Richard E. Grant Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 6 ft 2 in |
Weight | 80 kg |
Date of Birth | May 5, 1957 |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
Eye Color | Blue |
Richard E. Grant is a successful Swazi-British actor, screenwriter, and director who is known for his roles in Withnail & I, Hudson Hawk, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Age of Innocence, Twelfth Night: Or What You Will, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Doctor Who, and Game of Thrones. He studied English and drama at the University of Cape Town. Richard has a huge social media fan base with more than 300K followers on Twitter.
Born Name
Richard Grant Esterhuysen
Nick Name
Reg
Sun Sign
Taurus
Born Place
Mbabane, Hhohho, Swaziland
Residence
Middlesex, London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality
British and Swazi
Education
Richard E. Grant studied primary school in the local government school at St Mark’s in Mbabane. He completed his secondary schooling from Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa. Later, Richard graduated from the University of Cape Town in English and drama.
Occupation
Actor, Screenwriter, Director, Perfumer
Family
- Father – Henrik Esterhuysen (Was the Head of Education for the British Government Administration in the British Protectorate of Swaziland)
- Mother – Leonne Esterhuysen (Ballet Teacher) (Died in 2023)
- Siblings – Stuart Esterhuysen (Younger Brother) (Tour Guide in Johannesburg)
Manager
Richard E. Grant is managed by ARG, Talent Agency, London, United Kingdom.
Build
Athletic
Height
6 ft 2 in or 188 cm
Weight
80 kg or 176.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Richard E. Grant has dated –
- Joan Washington – In the early 1980s, Richard began a relationship with voice coach Joan Washington. They met at The Actors Centre in London in December 1982. Richard proposed to her at Heathrow Airport. In 1986, they had a small registered marriage. They are blessed with a daughter named Olivia Grant. He also has a stepson named Tom with Joan. In September 2021, it was revealed that Joan had passed away.
Race / Ethnicity
White
He is of English, Dutch/Afrikaner, and German descent.
Hair Color
Salt and Pepper
Eye Color
Blue
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Long chin
- Tall slender figure
Brand Endorsements
Richard E. Grant appeared in a series of TV commercials for Argos in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Religion
He is an atheist.
Best Known For
- His role as Jack Hock in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) which had earned him nominations in Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award
- His notable performances in Hudson Hawk (1991) as Darwin Mayflower, Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) as Dr. Jack Seward, Gosford Park (2001) as George, Doctor Who (2012–2013) as Dr Simeon / The Great Intelligence, Downton Abbey (2014) as Simon Bricker, and Game of Thrones (2016) as Izembaro
First Film
In 1987, he made his theatrical debut in the comedy-drama film Withnail & I as Withnail.
In 2000, he made his debut as a voice actor in the film The Miracle Maker as John the Baptist.
First TV Show
In 1983, he made his first TV show appearance on the comedy series Sweet Sixteen as Anton.
In 1992, he made his TV show debut as a voice actor by serving as the narrator for the comedy TV series Pallas.
Richard E. Grant Favorite Things
- Diarists – Joe Orton and Kenneth Williams
- Book – “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll
- Art Work – “Two Women in a Bed” by Toulouse-Lautrec
Source – Richard-E-Grant.com, IMDb, Independent
Richard E. Grant Facts
- At age 10, he witnessed his mother commit adultery with his father’s best friend on the back seat of a car. His parents separated after that and his mother left them.
- His mother’s actions left him traumatized and without a friend to talk to, he started keeping a diary.
- He used to wear two watches on each wrist to keep track of time in London and Swaziland. One watch was a gift from his dying father, and it maintained the Swaziland time.
- His father worked as the last minister of education of Swaziland before it achieved its independence from Britain in 1968.
- He attended Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles‘s wedding as one of their guests.
- He did the narration and performance of the Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s ebook version.
- Richard is allergic to alcohol.
- He is infatuated towards new smells like books, cars, sofas, and people, stating that it evokes memories.
- In 2006, he took part in the Blind Date (special celebrity edition) on The Prince’s Trust 30th Birthday: Live, but lost to The X Factor 2004 winner Chico Slimani for a date with Barry Humphries.
- Richard launched his range of perfume called JACK at Liberty of Regent Street in April 2014.
- He is a fan of West Ham United FC.
- For him, the smell of Johnson’s Baby powder takes him to his childhood.
- He first realized that he was famous when in a public toilet, somebody asked him for a selfie.
- His father’s best advice to him was, “If you have five true friends, consider yourself a rich man”.
- He has cooked linguine and summer pudding for supper for Meryl Streep in the past.
- According to him, the secret to a successful marriage is communication.
- His parents were worried when he told them that he wanted to be a professional actor back in Swaziland as there was no prospect of earning a living as an actor there.
- The house that he grew up in was on top of a mountain overlooking The Valley of Heaven.
- When he was a child, he wanted to be an astronaut and travel to the moon, but as he failed math, he decided to be an actor.
- If he could change one thing about himself, he’d like to have the ability to get just 4 hours of sleep a night instead of the required 8 hours.
- He can hold his breath underwater for a long time.
- He is not good at hiding his feelings when somebody’s actions have bored him.
- When he looks in the mirror, he sees gravity working tirelessly on him.
- He likes eating Christmas pudding at least once a month.
- He admits that his house is crammed from floor to ceiling with many items including paintings, drawings, photographs, and memorabilia, among others.
- Richard reads the book Alice in Wonderland every year.
- He loved all The Godfather films and stated that he could watch it any time of the day, and year.
- His greatest regret is that his father did not live long enough to meet his grandchild.
- His secret crush is Meryl Streep.
- He wrote and directed comedy-drama film Wah-Wah (2005).
- Visit his official website @ richard-e-grant.com.
- Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
Featured Image by GabboT / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0