Mirror – 21st March, 2019

Can You Forgive Me? actor shared his starstruck selfies and revealed some famous faces looked like living ‘waxworks’

By Ashleigh Rainbird

Awestruck by the A-listers surrounding him at the Oscars, Richard E Grant describes how he felt as if he’d accidentally ended up in a Madame Tussaud’s exhibition…

It doesn’t help that some of the stars’ cosmetic enhancements leaves them looking less lifelike.

The actor, who was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, was so starstruck as he took selfies with some of his favourite icons including Barbra Streisand, one critic accused him of being a “wily crocodile-eyed old veteran trying to secure more last minute votes”.

He says he was actually “like a six year old trapped in a 61-year-old body”.

Taken for Granted: Richard romped through the Oscars like a 17-year-old fanboy (Image: Getty)

“I had psychoanalysis when I was 41,” he explains. “He said I was emotionally stuck at 17 years old. So long as you are not hurting or murdering anyone, stay in that zone.”

Of the ceremony itself, he quipped at a talk in London: “It’s an extraordinary thing, being at the actual Oscars is like being at Madame Tussaud’s live.”

To chortles, he added: “Except some people do literally look like waxworks, from whichever angle you look.

Evergreen fan: Richard E Grant meets Barbra Streisand at the 2019 Oscars (Image: @richard.e.grant)

“Seeing all these people that you’ve admired or newly admire all in one room… was a real pinch yourself thing.”

Meanwhile, for his next role, Richard could be about to reprise his role as the Spice Girls manager from Spiceworld The Movie – perhaps on their upcoming tour.

“Geri called me yesterday actually for the first time in 20 years,” he hints, though declined to divulge details except to say: “I could not get a word in edge ways…”

Dailymail.co.uk – 24th February, 2019

Independent Spirit Awards 2019: Richard E. Grant breaks down as he receives Best Supporting Male award from Glenn Close and dedicates gong to AIDS sufferers in heartfelt speech.

By Lily Waddell for MailOnline.

He is tipped for an Academy Award at the upcoming dazzling Oscars ceremony.

And Richard E. Grant started crying when he was named the Best Supporting Male at the 34th Film Independent Spirit Awards, in Santa Monica, California on Saturday.

The grinning actor, 61, gave Glenn Close a heartwarming bear hug when the Fatal Attraction actress presented the award to him.

Independent Spirit Awards 2019: Richard E. Grant broke down in tears as he received Best Supporting Male award (and a hug!) from Glenn Close on Saturday… ahead of Oscars buzz.

Richard was bestowed with the Best Supporting Male title for his part to play as Jack Hock in Can You Forgive Me?

Can You Forgive Me? lays out the true story of celebrity biography Lee Israel who spins stories and lies when her work falls out of favour with the public.

American actress Melissa McCarthy transforms into the A-list biographer while Richard plays her loyal friend Jack.

During his heartfelt speech, screen star Richard dedicated his award to a number of actors, including Chariots of Fire’s Ian Charleson, who died of AIDS at the age of 40 in 1990.

Brilliant man! Richard was bestowed with the Best Supporting Male title for his part to play as Jack Hock in Can You Forgive Me?

What a treat! The grinning actor, 61, gave Glenn Close a heartwarming bear hug when the Fatal Attraction actress presented the award to him.

Richard – whose character Jack suffers from the disease in the film – said: ‘The person that most inspired my performance was an actor called Ian Charleson, who played the lead role in Chariots of Fire in 1981.

‘He died of AIDS at the age of 40 in 1990 and this movie is an homage to that generation of men that were wiped out by that disease.’

Attempting to hold back his tears, the actor went on: ‘I know I have to be really quick but I feel absolutely astonished and emotional about this, thank you very much.

‘I spent my whole career in indie films and there’s six actors who I want to dedicate this film to. The first one is Daniel Day-Lewis, who passed on the role 33 years ago, which is why I’m here now.’

