety, and I try not to do the same thing twice,” he explains.

The Hound of the Baskervilles gives him a chance to add a compelling villain to his collection. Alongside Richard Roxburgh and Ian Hart – who star as Sherlock Holmes and Watson – Grant plays Stapleton, the illegitimate heir to the Baskerville estate. As the arch-villain his is arguably the most interesting character in the drama.

“Stapleton does everything in his power to get rid of the young Sir Henry Baskerville, who inherits the estate instead of him,” Richard explains.

He’s full of praise for his fellow actors, and stresses they’ve all had a good shoot. But he’s particularly happy with the fact that the Isle of Man is just a short flight from his London home.

His devotion to his wife, renowned voice coach Joan Washington, and their 13-year-old Olivia, is well known in showbiz circles, and Richard loathes being away from them.

Richard met Joan, eight years his senior, after moving to London from Cape Town, where he studied drama, in 1982.

He was instantly besotted, and their marriage is the envy of many in an industry where break ups and divorce are rife.

“My marriage and family life means more to me than anything, and fidelity is extremely important to both of us,” he states, completely serious for once. “And I love being a father.”

His firm views on the family are almost certainly influenced by his own childhood in Swaziland, where he was born. Richard was only 11 when his mother Leonie, left for another man. He and his younger brother, Stuart, were raised by their father, Hendrik, who was then the country’s minister of education.

The experience shattered both boys, Richard reveals he was teased mercilessly at boarding school and often cried himself to sleep. These days, he is estranged from Stuart, with whom he says he has “nothing in common”, and instead focuses all his attention on his wife and daughter.

“They come first for me, every time. I think if you’ve come from a background of divorce, you either repeat those patterns or do the complete opposite.”

As millions switch on their televisions to watch The Hound of The Baskervilles, Richard and his family are more likely to be playing silly games and wearing party hats.

Despite not being able to touch alcohol – he is allergic to it – Richard laughingly confesses he can be as “stupid and out of control” as the next man when it comes to the festive season.

“I’ve never been able to drink – my body doesn’t have the enzyme that breaks down alcohol,” he explains. “But it’s never stood on the way of my having a good time, especially at this time of year.”

“I just love Christmas, love everything about it. We have a huge party at home every year, one week before the big day, and invite all our friends and family. I put up the decorations on 1 December and leave them up for six weeks. Christmas Day itself is a traditional lunch for the family.”

“I’ve no cynicism about Christmas whatsoever, and I’ve never had a bad one, as far as I can remember. Everyone makes a huge effort to be nicer to each other, and I just love shopping for presents – and receiving them. I also love Christmas pudding. I have one every month, all year around. I stock up in the January sales and buy enough to last all the whole year.”

While he doesn’t believe in New Year resolutions, Richard does have a New Year tradition of taking the family to the Caribbean every January. After that, it’s back to business – and he has plenty of projects lined up.

Apart from his hilarious Argos adverts with Julia Sawalha, he’s involved in a series of shorts, called Posh Nosh, with Arabella Weir, in which he plays, ironically, a wine expert.

He has roles in two other movies, Stephen Fry’s Bright Young Things, based on the Evelyn Waugh novel Vile Bodies, and Making Waves, about the 1960s pirate radio station, Radio Caroline.

So has success surprised him?

“All of it has surprised me. God, yes. The odds against surviving in this profession are so high that I can’t think of any actor who could take it for granted – or assume that now they’ve arrived, that’s it.”

“This job has enabled me to meet some extraordinary people and go to places I’d never have imagined going, so it’s been a huge adventure. I know I’m very lucky.”

* The Hound Of The Baskervilles is scheduled to be shown on BBC1 at Christmas.

Click on the image below to see a larger version of this article.