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Richard E. Grant

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Richard E. Grant (born May 5, 1957) is a British actor perhaps most well known for portraying the world-weary, drug-crazed alcoholic Withnail in Withnail and I.

Biography

Early life

Grant was born Richard Grant Esterhuysen in Mbabane, Swaziland. He adopted the name Richard E Grant as an adult when he moved to the UK and registered with the British Actors' Equity Association. His father was Henrik Esterhuysen, a head of education for the British government administration in Swaziland. His mother was the local ballet teacher. Grant attended primary school at St Marks, a local government school in Mbabane that had only recently become racially integrated, and went on to secondary school at Waterford Kamhlaba, just outside Mbabane, where he was a day scholar. At the age of nine, he witnessed an adulterous relationship between his mother and another man that subsequently led to the break-up of his parents' marriage. This event stimulated him to keep a daily diary, which he has continued to do ever since. He wears a watch on each wrist, one given to him by his dying father, permanently set on Swaziland time. He studied English and Drama at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and moved to London in 1982.

Career

Grant is a successful author, with works such as By Design calling on his Hollywood experience. He is most famous as the hilarious face of the Argos TV commercials, portraying the role of homosexual rock star and fan of the gay designer 'Ar-Gus'. He has twice portrayed the Doctor from Doctor Who, unofficially on both occasions. In the comedy sketch Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death, he portrayed a version of the Tenth Doctor, referred to as the Quite Handsome Doctor. He also voiced a version of the Ninth Doctor for the BBC original animated webcast Scream of the Shalka.

He wrote and directed the 2005 film, Wah-Wah, loosely based on his own childhood experiences. In 2008, Grant will star in the movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh's best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance. Grant appeared as "The Voice" in 2+2+2 at American Nights at The King's Head Theatre, from July 3 to July 29, 2007.

Grant has also recently co-starred in the London-based comedy Filth and Wisdom, a film which marks the directorial debut of pop singer Madonna.

On the 22nd November, Grant gave a keynote speech at North London Collegiate School in North London as part of their Performing Arts Centre Opening Festival. He will also present the 2008 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Personal life

Grant married Joan Washington in 1986 and has one daughter with her (Olivia) and a stepson (Tom). Grant is a teetotaler. After casting him as the alcoholic Withnail, director Bruce Robinson made Grant drink a bottle of vodka in one sitting so that he had experience of the sensation.

On December 1st 2006 Richard E Grant turned real life investigator when with the help of the BBC Newsnight programme he exposed a $98 million scam to sell a bogus AIDS cure.

He appeared on BBC1's show Saturday Kitchen on the 14th July 2007, where he confessed to detesting dairy products, while his favourite food is giant prawns on a bed of rice.

Grant is an avid follower of West Ham United, and appeared on Sky Sports' Soccer AM to show his support for the team on the morning of the 2006 FA Cup Final.

Filmography

Films

Television

Voice acting

Bibliography

  • The Wah-Wah Diaries: The Making of a Film: ISBN 0-330-44196-5 (hardcover) - Sept 2006
  • With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant: ISBN 0-87951-828-6 (hardcover) ISBN 0-87951-935-5 (paperback)
  • By Design: A Hollywood Novel

References

External links



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Last updated on Monday February 25, 2008 at 03:03:40 PST (GMT -0800)
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