Happy: The Fatal Attraction star looked more than delighted to announce Richard had won the Independent Spirit Award.

DailyMail.co.uk – 23rd February, 2019

Richard E. Grant delightedly carts along his London-themed suitcase as he touches down in LA with daughter Olivia ahead of Oscars.

By Jabeen Waheed for MailOnline

He has been melting the hearts of his social media followers by enthusiastically documenting his award season journey.

And Richard E. Grant, 61, continued to display his excitement as he touched down in Los Angeles ahead of Sunday night’s Oscars with his plus one for the event – his daughter Olivia, 30.

The actor, who has earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as he brought a piece of home with him by toting his luggage in a UK print suitcase.

Fun times: Richard E. Grant, 61, continued to display his excitement as he touched down in LA ahead of Sunday night’s Oscars with his plus one for the event – his daughter Olivia, 30.

Despite the long haul flight, Richard didn’t sport a hint of fatigue as he landed in Los Angeles.

Richard looked in high spirits as he carted along his suitcases, one which boasted a graphic European print, etched with designs of Paris’ Eiffel Towel and London’s red phone box.

He was joined by his daughter Olivia, who nailed airport chic in a camel-coloured coat and jeans.

With her hair swept into a casual bun, she happily followed her dad Richard as they headed to their hotel.

Happy: The actor, who has earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, brought a piece of home with him by toting his luggage in a UK print suitcase.

Raring to go: Despite the long haul flight, Richard didn’t sport a hint of fatigue as he landed in Los Angeles.

Richard looked in high spirits as he carted along his suitcases, one which boasted a graphic European print, etched with designs of Paris’ Eiffel Towel and London’s red phone box.

It wasn’t long before Richard took to his Instagram platform with a collage of celeb-packed selfies at an Oscar nominees dinner.

He was seen grinning ear to ear as he posed with the likes of Laura Dern, Olivia Colman and Regina King.

This comes after Richard took to his Twitter and Instagram to share a sweet snap with his daughter Olivia on the plane to America on Thursday.

Nominated for the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in the comedy drama, Richard put on an animated display in a number of hilarious selfies.

Family: He was joined by his daughter Olivia, who nailed airport chic in a camel-coloured coat and jeans.

Low-key: With her hair swept into a casual bun, she happily followed her dad Richard as they headed to their hotel.

‘Historic’: It wasn’t long before Richard took to his Instagram platform with a collage of celeb-packed selfies at an Oscar nominees dinner.

Excited: This comes after Richard beamed in a sweet snap with his daughter Olivia as the pair headed to LA for the Oscars… ahead of star’s Best Supporting Actor race.

In the adorable post, he wrote: ‘Haha. Trying to look laid back and casual about the Oscars weekend ahead, but unable to quell our glee!’

While Richard looked dapper in another image which he shared on his Instagram stories, and saw him beam as he contemplated heading to LA for the ceremony.

And the actor also gushed about the possibility of meeting singer Barbara Streisand at the event, as he shared the news that she would be one of the hosts.

In January, the actor also took a selfie outside the singer’s home and shared a fan letter he sent when he was 14, which then prompted the singer to respond to him and gush about his new film.

Beaming: In the gushing post, he wrote: ‘Haha. Trying to look laid back and casual about the Oscars weekend ahead, but unable to quell our glee!’.

Fan boy: The actor also gushed about the possibility of meeting singer Barbara Streisand at the event, as he shared the news that she would be one of the hosts’.

Fan: In January, the actor shared an image of himself smiling happily while posing for a picture outside 76-year-old Streisand’s home in Los Angeles.

His posts comes after Richard shared a snap of his invitation for the grand ceremony, which saw him receive a slew of responses from fans rushing to wish the actor luck on the big night.

Richard will compete against Mahershala Ali (Green Book), Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born), Sam Rockwell (Vice) and Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman) for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

The star hasn’t held back from sharing his joy at being nominated for the prize, and has been documenting his awards season adventures with plenty of star-studded selfies.

Sweet: This comes after Richard shared a snap of his invitation for the grand ceremony, which saw him receive a slew of responses from fans rushing to wish the actor luck on the big night.

Competition: Richard will compete against Mahershala Ali, Sam Elliott, Sam Rockwell and Adam Driver for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Richard recently recalled his most bizarre awards show experience in an interview with Variety, saying that it was unreal ‘going to the Governors Ball and while speaking to Emily Blunt for the first time in my life, being interrupted from behind by Tom Hanks saying, “You’re perfect in your movie, you’re wonderful, you should win everything.”

‘That takes you by surprise. Standing directly next to Tom Hanks was Steven Spielberg. Then someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Do you want to meet Lady Gaga?” That was completely unbelievable.’

Going on to talk about his preparation for the Oscars, Richard revealed he hasn’t prepared a speech because he thinks that it’s a ‘foolish’ thing to do.

Drama: Can You Ever Forgive Me? sees Melissa step into the stilettos of celebrity biographer Lee Israel who makes her living profiling A-listers in the dramatic thriller film.

The Star Wars: Episode IX actor said: ‘Most certainly not. That would be foolish. The man that has to have the speech planned is the man who has had to come up with four different speeches for the four different awards that he’s already won.’

Can You Ever Forgive Me? sees Melissa step into the stilettos of celebrity biographer Lee Israel who makes her living profiling A-listers in the dramatic thriller film.

The writer chronicles the lives of stars including Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen.

Yet in a shocking twist, Lee turns her art form into deception when she falls on hard times and her work is no longer able to get published.

HollywoodReporter.com – 22nd February,2019

by Vincent Boucher

Nominated for the first time, the ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ star is trying to stand out, with help from The Hollywood Reporter’s men’s style consultant: “We didn’t want him to just be in a penguin suit.”

At 61, with some 127 acting credits to his name, Richard E. Grant finds himself a first-time Oscar nominee for his scene-stealing performance as Jack Hock, a streetwise gay roué who becomes partners in crime with author Lee Israel (fellow nominee Melissa McCarthy) in Can You Ever Forgive Me? “Ninety-nine point nine percent of the actors I know are like me — you never get nominated for stuff, you don’t have any expectation,” says Grant. “But right now it feels like the world is smiling at you. You are greeted [at] the Apple store by total strangers who say, ‘Congratulations on your Oscar nomination.'”

This year he’s front and center with multiple nominations (including one for the Feb. 23 Spirit Awards) and is relishing every minute of the run-up. Jack Hock’s style complemented his persona, with “some fabulous cape or ascot,” says costume designer Arjun Bhasin. “There’s a pride and a vanity to Jack, and a flair.” But capturing a similarly unique sense of style for Oscar night in Grant’s real life falls to Andrew Weitz, THR’s contributing editor for men’s style. The Hollywood fashion consultant to many of the industry’s top executives through his company, The Weitz Effect, met up with the actor a few weeks ago to buttonhole some options when Grant touched down in Los Angeles for the SAG Awards.

Luckily, the actor is a formalwear fan: “Almost without exception, any man in a tuxedo looks as smart as paint because even with variations, there’s still an imprint of Cary Grant-slash-Fred Astaire,” says Grant. “It fixes people in a very good moment.”

Remy Tortosa
Richard E. Grant dons a burgundy dinner jacket, $3,495; waistcoat, $1,925; formal trousers, $1,300; bow tie, $295; all at Brunello Cucinelli, Beverly Hills. Shirt, $285, eatonshirts.com. Patent leather lace-ups, $2,070, at Berluti, Beverly Hills. Steel and onyx-inlay cuff links and shirt studs, $520, at Montblanc Boutique, L.A. Patek Philippe watch at Rostovsky Watches, Beverly Hills.

Weitz’s plan includes having Grant “stand out, with a pop of color, bold pattern or unusual texture — he’s nominated with some great actors,” says the style pro. “I’d love to see him be not so basic, like everybody else in a penguin suit.”

Weitz sought to balance the propriety of “the big Kahuna” of awards shows with an emphasis on cutting-edge fashion, moving away from the full tux to a dinner jacket that contrasts with evening trousers.

For classicists, Weitz says that even with a darker evening style, the look can be broken up with an unmatched jacket and trousers — for example, a shawl-collar Brioni dinner jacket in navy with a black jacquard pattern that the stylist had Grant try. “It’s still very elegant,” says Weitz. “We kept the idea of a white formal shirt and put a navy bow tie on him and black evening trousers. We paired it with velvet evening slippers — it’s a different look but very ‘standout’ and chic.”

The actor was a little less enamored: “I thought it was really dull.”

Weitz tried again with a supple velvet jacket from Brunello Cucinelli in a rich burgundy shade, of which the nominee approved. “It’s in a tradition of the English smoking jacket, and the burgundy is really beautiful,” Grant says. “I thought it was really smart.”

Remy Tortosa
Grant tries on the burgundy jacket as advised by Weitz.

Adds Weitz of the wine-colored tuxedo jacket with lapels in a gun-metal shade: “Any time you see a version of red in your line of sight, it grabs attention. We utilized a gray silk waistcoat to match the lapels, but stuck with a black bow tie to complement the pants and pull everything together.”

Grant, who lives in London with his wife, vocal coach Joan Washington, was particularly happy with the vest. “I wear them all the time. I’m permanently cold, and they keep you warm. They affect your posture as well. You feel like you’re standing a little straighter.” That dovetails with a recent fashion trend: the return of the vested evening outfit. A classic white bib-front shirt from Eton; black onyx and silver Montblanc shirt studs and cuff links; and handmade, limited-edition patent leather lace-ups by Berluti completed the look.

“Because he lives in England, there’s something regal about this that suits him,” concludes Weitz of Grant’s look. “Plus, he’s such a witty person, and he can be a bit eccentric at times, just like his character in the movie.”

Remy Tortosa
The best supporting actor nominee for Can You Ever Forgive Me? was photographed Feb. 7 in Beverly Hills. Grant wears a Brioni dinner jacket, $9,200, at Barneys New York, Beverly Hills. Evening trouser, $1,380, at Brioni, Beverly Hills. Eton formal shirt. Velvet evening slipper, $650, at Jimmy Choo, Beverly Hills.

Irish Examiner – 22nd February, 2019

Melissa McCarthy has said it would be “torture” if she never worked with Richard E Grant again.

The pair both picked up Oscar nominations for their turns in biographical drama Can You Ever Forgive Me? with McCarthy up for best actress for her portrayal of literary forger Lee Israel.

British actor Grant, 61, earned the first Academy Award nod of his career for his supporting role as Jack Hock, McCarthy’s accidental friend and accomplice.

Melissa McCarthy and Richard E Grant starred along side each other in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Ian West/PA)

The pair have become friends after working on the critically lauded film and when asked if she wanted to work with Grant again, she said: “God I hope so.”

Speaking at the Oscar Wilde Awards, she told the Press Association: “I’d hate to think I’d never get to do something with Richard again. That would be torture.

“Any time, any place, I’m in.”

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is directed by Marielle Heller and has been a hit with critics and viewers.

It is based on the memoirs of Israel, who admitted to forging celebrity writings in a bid to revive her flagging career.

Melissa McCarthy is Oscar-nominated for her role in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Ian West/PA)

McCarthy, 48, known for starring in comedy film Bridesmaids, said she did not expect the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the film.

She said: “I just don’t think you can ever expect it. You take a film because you love it, you love the characters and I loved every second of making it with Richard E Grant. And Marielle Heller was a dream as a director.

“But you never know how people will react to something. I get so attached to my characters so the fact the reception has been so incredibly warm, it just means more.”

The 91st Academy Awards take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday.

– Press Association